Ageing well, or not? WTF

[DrYazz]

I have heard alot recently (mainly in relation to the new Ferrari 458 Italia) that it is a car which 'will not age well'.

WTF - what does that mean exactly? Can any car age well? If it is 1 year old, it is 1 year old. If it is 10 years old, it is 10 years old. A car's age is simply its age.

Anybody care to post some pictures to illustrate what has or hasn't aged well?

Because I am confused.

[LukeBird]

They mean it will look old quick.
Typically cars with "cutting edge" styling tend to look old quick, as design styles change relatively quickly.

[Complex]

It's how well the design fits in with the era it's released in, and how easily you can tell how old it is. The 355 for example, while amazing looking, is condemned to a 90s look with its flat bonnet and pop-up head-lamps. The 360 however, in my opinion, has aged very well, when you see one, it isn't blatantly obvious that its a 12 year old design, obviously the 430 sharing similar looks helps it stay on the same platform, but even so, it doesn't look "old".

I've mentioned this before, but I was curious about this, and showed a few people (who I know have no knowledge of cars) a picture of a 360, a 430, and a 458, and asked them which they thought was the oldest design, to the newest, 4 of the 5 people thought it looked the newest, the remaining person thought the 459 looked the newest, then the 360. All but 1 thought the 430 looked the oldest.

Edited by Complex on Wednesday 14th July 20:45

[LuS1fer]

It means that something that looked the dog's b*ll*x because it was the height of fashion at the time can often look bad when that fashion fades. For example, the original Esprit with it's folded design was very fashionable then went deeply out of fashion but I think is now back in. Some cars which look weird can also look very bad some way down the line if no-one follows the idea.
I would say the roundy-blobby Mondeo Mk 2 has aged badly in a world full of angular design. Can't see how this would age badly but I'd argue the 550/575 did.

[mat205125]

LukeBird said:

They mean it will look old quick.
Typically cars with "cutting edge" styling tend to look old quick, as design styles change relatively quickly.

Google Countach 25th anniversary for a visual example

[DangerousMike]

purple rover 200s

[Gummy Sagoo]

LukeBird said:

They mean it will look old quick.
Typically cars with "cutting edge" styling tend to look old quick, as design styles change relatively quickly.

To whit:

[pilchardthecat]

For the same reason our car parks do not look like they were supposed to.....

[ambuletz]

allow me to give you an example..

Jason (red ranger) from the power rangers. He did not age well.


However Tommy (the green, and then white ranger) did age well.

[peterattheboro]

Power rangers? W T F ?

[mybrainhurts]

Not forgetting...



Bridgett Bardot...

Scary stuff, mes braves....

[Dick_Phallus]

Almost all Alfa Romeos age terribly. The 159, 169 and GT and Brera are some of (if not the) best looking cars in their class. Howeverthe early 00s 156, 166 and dare I say it GTV all look much older and more dated than almost any other car from that time.

[Gummy Sagoo]

Slightly off topic but Raquel Welch. DAMN.



I'm saying it. I would plough a pensioner.

[Don1]

At her daughter wedding. What was that about not upstaging the bride?

[*Al*]

Gummy Sagoo said:

Slightly off topic but Raquel Welch. DAMN.



I'm saying it. I would plough a pensioner.

Couple of beers, dim the lights and it's game on!

[Pothole]

*Al* said:

Gummy Sagoo said:

Slightly off topic but Raquel Welch. DAMN.



I'm saying it. I would plough a pensioner.

Couple of beers, dim the lights and it's game on!

even with the lights off it's still as stimulating as a wizard's sleeve!

[slipstream 1985]

aged well

[Garlick]

Current Honda Civic has no aged well IMO

Oh, and keep the girl pics away from GG please

[AdeTuono]

The very definition of 'ageing well'. 50 years old!

[Engineer1]

Ford KA:


but then it was in production from 96-2008