The French Suck at Designing Cars
- Thread starter 1X83Z
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Ah, but here's where opinion differs. I think you can hardly call any Pontiac interior "good", let alone "not ugly". IMO, most American cars are arranged quite poorly (previously-mentioned Neon headlights a "highlight"). In fact, most American interiors are a macabre gallery of abused, low-rent plastics. The exteriors are often nothing to write home about, either. What used to be a pure statement of muscle and strength of the 1970's has turned into the snooty-nosed street sweeper of the 1990's Camaro. And hadn't anyone seen the Cadillac CTS before it went to the showroom? Try this: cross your eyes, buck your teeth, and stretch your ears out to the sides; then take a picture of your face like that. Hold it side by side with the CTS. See any difference? Neither did I.
Across the decades there have been more not-so-pretty cars than there have been more graceful curves of steel -- from every manufacturer. How many of these non-graceful monsters do we remember? From the US, we remember many great cars from the Muscle Car era, but have no doubt about the same-era Ford Escort's thankfully unmemorable awkard adolescence. These days there aren't too many new good designs. All that some feel is left is to shock the public with overreaching, mis-matched curves and lines. This is the reasoning [I hope] behind Chris Bangle's new 7 and Z4. Granted, he got the attention he wanted; dealerships can hardly keep the 7 in showrooms. But unless competitors like Audi and Mercedes play the same game, BMW will be all the poorer for it.
Originally posted by Hooligan
Do you mean the rather bland Civic Type-R compared to the Clio 172? IMO, at least the Clio tries to put some form of distinction forward. I don't think the 2003 is an improvement on the 2002 Clio, but I see it as leagues more attractive than the malformed egg of the Civic.
Distinction??? More attractive??? You're nuts! It's pure ugly!!! Or, at least, the front./
Hmmm...I actually consider the Aztek's interior - though alien - very versatile. Cheap, yes; maybe slightly less room than competitors, but extremely versatile. I also liked the interior on the last-generation high-end Bonnevilles, though as it got older, it really began to look ... er ... GM-ish, and that's something no one wants.
I agree about American interiors in general, though as I've said before, I rented a Ford Explorer in Arizona about a month before they even set prices for it and I was extremely impressed with the quality - much better than any previous American car. CTS is a good example of poor exterior design, I actually loved it in the magazines, but when I began seeing it on the streets it just didn't click. Plus, considering the E-class is one of the best cars for sale in the world, there's no point in ownership of any Cadillac rip-off attempt. And I stress attempt.Speak of the devil (and, to you, he actually is the devil), I've seen some of Bangle's recent, er, projects and I notice in all of them that the tail of each car looks just like the new seven! Check out the Multimedia Forum's thread titled "New 6 Spy Shots" and tell me that doesn't look JUST like the new seven - perhaps that's intended. By the way, I've seen some more and some more new sevens driving around, and I think (eyes off the back!) they are extremely elegant, they definitely convey an image of huge-ness (on another note like it, I saw a Bentley today filling up at a gas station). And isn't huge-ness what you want in a luxury sedan?
I just hope the new 5 is all fine and good in design, because it's no secret that without the 3 and 5, BMW would not exist, and Bangle can't be given the company to destroy.
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- old-guy64
As far as ugly cars go, every country has its standouts.
Japan has the Toyota Echo.
America has GM, Ford and Jeep. (Exceptions being T-bird, and Corvette.) Plus who can forget that abomination known as the Pacer? I left Chrysler alone because they make pretty cars. (****e on reliability, but pretty)
France, well I thought the Citroen 2cv was so ugly it was nearly cute. They may be ergonomic geniuses...
But the Bottom Line--Do you want your friends to see you in one?
Japan has the Toyota Echo.
America has GM, Ford and Jeep. (Exceptions being T-bird, and Corvette.) Plus who can forget that abomination known as the Pacer? I left Chrysler alone because they make pretty cars. (****e on reliability, but pretty)
France, well I thought the Citroen 2cv was so ugly it was nearly cute. They may be ergonomic geniuses...
But the Bottom Line--Do you want your friends to see you in one?
