Automotive Facelifts - For Better or Worse

[homeforsummer]

I love the 3rd generation Renault Twingo, but I feel like taking away the small lights took away from it's quirkiness.

Huh. I'd seen photos of the facelift but not investigated why it seemed so different. Definitely looks better with the small LED spotlights. Weirdly, it's a reversal of the previous-gen Twingo's facelift, which went from a simple design to one with extra lights:

In that instance, I think I prefer the pre-facelift look.

For the worst, the W204 Mercedes C-Class.

The first iteration came along in 2007 and looked pretty decent – it stood out more compared to the previous W203 personally (ironic given how much the current W205 looks like the current W213 E-Class).

Then it had a facelift in 2011, with new LED headlights and front bumper, as well as a new interior.

I'm not sure what others think, but I always felt the change made it look like the owner had bought an aftermarket engine cover with overhangs to create the 'angry' look for the headlights.

Agree with you on that. The trouble with the W204 in general is that many people went for the sportier trims which did away with the traditional Mercedes bar grille and replaced it with the naff sports ones with the enormous Merc logo in the centre.

Otherwise, I find that generation of C-class quite handsome.

For such an awful company, Rover did get its last few facelifts awfully right.

The last one, the facelifted Rover 800 fastback is one of my favourite looking cars. Guilty pleasure or not.

Rover Metro

Rover 200

Rover 800

I actually kinda prefer the pre-facelift of each of those. It's more conservative but I've never thought that chrome grille was very well integrated, either visually or functionally.

 

[Tornado]

Why did they design the hood/headlights like that? I was curious so I took a peak and it doesn't seem like a fitment issue on that specific car so much as the headlights and hood just don't line up with the fenders at all. Other than that and the rather stupid grille I think the 800 is improved.



Though it does a bit remind me of:

While I can't say it was ever a good looking car (in any generation), trying to make the front end look like an Acura while the rest of the car still looked weird was just dumb. Alienate the people who might have thought an impossibly Japanese XJ40 was up their alley and the people who would just as soon go buy a Legend.

 

[AerodyManiac]

I also thought the pre-facelift C63 looked better, particularly with the more aggressive front bumper:

I’m of the opposite opinion on the C63. Back when I was a child (~10 y/o), I’ve always found those round headlights disproportionately large. As I grew up, that feeling eased off, but I still think so. Besides, I don’t really think those round lights fit the styling direction of the car. Just like the W212 E-Class, where those twin round headlights look out of place:

The facelifted C63 looks better to me with those updated lights.

As for the normal C-Class, I’m kinda indifferent to the changes. The pre-facelift headlights fit the two grilles equally well, but the post-facelift ones further accentuate the sportiness of the ‘sports’ grille, while at a slight cost of coherence in design for the other grille.

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For worse: Ferrari California

I don't really agree with Ferrari's choice of painting the A-pillar and side intakes silver on the facelifted California. Neither am I a fan of the silver headlight housings. Same applies to the SA Aperta, albeit to a lesser extent due to the car's shape.

The original, though, looks much better:

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> ...

Welp, I'm going to talk about the Foxbody Mustang, when went through multiple facelifts.

Original, it looks a bit boring imo.

Okay, I honestly like this more than the previous design above. It looks more aggressive, though still not the best looking design in the 1980s. I don't remember if the hood vent was functional or not. However, I still like it even if it seems tacky.

This facelift made it look a bit similar to the Ford Sierra imo. I guess it's cleaner in some areas, but I still prefer the prior design.

Okay, this is probably due to a nostaglic bias, but I really liked the design of the facelift done in 1987 to 1993. At least for the LX models as I thought they looked clean and they came in colors like this. :3

I will say I am not much of a fan of the GT model's appearance though.

^ I like the SVO the best, especially with the sealed headlights. Clean, sleek, and just right amount of body kit tacked in:

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

Okay, I think the last major facelift on the 1st Gen Ford Mustang was for the worse I was liking every other design before this one way more. They looked cleaner prior to this and had very nice lines. This facelift ruined it, it's still not a completely ugly appearance, but I'm annoyed on how Ford made it look more like a brick.

Another thing (kinda a nitpick), I like the 1970 Mustang's design less than the 1969's design.
I just don't like how the headlights were moved to the grill where the foglights were once at. That and the vents being placed on the front quarters kinda ruin the look that the 1969 design had.

The 1969 just feels right in comparison (imo).

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> This is a very unpopuluar opinion:

Daewoo Racer/LeMans

Daewoo Cielo/Nexia/Racer

Daewoo Nexia

^ I didn't include before the Racer/LeMans, simply because it's just a badge job version of the Kadett E.

Kadett E

LeMans (Pontiac/Daewoo/etc.)

 

[FT-1]

The Audi A4/S4 (B9) is definitely a case of facelift(s) gone right. The launch model looked smart, but looked a bit too safe; ended up looking a larger A3 saloon.

