car design and that "feeling"

I sort of started a thread on this a couple weeks ago about how alot of car designs from the 60s/70s are being imitated in todays cars, and if there were any car designs from today that would be imitated in 30-40 years. And I couldn't really think of any. So it's fair to say that while I agree car designs of late haven't been as good, there are still some that really capture my heart (alot of Ferraris do, and I do like the look of a Hummer as well as G500/G55, and the Aston Martins).

 

Time to cleanse your aesthetic palet...here ya go:
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Overall I agree with the first posts, current car designs aren't the best. But as posted here Aston-Martin has a huge winner in the new V8 coupe. The Mercedes CLS is daring for a sedan. Land Rover's LR3 is very sharp for a truck.

Lambo is too busy building imperial star destroyers, and Ferrari has gone a bit Japanese. Porsche ran out of ideas in 1998 -- or maybe 1989 -- excepting the CGT, which is technically impressive and new. The Saleens, Zondas, etc., try too hard for shock and awe, and don't really hold together as designs -- they're more like accumulations of extreme details. Jaguar passed on the stunning F-Type and turned the XK into a nice Ford. And I don't know why BMW had to make the 6 series look like a kitchen pot.

 

Just study a TR, Countach or E type,

truly divine timeless designs

 

You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Whoa, that lovin' feeling,
You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Now it's gone...gone...gone...wooooooh.

 

agreed.

also on the lambo thing, I think they slacked a bit on the murci design. The shock factor isnt as shocking as the diablo's. the murci is still nice but more bland than any other lambo after the jalpa.

 

I think the 360 was a damn nice design and so was the marenello 550 imo. I agree with what you are saying but I think you're right about being saturated with pictures from the internet that delute some of that experience. That said, I have a TR, F430,Diablo, and a few 355s that drive around in my neck of the woods and my hair still stands up on the back of my neck.

Lets see if they make this one...
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You know, it's funny. I was obsessed with 360 Modenas, especially CS's (still find the CS gorgeous), but last week I went to the FCA National concours, and lets just say I was inundated with more 360s than I could bare. The cars that kept catching my eye (other than the smurf-blue f430) were the TRs. Which, oddly, was the car I feel in love with when I was just a few years old, and started my obsession with cars. I guess that says something. It was definitely a radical design at the time, but not a take on past models or anything. New and radical, but not so radical that the point of the car is lost (Saleen S7 anyone?). Ferrari needs this too today, the 599 reminds me of the Lusso, which is one of the greatest cars of all time...but why recreate it? Create something new, that's what I'm getting at.

 

I agree for the most part. For example, I could look at a 275 GTB all day long. It is a natural beauty. The 599 is a good looking car, but its not a natural beauty. Too many lines, curves, buttresses, vents and scoops. All of this adds up to good air mgmt. with out resorting to big wings and such, but it looks too busy to my eye.

I like the Koenigseggs. They seem to be purposeful without trying too hard. The MBZ CLS is a good looking car. I wonder if it will look good in 10 years? Most of the Mercedes look dated rather quickly.

 

I know this probably doesn't belong here, but I saw a white BMW 8 series the other day and wow is that a nice timeless classic as well. Beautiful.

 

How many different ways can you design a 4 wheeled vehicle that has an internal combustion engine in the front or the rear? Designs will change when the engineering changes. Electric power or turbine power will change the necessaties of the powerplant and therefore the surrounding design. What about 4 wheel drive? Or a 6 wheeled vehicle? Or 4 wheeled steering? Get RADICAL and the designs will REALLY change.
(One of my radical ideas: I've often wondered about eliminating the front radiator opening and circulate the engine coolant through finned heat sinks incorporated into the outside design of the body. The frontal area would be decreased thereby lowering the wind resistance.)

 

Sounds like ebay....

 

each to his own, but in my subjective opinion, there are still many cars that evoke excitement, passion, and emotion. The Challenge stradale, 430, NSX, Murci Roadster, Aston Vanquish, Vantage are just stunning. Granted, they don't look like a countach or a testarossa, they are so fun and gratifying to look at, and more so to drive.

 

I'd rather use the heat energy. Steam can easily turn a turbine to replace an alternator. Better to use engine heat to run your alternator than to vent it wastefully to the atmosphere, in my book.

 

The original Miura is a rolling lust object. You don't want a title for the thing. You want a marriage certificate.

The CAD-born Gallardo is OK but it's a sterile design. You see one and think, "Yes, that makes sense," and then move on to more interesting cars. The Murci, again, looks too much like Lord Vader's star destroyer. The original Countach, before all the wings and flares and bowling ball wheels, is a piece of art. I admit it's still not my favorite, but I appreciate it for what it is.

Back to Ferrari, I do like the 550/575 a lot. I think it's one of the best designs of the last decade. I'm not as keen on what's replacing it, but happy that a 550 is approaching my price range.

 

I probably should put on my flame suit first....zipppppp. I think part of the problem is just what started this thread, boredom. And it seems the younger people get bored the soonest, wanting the next fix sooned than later. I'll be 48 this year. I grew up with old Pontiac GTO's with 421 ci V-8's and still kind of want another one. I owned an MGB-GT at just 17 years old and still want another one. I seen a picture of a early Countach with no wings or flares on the cover of R&T and have always wanted one. I wanted a 308 the first time I ever seen it and now fortunately own two 77 GTB's. As Alain DeCadernet said about a older V-12 Ferrari, they still give me the hot flashes. If I had a million dollars or more I would still want a 308. If there were any car in the last 10 years that has gotten my attention, it would be the Ascari. Ferrari should build it, and keep it a simple car, tube frame chassis, manual steering, manual gearbox, non abs, small bore V-8, maybe turboed or mechanically supercharged. Keeping it well under $100K would be good too. Like $49,999 at your local Ferrari dealer.

 

Funny enough, I passed an 850 on the freeway last night and kept thinking about them all night. The 90's super BMW... V12... low mileage ones in low-mid $20's... hmm...

I was checking prices on them just a few hours ago!

 

Does this do nothing to stir your soul???
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Keep in mind that to cope with passionless lives, a few people resort to a mental trick in which they convince themselves that everything in life is boring and mundane.

Not everyone lives each day with vibrant passion!

Examples of beauty and excitement are lost on such people. They are the depressed barflies in the dark corner of the saloon of life...crying in their lonely beers while the rest of the joint rocks on without them.

 

Yes, they do stir my soul, but it's shock rather and adimiring it's beauty. I personally like the design of the zonda, but it's dramatic and flamboyant, not elegant and classical beauty. Amongst cars today, only the Aston Martins and Lambos are real classical beauty to me. The Astons are elegant and beautiful, there really isn't any fault to pick, except the door mirrors on the DB9, they are ugly, much prefer the ones on V8 vantage. As for Lambos, are murci are dramatic, but not overly done like the zonda, and the Gallardo is small but with great proportions, and some nice details.
However, the most beautiful cars IMO is still from before 70's, DB4 Zagato, Miura, E-type, tipo33 Stradale (love this little alfa, the design is so advanced for it's time).. etc, they have this timeless elegance that's not found in cars anymore

just my thoughts

 

It won't be long...