condeesteso
Established Member
Here's a break from woody stuff. The design of things interests me a lot... always has done. From typography to common household objects. But right now - cars.
I honestly don't want to offend anyone, but how do Toyota consistently make cars so ugly? When they occasionally do a good one (a recent MR2 I thought) I have to assume they did that by mistake. I mean it can't be that hard... just look at a nice one in the street outside, and sort of copy it.
Honda get closer but no cigar either. The NSX was an excellent car, but it just looked like a Sumo had sat on it by mistake, before it had set.
Now then, BMW. The previous shape 3 Series was the definitive, then they ruined it. BMW seem now to be working in a design language that I cannot understand. It must be quite easy being Audi these days.
So, on the subject of Audi - I suddenly remembered the other day how truly BRILLIANT the A2 was. One of the best car designs since the 2nd war I think... really. That good. Love the way it draws from 40's Auto-Union - in the shapes, the Auto-Union motif on the front 'grille' and that wonderful curve down the roof-line. An absolute classic:
The A2 is so good that they don't lose value anymore. Technically probably too good ( I mean too expensive to make) - aluminium body, engine so low it is accessed from underneath (like the Boxster). Anyway I may be on the hunt: diesel, v low miles, full history, not silver or black (love the mid blue or the dark grey). I reckon I would run that for ... it could see me out :shock:
Remember the NSU RO80?? - my first boss had one back in the seventies (I was six then) - that car still looked very good twenty years later. My first boss was tech director of Kef Loudspeakers, Laurie Fincham. A really great man. I digress.
Next - Dornier? German aeroplanes with bad intent. But Citroen have done some odd things. The Deux Chevaux, the DS, the SM, the Traction Avant. So here's an idea, let's take the Traction Avant engine / gearbox, inspire the design with a Dornier... and make a van:
Another stunner - there's a bloke does fine coffees out of one of these down Brick Lane every Sunday - that van is a celebrity and the inside really is a 50's espresso bar.
Anyway, I could go on... but anyone care to propose really great post-war design. Anything at all... like the original Penguin paperbacks with dull orange and plain type. Or a Sinn watch maybe. Anything but it has to be good :lol:
I honestly don't want to offend anyone, but how do Toyota consistently make cars so ugly? When they occasionally do a good one (a recent MR2 I thought) I have to assume they did that by mistake. I mean it can't be that hard... just look at a nice one in the street outside, and sort of copy it.
Honda get closer but no cigar either. The NSX was an excellent car, but it just looked like a Sumo had sat on it by mistake, before it had set.
Now then, BMW. The previous shape 3 Series was the definitive, then they ruined it. BMW seem now to be working in a design language that I cannot understand. It must be quite easy being Audi these days.
So, on the subject of Audi - I suddenly remembered the other day how truly BRILLIANT the A2 was. One of the best car designs since the 2nd war I think... really. That good. Love the way it draws from 40's Auto-Union - in the shapes, the Auto-Union motif on the front 'grille' and that wonderful curve down the roof-line. An absolute classic:
The A2 is so good that they don't lose value anymore. Technically probably too good ( I mean too expensive to make) - aluminium body, engine so low it is accessed from underneath (like the Boxster). Anyway I may be on the hunt: diesel, v low miles, full history, not silver or black (love the mid blue or the dark grey). I reckon I would run that for ... it could see me out :shock:
Remember the NSU RO80?? - my first boss had one back in the seventies (I was six then) - that car still looked very good twenty years later. My first boss was tech director of Kef Loudspeakers, Laurie Fincham. A really great man. I digress.
Next - Dornier? German aeroplanes with bad intent. But Citroen have done some odd things. The Deux Chevaux, the DS, the SM, the Traction Avant. So here's an idea, let's take the Traction Avant engine / gearbox, inspire the design with a Dornier... and make a van:
Another stunner - there's a bloke does fine coffees out of one of these down Brick Lane every Sunday - that van is a celebrity and the inside really is a 50's espresso bar.
Anyway, I could go on... but anyone care to propose really great post-war design. Anything at all... like the original Penguin paperbacks with dull orange and plain type. Or a Sinn watch maybe. Anything but it has to be good :lol: