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AhmedFaisal
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Semi-Rant: What happened to cars in the last 5 years????
- Thread starter AhmedFaisal
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I was wondering the same thing. I saw a new Mercedes E320 the other day and thought at first that it was an Acura.
And since when do the car designers not use common sense when making things that look pretty, but are actually useless. For example, (I know this sounds piddly, but it drives me NUTS), in my Jaguar there is a small amount or chrome trim around the gear shift area. In theory, it looks nice next to the wood trim, but every single day I drive that thing, the sun shines in and reflects off the chrome right into my eyes. WTF!? Yeah, sure I love my Jag, but it blinds me and Im gonna die in an accident on a sunny day.
Change is natural and necessary for any car manufacturer to strive and sell new cars. If you don't like the current generation of designs then wait to purchase a car for a few years and they will have changed yet again. Or buy something used....
You must be hitting the age where nostalgia kicks in. "Cars were more beautiful in my day." Everyone goes through that with music, movies, cartoons, etc. "Our generation had it better." 
Smooth lines and popular cars are the rage. Mercedes realizes that boxy cars aren't gonna sell in the C-classes segment, so they adapted. Not a big deal. It won't please everyone --- only the majority of buyers.
And I do like the new VW Rabbit/GTi 2 door.
Smooth lines and popular cars are the rage. Mercedes realizes that boxy cars aren't gonna sell in the C-classes segment, so they adapted. Not a big deal. It won't please everyone --- only the majority of buyers.
And I do like the new VW Rabbit/GTi 2 door.
Yes, there is probably some nostalgia involved, but in general I have always thought that a Mercedes looked "like a Mercedes". It just had a certain look that was immediately recognizable. Honestly, the E320 that I saw the other day was the first Mercedes that I have ever seen (I'm 53 now) that didn't just scream "Hi! I'm a Mercedes!". So much for corporate identity.
No, I agree. I'm only 23, but the majority of car designs in the past few years seem to be massively uninspired.
The last few glorious years of the E46 Bimmers, I was concerned because I thought BMW had come close to automotive perfection, and couldn't top it. And of course when the new models came out, I was very disappointed. They are starting to grow on me a little though.
Same goes for the VW designs. I feel VW ruined the Jetta.
The Audi's are pretty, but I feel the best looking sedan on the road right now is the Acura TL.
The last few glorious years of the E46 Bimmers, I was concerned because I thought BMW had come close to automotive perfection, and couldn't top it. And of course when the new models came out, I was very disappointed. They are starting to grow on me a little though.
Same goes for the VW designs. I feel VW ruined the Jetta.
The Audi's are pretty, but I feel the best looking sedan on the road right now is the Acura TL.
Mike Teezie said:
The E90 is a much better looking car than the E46. The E46 was just so Blaa to me, and I am a BMW fanatic. I waited out on buying a new 3'r until the E90 came out, its so much more refined and sporty than the E46 ever was.
The TL has got to be one of the most uninspired plain looking sedans ive seen since the early 90's Acura Legend. And it drives very "blah" too.
Ed
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CompUser
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I liked BMW's older styling. For the most part boxy, nice large "deep dish" wheels.
I really like the current mercedes, but I would not be surprised if the E-Class and Chrysler 300c looked almost the same. They already share the same frame. I'm just guessing here but I suspect the R-Class is based on the Pacifica and their new GL-Class is based on the Durango. There SL or SLK (i forget) is similar to Crossfire. Chrysler has made such bad car designs lately, they keep getting worse and worse. They are so ugly. Why wouldn't they copy mercedes exterior design- they already made the 300c look like a Rolls-Royce. Dodge Magnum- what the h*** is that- it looks like a truck put in a car crusher. Jeep Compass.... pictures speak for themselves. I have heard that the new Grand Cherokees are very uncomfortable and that the 5.7l hemi gets 12mph average (according to Car&Driver).
My mom is in the process of buying a new SUV- there are a lot of options out there, but some are just so ugly. The murano and fx are sorta cool looking, but in 3 years when all the cars are boxy again its going to look so out of style. I prefer the boxy yet slightly rounded design of cars such as the LR3, Land Cruiser/LX470, G-Class, GX470, XC90, etc. This style never seems to look really old.
It just goes in phases, unfortunately, many of the new cars look like they have been injected with water and have expanded.