There was the initial facelift last year which didn't do much

Now the major facelift has made its debut and now it looks so much more up-to-date.

Audi has got a really nice design language going on right now, mixing retro, Quattro-inspired characteristics with contemporary influences from the e-Tron.

 

[MedigoFlame]

The fourth generation Lexus LS was alright, though a bit bland. (I kind of like it still)

I know people hated the spindle grill when it showed up on the LS460, but I think it's aged rather well.

I rarely see the facelifted fourth generation LS's on the road. (Where I live)

 

[Tornado]

Eh. Lexus styling at that time period was at its absolute nadir, trying to ham-fistedly modernize liked designs from the previous decade that in some cases (third generation GS, second generation SC) they approached the level of missing the point not seen since Volkswagen took the second generation Scirocco in-house. You don't mistake a modern Lexus for anything else (for better or worse), but you also don't mistake a modern Lexus for a cheap product. The LS in particular was so hopelessly bland in that generation that it began approaching "not actually having the appearance of a premium product." In not so many words, it looks like a Buick. A 90s Buick.


The updated car doesn't entirely work (though I daresay it carries itself better than many of the cars Lexus has designed from the ground up with that front end), but I'd much rather have something that looks like something.

 

[VXR]

The A4 B6 to B7 cabriolet wasn't a particularly good face-lift, since before it had its own front end and after it got the same one as the regular A4. Just lost a little identity in the transition.

 

[TexRex]

I miss pre-gaping maw Audis.

 

[Volksauto]

I think the European facelift for the current 500 looks pretty decent.
2007-2014 Initial design (Europe)

2015-Present facelift (Europe Only)

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

The FC Mazda RX-7's facelift I think looked better than the first run FC. Mainly from the rear end.

I liked them dropping the black trim in favor of coloring it and changing the taillights. It makes the FC look much cleaner from the back.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

The A4 B6 to B7 cabriolet wasn't a particularly good face-lift, since before it had its own front end and after it got the same one as the regular A4. Just lost a little identity in the transition.

There's something still supremely desirable about a pre-facelift Avant with the 1.8T...

Sticking with the four rings, I prefer the pre-shield A8 from that time too:

It might've been a little bland, but it was so much cleaner. That leading shutline is terrible.

 

[VXR]

I'd forgotten about those wheels though. Maybe they'd look good on my B7...

 

[Heldenzeit]

Audi really started the massive grille trend with that design. I don't recall any other brand from that time with grilles that large.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I'd forgotten about those wheels though. Maybe they'd look good on my B7...

 

[GTV0819]

There's something still supremely desirable about a pre-facelift Avant with the 1.8T...

Sticking with the four rings, I prefer the pre-shield A8 from that time too:

It might've been a little bland, but it was so much cleaner. That leading shutline is terrible.

These cars have had the grills extending up to the front bumper since the A4 B7 came apparently.

 

[VXR]

If I recall, the W12 version of that A8 had it first and then it was rolled out amongst the rest of the range.

 

[MedigoFlame]

I find the pre-facelift Ford Edge Sport to be better looking than the 2019 facelift. Honestly looks better than the Edge ST.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

While I think both look fantastic, I personally prefer the facelifted Lamborghini Diablo over the first iteration.

 

[GTV0819]

I find the pre-facelift Ford Edge Sport to be better looking than the 2019 facelift. Honestly looks better than the Edge ST.

Same here.

 

[GranTurNismo]

The facelift AMC Pacer made an already ugly duckling even uglier!





The final Ford Scorpio facelift, ugh.



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[GTV0819]

The recent facelift two years ago really got it better.

2009

2013

2017

 

[Cowboy]

I think Ford kinda ruined the look that the 2017-era Mustang had with the new 2018+ model, particularly in the front.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

The Nissan 180SX, I personally like the 2nd facelift the most with that body kit.

 

[Danoff]

While I think both look fantastic, I personally prefer the facelifted Lamborghini Diablo over the first iteration.

I do not agree. Flip up lights ftw.

 

[Rallywagon]

I do not agree. Flip up lights ftw.

This all day! I like the newer Diablos wheels better, but the older Diablo looks better overall I think.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

I do not agree. Flip up lights ftw.

Um, okay. I assumed people would disagree, people love their pop-up headlights. I think they're a bit overrated, but whatever.

 

[TexRex]

I'm in a weird place regarding the pre-GMT400 Chevrolet/GMC "squarebody" trucks. While I find the '81-on facelifted sheetmetal (top) much more comely, the earlier trucks' grill design (bottom) better executed.

The difference is almost enough to make me question my preference overall, but I think I'm still slightly more in favor of the later fenders.

With other aesthetic differences virtually nonexistent, I definitely prefer early GMT400s (top) to their facelifted counterparts (bottom). Chrome or not, the more "voluptuous" later grill assembly looks garish to me.