Modern car designs ugly?

[GranTurismo916]

I would hope most anyone visiting this sub-forum can figure out what each one is without too much difficulty. The only ones I can see giving anybody trouble are the Escort and the Daytona--I had to take a closer glance at the latter. Of course there are young'ns that weren't even a twinkle in their old man's eye when the more recent of the bunch were redesigned or discontinued. I, for one, am shocked that I've only owned two of them.

The only one I didn't know was the Daytona, but I don't look at that car much.

 

[Justuxful]

German manufacturers seem to have a problem with making their sport models look different from their normal models.

Audi A4:

Audi S4:

The only difference there is the bottom left and right vents and I'm pretty sure you can get the ones that are on the S4 on the A4, so there's basically no visual difference.

Audi's S models don't equal BMW's M models. The S models are not full blown sports cars, they're just normal road cars with a bit more poweeeeeeeeeer and other little upgrades.

The comparison should be like this.

Audi A4 Avant:

Audi RS4 Avant:

In my mind, this is an excelent job of making a sport model differ from a regular model, cause there are a lot things that say "This is a performance car", like the grills, wheels, bumpers and wheel arches.

 

[R5]

A few of my main problems with modern cars.

Faux performance parts. You know the stuff, carbon fibre effect/over plastic panels, flat bottomed wheels with using slippery plastics, fake vents, diffusers etc.

Apart from that, I generally like modern cars, apart from the Bangle era BMW 1, 3 and 5 series (6 I like. Even with an odd boot...), some sports cars (Ferrari F12, functional or not, for example) and all these damned "retro" car designs. Stuff like the vapourware E-type reboot, or the David Brown redo of the DB5. Even the Lamborghini Miura concept from a while back. Yes, old cars are beautiful but no, we can't go back to those times of design. Stuff like the old Copen I can deal with because its just fun to look at. Not trying to be something from the 60s but what someone from the 60s would design if he went through a wormhole and came out in the 2000s.

 

[McLaren]

Of course, everyone here can tell the difference in the red 80's-ness picture, but the collage is demonstrate that manufacturers all had the same basic design thought when creating a 2-door coupe.

 

[TexRex]

Of course, everyone here can tell the difference in the red 80's-ness picture, but the collage is demonstrate that manufacturers all had the same basic design thought when creating a 2-door coupe.

Or, perhaps more likely, one received critical acclaim and the others latched onto it.

 

[Neddo]

I actually like every thing you guys say here. So honest and fun to read

 

[Justuxful]

I realised I posted to this thread without actually saying what I think about modern car designs.

TBH, I can't really think of a lot of ugly cars. Some may be boring or overdone, but... I just find something that I like about it and think "Hmm, that ain't bad after all". I like all sorts of cars - aggressive, bland, unique and so on, but I don't really hate a lot of them. For instant, to me, almost all new BMW's look pretty terrible (except the i models), but I don't passionately hate them - I just don't like them.
Yes, there are cars that are terrible to look at, but pretty cars outweigh the number of ugly ones, at least for me.

These are just a few cars I would love to make love to just for their looks:

Ugly car examples: Pontiac Aztek, those boring Japanese and American sedans, Fiat Multipla... (can't think of any more).

 

[TexRex]

I still think the Carrera GT is drop dead gorgeous, despite it not really being my sort of thing.

 

[Legro]

Well the Carrera GT is 10 years old already and the first concept is from 14 years ago. It isn't exactly the most modern car design anymore.

 

[Justuxful]

Well the Carrera GT is 10 years old already, so it isn't exactly the most modern car design anymore.

The Veyron is also about 10 years old, but I still consider them modern.

Depends on what a "modern car" is to you.

 

[R5]

Well the Carrera GT is 10 years old already and the first concept is from 14 years ago. It isn't exactly the most modern car design anymore.

Still perfection on wheels.

 

[TexRex]

I'm inclined to think it still falls under modern design, and that it, perhaps, was even ahead of its time.

 

[mister dog]

I feel like most modern cars are simply overdesigned. There's too much going on, they try to hard to make them look angry and pissed off. Some of it seems like a lack of taste; Lexus has the worst grilles I've ever seen for example. There are some things you just don't do, and that's one of them.

I suppose the same could have been said about other eras at the time they were happening; you'll never please everyone. Someday we'll probably say these cars are beautiful and future cars (which will be new someday) will be fugly.

The 80's were boxed and square, 90's evolved to more rounder shapes, then in the last ten years they already did round so they had to experiment with more original shapes and lines, and nowadays they just make the fault that they still want to be unique and original so the brand has it's own identity, but as everything has been tried so far they come up with these weird overdone designs in many cases.

I for example am a volvo man IRL, and lately i saw some of the designs they wanted to for in the next years and it doesn't look like a volvo anymore...

 

[Legro]

The Veyron is also about 10 years old, but I still consider them modern.

Depends on what a "modern car" is to you.

Yes, but the Veyron is still in production and the Carrera GT hasn't been made since 2006 and it's replaced with 918.

 

[Justuxful]

Yes, but the Veyron is still in production and the Carrera GT hasn't been made since 2006 and it's replaced with 918.

But the CGT is still modern-looking and is even more modern by it's looks than some of the cars on sale today!

 

[disinfected]

All generations have nice looking cars and ugly cars. End of discussion.

 

[TexRex]

We're getting into semantics. The Carrera GT isn't a modern car, at least as it pertains to one's own memory, I'll concede to that. In the grand scheme of things, though, when you go back to having tillers instead of steering wheels, it's right up there with its successor.

All generations have nice looking cars and ugly cars. End of discussion.

Well folks, it seems the hammer's been dropped. Nothing left to be said.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

The most modern design language nowadays is simplicity. Look at the change from iOS 6 to 7. And then look at Windows 7 to 8. Everything's much more simpler and "crisper". I think Mercedes is the only brand that's going in that general direction at the moment especially with the new AMG GT's rear.

 

[Slash]

For being simple that's still rather complex, to an extent.

 

[McLaren]

Well the Carrera GT is 10 years old already and the first concept is from 14 years ago. It isn't exactly the most modern car design anymore.

The CGT benefits from, as TexRex perfectly put, being ahead of its time. It's only just now looking a tad dated after a decade, which is a great accomplishment, similar to the Mac. F1.

As for the Veyron, it's benefited at remaining "modern" because it's still in production, which allows Bugatti to update it. The adoption of new aero all around with the new headlamps & more concave wheel options brings the car up a lot.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

For being simple that's still rather complex, to an extent.

Compared to other modern cars, its really simple. Lights, smooth boot, diffusers, and exhausts.

 

[Slash]

Compared to other modern cars, its really simple. Lights, smooth boot, diffusers, and exhausts.

Yeah, that's true.

 

[Dotini]

IMO, the zenith of automotive beauty was achieved with the 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB.
It can never be recreated due to changes in wheels, tires, safety and lighting requirements.

However, I will pipe up and say the Hyundai Veloster Turbo excels as an example of modern design.

 

[Neddo]

The most modern design language nowadays is simplicity. Look at the change from iOS 6 to 7. And then look at Windows 7 to 8. Everything's much more simpler and "crisper". I think Mercedes is the only brand that's going in that general direction at the moment especially with the new AMG GT's rear.

To me new C63 AMG is ott comparing to Black series and elegand C32/55

 

[niky]

However, I will pipe up and say the Hyundai Veloster Turbo excels as an example of modern design.

Indeed. Despite the weird shape, it's obvious Hyundai let the designers go to town. Ignore the "family look" goblin grille, and there's a lot to like. The three dimensional tail-lights look incredible in person, when they're lit. And they've got the four-door hatch thing working better than MINI does with the Clubman.

It's not a comfortable shape to look at, for those who still think two-box three-box pohtato powtahto, but it's one of those cars that helps open up new avenues and possibilities for the market.

Even if... uh... no one follows it up.

 

[kikie]

Modern car designer are influenced by strict environmental and safety rules. I wonder how cars of today would have looked like if these rules din't exist.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Indeed. Despite the weird shape, it's obvious Hyundai let the designers go to town. Ignore the "family look" goblin grille, and there's a lot to like. The three dimensional tail-lights look incredible in person, when they're lit. And they've got the four-door hatch thing working better than MINI does with the Clubman.

It's not a comfortable shape to look at, for those who still think two-box three-box pohtato powtahto, but it's one of those cars that helps open up new avenues and possibilities for the market.

Even if... uh... no one follows it up.

I think the focus on the design of the elements within head- and tail-lights is one of the defining parts of the noughts. Like you said, the tail-lights on the Veloster look fantastic, and it's not the only Hyundai to deserve that distinction:

Atomic tail-lights for the freakin' win.

 

[Lotus Exige S]

I feel like most modern cars are simply overdesigned. There's too much going on, they try to hard to make them look angry and pissed off. Some of it seems like a lack of taste; Lexus has the worst grilles I've ever seen for example. There are some things you just don't do, and that's one of them.

I suppose the same could have been said about other eras at the time they were happening; you'll never please everyone. Someday we'll probably say these cars are beautiful and future cars (which will be new someday) will be fugly.

I think Slash hit the nail on the head with this

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Another problem with modern car design is that people are losing creativity.


Audi Prologue concept

Subaru Legacy

Ford Fusion

Hyundai Santa Fe

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Ok this is getting annoying.

Please for the love of God, stop it with the hexagon grills!