I really like the current mercedes, but I would not be surprised if the E-Class and Chrysler 300c looked almost the same. They already share the same frame. I'm just guessing here but I suspect the R-Class is based on the Pacifica and their new GL-Class is based on the Durango. There SL or SLK (i forget) is similar to Crossfire. Chrysler has made such bad car designs lately, they keep getting worse and worse. They are so ugly. Why wouldn't they copy mercedes exterior design- they already made the 300c look like a Rolls-Royce. Dodge Magnum- what the h*** is that- it looks like a truck put in a car crusher. Jeep Compass.... pictures speak for themselves. I have heard that the new Grand Cherokees are very uncomfortable and that the 5.7l hemi gets 12mph average (according to Car&Driver).
My mom is in the process of buying a new SUV- there are a lot of options out there, but some are just so ugly. The murano and fx are sorta cool looking, but in 3 years when all the cars are boxy again its going to look so out of style. I prefer the boxy yet slightly rounded design of cars such as the LR3, Land Cruiser/LX470, G-Class, GX470, XC90, etc. This style never seems to look really old.
It just goes in phases, unfortunately, many of the new cars look like they have been injected with water and have expanded.
I just don't think anybody is willing to be that daring with their styling after seeing the Aztek, aka 2001 Edsel.
Ed H said:
Different strokes.....
I too, am a BMW fanatic. My 328i was a blast to drive, hate I got rid of that car.
I think the Bangle-ised E90 is far too dependent on it's trim level. That's to say, the only E90s that look good to me are the 330i's with the sport/premium package.
Maybe the styling I like could be called bland, I don't know. I still almost gag every time I see the ass end of one of the cars. Too bubbly, like a Japanese car gone wrong.
I've heard the TL's are a tad lackluster. I've never driven one.
I think my next car will most likely be an Audi A4, or maybe a 330i after it's been tweaked a little.
adk said:
You have to give Ford a lot of credit for the Mustang, that car is light years ahead of what it was.
iGav, where are ya mate? Thought you would have been in this one by now....
Ed H said:
Surely the man meant TSX and not TL.
I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he meant the TSX, which is a cooler looking car than the TL.
Personally I've always preferred BMW's style over any of the other "luxe" brands. And I think the new Z4 Coupe is the sexiest car BMW has put out in years.
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Mike Teezie said:
Agreed. The current Mustang is one of the most beautiful cars I've seen in a looong time. Im sure that not everyone agrees, but it sure seems to have all the cool bits in all the right places.
Aston-Martin.
Now that is a company with some very sweet designs in the stables.
The Alfa Romeo "Brera" is stunning too, there are a few of them at the dealership down the road and they always get a second glance.
I quite like the new Ferrari designs too although not many would agree with me.
Citroen have some nice designs, the C4 is outstanding in the metal.
Now that is a company with some very sweet designs in the stables.
The Alfa Romeo "Brera" is stunning too, there are a few of them at the dealership down the road and they always get a second glance.
I quite like the new Ferrari designs too although not many would agree with me.
Citroen have some nice designs, the C4 is outstanding in the metal.
Chundles said:
I concur Aussie guy, although I'm suprised no 'Yutes' made it onto your list. Joke!
I think car designs havn't been this good for a long while now. Car manufacturers were busy designing cars to look as inoffensive as possible. Some cars looked nice, others just a bit bland, no-one really pushed the envolope of car design, unless you payed shed-loads.
Now car design is all over the shop- its brilliant! Too many examples, but look at the new European Honda Civic (not the US or Japanese one- dull) you couldn't pay twice that for a car that eye-catching. Or even the Citreon C4 as you just mentioned. Even the original Ford Focus was very brave.
This also means there are some munters out there- the BMW 7 series, any new Bentley (look like the fat and ugly sister of the Aston Martin), that stupid Chrysler that looks like a London taxi, oh and christ, what happened to Peugeot?!?! whats with those stupid grills???? Nissan, too many designers styling one car, stop it! Toyota, wake up!! Stop designing cars that belong to 1993!!
pseudobrit said:
But not with those wheels fella...
Mr. Durden said:
The only issue (and it's a small one) is that Ford saw fit to incorporate a rear quarterlight between the B and C pillars, apart from that very minor detail... it's near on perfect in my eyes.
iGav said:
knew you were going to say that
i've actually started looking at buying an older car, from say, 20-25 years ago, there's some classic designs from that era, and some today that are echoing those designs too...
let me see if i can find some picture examples...