I would have to see it. The proportions of the 7 aren't quite right, IMO. Perhaps the same design would look better on a smaller scale (i.e., the 5 and 6).
By the way, I've seen some more and some more new sevens driving around, and I think (eyes off the back!) they are extremely elegant, they definitely convey an image of huge-ness (on another note like it, I saw a Bentley today filling up at a gas station). And isn't huge-ness what you want in a luxury sedan?
"Huge-ness", yes; "tubbiness", no...at least, I don't. The flanks of the 7 remind me of a beached Gray's Whale...especially in the advertised gull grey. There's nothing to delineate what few curves exist. Not that "busy" and "Saturn Ion" would be good, either. Something more...in the middle...like the E46 3-series.
Don't change it [much] if it ain't broke.
GilesGuthrie
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- CMDRTheDarkLord
That's been disguised, so it won't look like that at all.
I like the current Clio, I think it's a good-looking little car, but then I may be biased after my run in a Clio Cup race car!
The Italian mainstream cars are take-them-or-leave-them designs, but in truth, all the ones I've had as hire cars have just been crap cars, plain and simple.
I like the current Clio, I think it's a good-looking little car, but then I may be biased after my run in a Clio Cup race car!
The Italian mainstream cars are take-them-or-leave-them designs, but in truth, all the ones I've had as hire cars have just been crap cars, plain and simple.
Or so you think - my main** beef is the tail-lights and the way they stick out of the body. So ugly, so ugly.
Speaking of Fiat, what ever happened to them? Weren't they ten-times more popular then than now? And I say then as in at any other point in time more than ten years ago.
Whoa! Just spelled "main" with an 'e' at the end - probably got implanted in my brain after I found out where Bimmerkid44 lived.
Speaking of Fiat, what ever happened to them? Weren't they ten-times more popular then than now? And I say then as in at any other point in time more than ten years ago.
Whoa! Just spelled "main" with an 'e' at the end - probably got implanted in my brain after I found out where Bimmerkid44 lived.
Originally posted by M5Power
- Here's the spy shot of the new 6's rear. Pretty ugly....
Well, believe it or not, I'm impressed...for the most part. I think I understand where Bangle is going wrong: The details. This car looks the business. I'd like to see the front, but it has "fast" written all over it. But that writing becomes illegible in two areas: the bootlid that should not have been carried from the new 7, and those taillights. You can actually see the entire line -- and just how it doesn't fit -- of the boot, just above the bottom of the rear screen. If it were tied into the side's waistline, then curved up more gracefully to it's current elevation, that not only would make it more flowing, but would give the 6 a bit of a ducktail. Not bad, IMO. Granted, this is in "disguise", and it's only a rear 3-quarter shot, but I like most of what I see. Believe it or not.
- 538
well, M5 power ur right i think the car made by the french are no good, they are comparitivly ugly, bad technical and only one not very well known not majorly impresive cars, renault are ok, not great, cannot stand citreon and don't call me racist coz i have dutch friends but as i am british i don't really like french, i am not anti-french but they are not my kinda people.(i am being nice about this, ur lucky i ain't angry ya know)
- 820
don't call me racist coz i have dutch friends but as i am british i don't really like french, i am not anti-french but they are not my kinda people.(i am being nice about this, ur lucky i ain't angry ya know)
you say you are no anti-french but you don't like them.
o.k may be you are not anti-french. ( but you sound like one)
sorry i don't wanna call you racist (but that post realy don't help you )
you say you are no anti-french but you don't like them.
o.k may be you are not anti-french. ( but you sound like one)
sorry i don't wanna call you racist (but that post realy don't help you )
Originally posted by M5Power
Here's the general front shot.
It's weird: look at it briefly and it seems okay. Give it a few seconds, and the glaring details start to appear. The sharp "tear ducts" of the headlights are horrendous. The flattening of the BMW logo on the hood looks just bizzare. Even the boxy side mirrors look out of place. But it does have a generally aggressive stance...you'd just never see me in one.
- 538
k, sorry F50 but i was upset when i wrote that post, i was angry coz i did not get to drive my car round my field, sorry if i upset everyone, i mean the french have made super cars like the venturi atlantique which is quite a good car though a little on the expensive side.
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