car design thread

What’s the deal with the “floating” bumper and what does the rear 3/4 view remind me of - a Lincoln, Bentley?

 

A wise old designer once told me, "we all have one design"
Maybe he was right.

 

Cool sketches from long ago
https://www.hotcars.com/check-out-these-concept-sketches-from-the-golden-age-of-car-design/?fbclid=IwAR0nnaa80uHAW7iO2hQGHKp0PJLhjULq6TDjfl_t0hiM6NCuD1P2mjYVbXY
Check Out These Concept Sketches From The Golden Age Of Car Design

Stunning designs inspired by fighter jets, theoretical spacecraft, and forward-thinking engineering were released during these time periods.

BY ARIANA HALEAUG 21, 2020

 

Anybody know if those 4 wheel shrouds-type design has ever been tested in a wind tunnel and how it compares to other aerodynamic treatments of wheels?

 

An older video, but a great view on the development of the RR Velar.

 

Not certain what advantage that type of shroud would be. On exposed tire vehicles, the tire face is part of the frontal area. Not sure how these particular designs would help, but would like to know a definitive answer.

 

The all new Mercedes S-Class (W223)

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AMG version

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Not a fan of those tail lights. The car looks like a 'heavy' design...

 

Auto Union!

 

Grandpa Munster's new ride...?

 

That front looks a bit too cheap and not imposing enough imo. Reminds me a lot of the Chrysler 300.
I think it would look a lot better with a taller grille and bigger lights
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New Hyundai Tucson

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Harry was quite irreverent. Although he had immense talent he probably wasn't going to do Detroit Corporate real well as a long term gig. [Although Chuck Jordan remained a fan of him] Harry was not just good presentation artwork but good underlying design - not always were these two qualities present.

Harry talked in unvarnished terms about some of the people and occurrences from his time at GM then his short stay at Chrysler. One I remember is his telling of a presentation rendering of one of Bill Mitchell's ("tomato head") special creations. The car had a periscope rear view mirror (like the early Countach would later have). The rendering was a rear view with a setting of some young girl near the car. Harry told it that he made the girl loo like an underage hooker and if one checked closely in the rear view mirror one could see the top of what had to be Mitchell's bald red head.

Harry did fine leaving Detroit. As he told it, his short stay at Chrysler was about boosting his salary since he already had a deal with Mattel to do Hot Wheels. Mattel was going to pay $X above what he made in Detroit. He did the illustrations for the assorted magazine, most Petersen Publications, as I remember it. He continued to do custom cars (he talked of one for Sammy Davis jr.). He taught at Art Center. What else he did professionally I do not know.

Chrysler story of Harry's: He gets to Chrysler and those folks are all trying figure out how Cadillac got a hood so wide on the Eldo. At the time there were not presses that could do that size. He tries telling them that the hood is done as 2 pieces then joined. They refuse to believe him and keep wondering how it was done. Finally, he is able to pop the centerline chrome time on the hood off of an Eldo to show them that underneath there is the joint he has been trying to tell them about. He is getting across just how naïve these so called "knowledgeable people" are at Chrysler. He has no problem do a short time stint there as he was heading back to his native So Cal.

Those crutches he has in the photo are Bradley-Stanford. He created those while doing a Masters at Stanford University.

In my time at Art Center, I started a year or 2 after John graduated, there were all sorts of instructor politics going on in the Transportation Design group. Keith Teter was the department head. Strother MacMinn was quite vocal about his displeasure that Keith had that position. Harry and Keith had their issues with each other. I guess Keith and Harry must have had some too (but Harry stayed silent with the students) since my group only had Harry for one term - first car design class. That sure seemed to be a big snub.

 

Audi cues for the flanks, lights (also BMW at front and Maserati at rear) but married to the now-standard and awful Merc banana beltline and the fiddly, rounded C-pillar/beltline DLO corner at the rear door - just awful.

The styling cues mentioned give an almost Salvador Dali-like melted clock look and not the upright, firm, solid feel expected from a German car, let alone a Mercedes.

 

Reverting back the the story on the 308GT4 design development by Bertone.

I have been told the story that Bertone was suspicious that the assignment from Ferrari was not serious and would ultimately be another Pf project. As such Bertone pulled out some of what the rejected proposals from the Uracco. Considering how close the two designs are, I don't find it a stretch to believe.

 

This got my attention.
Here's Your Best Look Yet at the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Wagon
The long-roof version of Porsche's EV has been spotted testing on the Nürburgring.
https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/future-cars/a33902564/porsche-taycan-cross-turismo-wagon-spy-video/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social-media&utm_campaign=socialflowR%26T&fbclid=IwAR3v60yGnnxcv4oHk49IabF_avxkcNTZiUUgO-UpA29I_LsQ623FmckIr40
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continuing on the retro-motorcycle theme:
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Here's a short video by The Historic Vehicle Association on the Hirohata Merc; a landmark design in early Hot Rod culture

 

new Jeep Wagoneer from FCA - photos found on line but clearly supplied by FCA
Interesting side view with "seamless" doors all the way to the roof. With the black roof it's novel and quite clean. Front end following on Ram ethos by going for more lux than tough.


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Ford F-150 truck design

New F-150 design consumed his life — and inspired his house
Phoebe Wall Howard
Detroit Free Press


https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2020/08/30/2021-f-150-behind-scenes-stories-ford-designers/3444346001/


Couldn't help but include this quote from the article:
"Design is arguably the most important part of developing new products," John McElroy, a veteran industry observer and host of "Autoline After Hours," said. "Design is what turns heads and makes people look at a car. If they don’t even notice it, how will they know if they want to buy it?"

 

I have had high expectations for the Grand Wagoneer return and must say this will be a flop up epic proportions. There is no design link or visual clues that immediately draw upon the marks heritage. It could just as easily be a Korean full size SUV, and actually, kind of mimics their idea of an American SUV. Bland Box. Cadillac and Lincoln will continue to dominate this space, and rightfully so.

 

Thanks. Not being a wagoner customer, I was interested to hear feedback on the appearance.
It's nice. But is that enough?
Maybe those buyers won't care. Stay tuned.

 

quality of jeeps, dodge and chrysler compared to others in that price range?

 

I have no personal interest in owning an SUV (unless my '64 VW T2 qualifies?). Having said that this Wagoneer has a lot of design details that I like; the almost flush glass and continuous painted bodywork north of the beltline, which I think suggests a familial relationship to the Wrangler. The front, although enormous in any normal era, is comparatively subdued and a more sophisticated version of the Cherokee face. All in all, I think there is a reasonable link to traditional Jeep design language here while still separating it from its boulders and cacti brethren.
This looks to be a vehicle with implied "Jeep" go anywhere chops for those who never intend to take it off road but want to be able to escape to Aspen in the worst of weather.
Target: Lincoln Navi & Cadillac 'glade.

Now if I could drop one off to Bill Cushenberry for an 8" sectioning, I might be more inclined...