Cars that look dated in 2014

I look at it the same way. Good design stands the test of time. Same in regards to music even though it's obvious it wasn't composed in the modern era (classical music for example). Think Britney Spears will be listened to in 300 years? Yeah right...lol. Her songs may be catchy to millions, but aren't listened to for very long and get old quick.

The 250 GTO is obviously "dated" in terms of looks for today as are the rest of the 60s sportscars, but imo they are all amazing designs and look better than anything today. They've stood the test of time and aged well.

 

Now take the Mitsubishi Gallant for instance.... LOL
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

What a spectacular engineering solution then... so much flair to it.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Agree 100%

Joe

 

Actually those are all perfect examples. Although some (most?) items we think of as dated were regarded as attractive at the time. The Mustang II was "attractive" enough back in the '70s that it appeared on a popular TV show.

 

A lot of it has to do with what age you were when a car came out.

 

I call it the "ten years rule".

Around a decade from its debut a car usually looks the most dated.
Beyond that date, year after year it becomes less and less "out of fashion" and more "period", and you start fully appreciating its lines again. It's the start of the process that will make it a "classic", in 20-30 years or more.
After 40 years even people most clueless about cars should be able to tell a classic design from a dated one.

So according to my view right now the most "dated" Ferraris are the F430 and 612 (owners don't take offence I'm not saying they're not beautiful). But their time is near.
Right now mid 2000s car design is at its lowest tide..



OFC it's a general rule. Special cars like Ferraris age better than most. Then there are true gems that become instant classics, cars born old, cars so bland or ugly they'll never be appreciated and cars (or entire car ages) you've a special atraction or repulsion for.
An example is the X300 Jaguar XJ6, which personally I consider already a classic.

 

I remember some here having that problem.
.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I think the preferred technique for a belt change is to remove the wheel well liner. Your tech probably lacks experience with these older cars.

 

I think most of the cars from when I was growing up ('80s) are catastrophically ugly -- and dated. The 308 and Boxer (exterior only) stand out as the only '80s cars that still look right. (And both were designed in the '70s...)

Off the top of my head, my list of timelessly beautiful sports cars includes the E-Type series I/II, 356/A Speedster, several Ferraris in the 250 class, 330 GTC, 308, Daytona and Dino 246. I could probably add a few Alfas, and the '68 Mustang GT fastback. I'm younger than most of those.

There's an aesthetic to these cars that transcends any of their era-specific styling cues.

 

Sure, both were designed in the '70's and looked good in the '80's, but there are also cars that were designed in the '80's and ended up looking good in the '90's as they were revised. See the 512TR, the last C4 Vettes, the 355 etc.

To my eye, the 308 Qv and 512BBi are the best looking of the lines though they had their origins in the '70's, just as the 512TR and 355 are the best looking and least dated of their lines which had their origins in the '80's.

 

She appears to be a natural. I wonder if she does PPIs as well.

 

I have to ask to what extent dated is in the age of the beholder.

Among exotics, nothing post-1973 really looks "dated" to me. But then, I prefer the looks of the 206 Dino to the 246; the 365 over the 512 over the Testarossa, the 550 over the 575, and the 308 over the 328. . .

American cars of the 70's, 80's, and 90's, on the other hand, looked dated two days after they rolled off the assembly line.

I remember a car rally where I overheard a father say to his son (of my 308):
"Look! There's a Ferrari!"
The boy (about 12) shrugged indifferently and said: "An older Ferrari."

This was around 2010, and I didn't consider (and still don't consider) my 1982 308 to be "old."

Hell, 1982 was the day before yesterday.

 

I once parked my 2007 C6 Vette next to my 1988 328 GTB and the Vette looked dated compared to the F-car.

 

Dated with style.

http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/Studebaker/63-Studebaker-Avanti-white-DV-11-GC_01.jpg

 

To be called dated is a pejorative. It denotes a tired style.

In the real world, a clean, original Testarossa isn't tired, it's striking. And it's very much in the milieu of exotics of today. It's not dated. It's iconic.

-F

 

I don't think the 328 is dated at all, its the association with a dated cheesy TV show (that sucked even in the 80s) that ruins them for me.

Although the 308/328 would be the most vintage Ferrari I could afford.

 

Your 10 year rule would probably work better if you used when the car model last came out and not when it first came out. F430 does not look dated at all. If you put the stock F430 wheels on a 360 suddenly the car looks modern. The star fish wheels are dated.

Also 360CS does not look dated at all.

 

The thing that makes many of these cars look 'dated' is the more primitive technology, particularly things like panel fit, trim pieces, tailights, etc.

Its not the actual design of the car. Just the limitations placed by the technology of the time.

Take a 308 or even a first gen RX-7 and update the trim pieces and it would fit right in today

 

When the F430 came, it looked fresh and new. When the Scuderia was introduced it suddenly looked a bit dated. An F430 with standard rear looks dated compared to one with the c/f rear... Seems like a facelift always makes the old design look dated...

If the 456 got modern head lights and larger wheels it would look fairly modern.

 

+1 on the 456, the right wheels will completely change that car... ive always disliked the original five spoke's design...

 

To me, cars are a lot like fashion nowadays..... Really, anything goes. Cars still have 4 wheels. So everything else must work around that common design element. It's all been done.

I hate all new cars. I think they suck and look stupid. I'm also 40 and don't really see "new cars" anymore. I on;y get excited for "rare" cars. My 12 year old son only see's "new" Lambos or Ferraris. I don't like any new lambs or Ferraris.

 

+1, agree more with this than cloverleaf's post. I think that the 10 year rule can hold true with regular cars, but not with exotics.

Examples of cars that are ~10 years old
-360 CS
-Carrera GT
-Enzo
-F430
-Ford GT
-Mercedes SLR

These cars may not appear as new as their successors, but they are hardly dated.

 

Agree about all of these cars except the SLR. The SLR's headlights scream early 2000's Mercedes to me and so does its weird tail lights. I don't really like that car so its desing hasn't aged gracefully at all, to me.

 

I don't really like it all that much either and was hesitant to put it on that list