These aren't ugly cars. But they could've been much prettier were it not for the innate Brit restrain.
It would seem that the "kettle was on the boil and they were so easily drawn away" from their drawing boards.
Yes! It probably became my least favorite minutes before or after choosing my absolute favorite (my f chat apellation) when reading the book on spyders by, I believe, Jonathan Thompson in the late seventies. The other really ugly one was featured in Cavallino a few years ago ( a spyder with odd porcine snout and mudguards a la Morgan) and shown here recently photographed inside classiche but then again there was a third monstrosity in a Cavallino article a few years back: a sliver car, that had been tucked away in a German lockup for years and everyone's reaction was push it back in quickly!
Iced-tea is meant to have ice in it. A cold beer is meant to be cold. If one can not realize this, they certianly have no business designing Ferraris. -J
I need to redeem myself. Actually, there have been few (underline few) attractive postwar Brit cars. My vote goes to the Aston Martin DB2. It is almost pretty. They had the concept right, but then their fathers' sense of aesthetics took over and they got carried away with those stodgy bumpers and those 275GTB-like hideous trunk hinges. And what is with those panel gaps running north and south and east and west on the sides? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
No ....you can tell it's english when.... the tail lights, side lights and all trim look like they came off of six other cars.
HUH? Maybe consider the Jaguar XK120, C-Type, D-Type, E-Type? And, what about this? http://www.*************/carpics/3534/1931_Daimler_DoubleSix50CorsicaDropheadCoupe1.jpg
It would hurt your eyes! Sorry have a very busy week ahead and have no time to find it but perhaps someone else has identified the one I meant and has that issue.
In their right these are fine, but when you put them next to their Italian peers their arrested developments become apparent. john
I believe the reference was to John Barnard, who's previous, yet not to be repeated, successes enticed Ferrari to build him a design and production center in England (Ferrari Guildford), he wouldn't work in Italy, from which the some of the darkest days of the team's infamous F1 Doldrums emanated until Todt's consolidation and resurrection of SF as a force again to be reckoned with.
Here's a D-Type at LeMans... nothing but visually arresting! http://www.*************/carpics/2903/1954_Jaguar_DType1.jpg
True. Phenomenal car the D-Type. But you have to admit that next to its Italian contemporaries, your D Type is the Hunchback of ND. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Reverting to the original topic of 0165EL for a minute, the hideous Abbott body was surgically removed many years ago and the car was given a replica Touring Barchetta body (in the UK I think) before coming to Australia several years ago. It was painted black but is now resale red and has appeared in lots of Ferrari events with Guido Belgiorno-Nettis and Jeff Dutton. Cheers, Damien
Overall, Italian styling is more harmonious, I agree. The English have their moments though, just fewer and farther inbetween.
I've always loved English cars... the XK120/140 and E-type are absolute classics, D-type was sweet, XKSS as well. Old RR and Bentley as well. Some AM. I tend to think British vs Italian similar to a difference between girls being pretty/beautiful/attractive vs hot/sexy. Each pleasing to the eye, but slightly different psychological response...
Here is the best of both worlds. Aston Martin with an Italian body. Bellisima! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here's another best of both worlds, from a different take. Just a thought i bet there are no major design studios that do not have English designers in them, A good friend of mine has worked for Porsche for 20 years. I have to agree though the 1952 212 Inter Coupe S/N 0165EL by Abbott is one of the least esthetically pleasing car designs i have seen. The silver car is a Jaguar C Type. Image Unavailable, Please Login