Let's Talk Car Design: what's good? What's bad?

[ShowHBK]

I thought this might be a fun question to ask CR after looking at concept cars all morning... What is the most beautiful car ever made? Opinion based, but I am wondering what people enjoy in terms of just looks. Forget whats under the skin and tell me about face value. So, what does this CR think "good" car design looks like? This also could apply to one aspect of a car such as the interior or a button someplace. Maybe, how a door opens or how the seat is placed. Big fenders? low wings? curves? what makes a car look beautiful in your opinion.

 

For me, I have a special love for Deco cars from the 40's and 50's. the design of cars back then was so much more pleasing to the eyes. I love how the cars from that era feel like they are in motion even when standing still, which (in my opinion) you don't see much in today's cars. the "feeling" of speed and design was captured so well in that day and age. the sweeping curves scream elegance to me, Truly I feel like this is art on wheels. I would daily the hell out of something like this.

 

But i'm only one piece of the puzzle... Someone could think these cars are rubbish and that something else looks or is designed much better. I am very interested to know people's tastes.

 

[iwashmycar]

Proportions make a car.

 

Still, my favorite is the 356

 

http://www.motorstown.com/images/porsche-356-speedster-07.jpg

 

proprtion wise...its tiny...but that makes the wheels look HUGE...makes that small top look smaller...the muscular front fenders and graceful slope to the rear....so nice. Amazing how something so graceful and beautiful can look so mean and powerful at the same time....kind of like Olivia Wilde...

Edited February 2, 2017 by iwashmycar
fix pic

[Geeto67]

the thing about design....is it tends to move in generational cycles as well, and often can be influenced by the surroundings. Some cars are beautiful on their own and can stand alone, others only made sense when you imagine the car on a street with other finned, chrome laden land yachts.

 

I remember when I was young being around all these old timers who grew up in the 40's and they always went gaga for late 1940's packards. These packards:

 

http://www.artvalue.com/image.aspx?PHOTO_ID=2077147

 

I don't know about you but they aren't really that pleasing to me, but something about the time and place in their memory, the nostalgia, the tie in with wealth and prestige, and god knows what else made they all gooey for these ugly torpedoes. However when you look at one next to a similar year Cadillac...you can kind of see how the surroundings of the time might have made them more beautiful:

 

Another car I think about more than it is healthy is the Phantom Corsair from 1938. I can never make up my mind as to whether this car is pretty or not.

 

http://cdn.silodrome.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Phantom-Corsair.jpg

 

If you don't know this car it has a fascinating history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_Corsair

 

There are plenty of cars that also got prettier as time went on. The Chrysler Airflow used to be considered an ugly car by the greatest generation but now it looks pretty beautiful to most people into old cars.

 

switching to the "ugly" side for a second a car that I think only ever looks good in it's era is a Ladawri Daytona.

 

I mean look at this thing:

http://www.race-cardrivers.com/Images/lft%20frt%20qtr%20w.jpg

http://13252-presscdn-0-94.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/d-10.jpg

 

but in the right setting:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Tsf-t_mqSxc/TDVdlTWbrDI/AAAAAAAAeHI/yHKqcb2AE10/La%20Dawri%20Conquest%20_1961_01.jpg

 

well it doesn't get prettier but it doesn't stand out as glaringly ugly as it normally is:

http://www.motorsportsmarketingresources.com/assets/images/2015/03/14amelia-700.jpg

[Doc1647545523]

I can't describe in general or abstract terms what makes a car design appeal to me. But as Potter Stewart famously said of hard-core pornography, "I know it when I see it."

 

In 2012 there was a CR thread on cars we find appealing. Here were my votes:

 

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1554770&postcount=60

 

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1554771&postcount=61

[Green Bastard]

My grandfather had one of these, a 41 Lincoln Zephyr. It is by far my favorite 40's era car, maybe I am biased though because I grew up around one. He sold it when I was 15, I really wish I could have gotten that car. It was almost identical to this one except his had push button suicide doors.

 

http://cdn.barrett-jackson.com/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/60554/60554_Front_3-4_Web.jpg

 

Also, for some reason ever since I saw the movie cars, I have been a fan of the 51 Hudson Hornet. I just think it is a cool representation of the muscle at the time in a fairly sleeper package.

 

 

One more I have always had a thing for, the 71 Cuda.

 

http://www.moparponderosa.com/local/71sas.jpg

[Otis Nice]

Well, the '71 Hemi 'cuda is my all time fav car. Ever. Of anything. If I hit the lotto and won kabillions that'd be one of the first toy vehicles I'd buy.

 

The wife's maiden name is Hudson (and we're literally watching Car's with our son as I type this) so we've always been aware of the Hornet and liked it, although the trucks grab my wife's eye more.

 

As for my personal fav, design wise, aside from the 'cuda it'd have to be an old rum runner.

 

 

Cars like these LITERALLY began the need/desire for speed and thus modifications. The lines, the purpose, the urge to modify...everything. I love about any car of this style/era...AND the history behind them.

[Geeesammy]

Anything 70's-90's Japanese. Some vehicle previous to that as well. I like the boxy yet still stylish look of them.

[Not Brian]

To me, the most jaw-dropping cars to look at are 60's-70's muscle cars with huge blowers piling up out of the hood. They just scream loud American "fuck you's" even while sitting still.

[2 Sweet]

I dunno, I change my mind all the time. As a kid, I thought the '70 Chevelle was my favorite muscle car. As a teenager, I thought the '66 Chevelle looked the best. Nowadays I think I like the '68 Chevelle the most. I always loved the styling of the 60s and 70s Cadillacs. I really like the weird looks of a couple 80s cars, like the DeLorean and the Countach. Some 90s cars, like the Viper and Supra, have a timeless design that will always look fantastic.

 

For a while I was obsessed with the Holden Coupe 60:

 

http://isthat.info/uploads/holden/holden-coupe-60-concept/holden-coupe-60-concept-11.jpg

[BStowers023]

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a439/bolton4valve/Ferrari.jpg

 

 

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a439/bolton4valve/Firebird1.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a439/bolton4valve/Firebird2.jpg

 

 

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a439/bolton4valve/65Coupe.jpg

[DKilbourne]

Those are my flavor right there bstowers. I'm also partial to white c5z's

[Draco-REX]

 

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a439/bolton4valve/Firebird1.jpg

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a439/bolton4valve/Firebird2.jpg

 

I've always thought the 2nd gen F-Body doesn't get enough credit for the design. This is one done right.

 

 

In general, I prefer newer car designs. There are a lot of older cars that I think look great, but the cars that really make me stop and stare are often newer ones.

 

I have to start with Aston Martin. No car maker is perfect, but Aston seems to hit more than miss.

 

As above, the DB5 is an older car that has great lines.

http://cdntbs.astonmartin.com/sitefinity/bond/bonddb53.jpg?sfvrsn=0

http://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/styles/16x9_1280w/public/images/gallery-migration/2014-03/9FB67C61-288C-4D24-90C2-3EF962FB9E9C_2.jpg?itok=z5jQ4zTW

 

 

But as their designs progressed, I think they became better and better. Now there's the new Vanquish (love the name too):

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_HODVmaZmwU/VC2sR2nnKRI/AAAAAAAAJXc/fWTUz174voo/s1600/Aston-Martin-Vanquish-Carbon-Black-3.jpg

The lines are classic, but the trim is modern and aggressive. I love it.

 

Just don't let Zagato near it, or it all gets ruined.

 

I don't know what specifically catches my eye, but I know I love it when I want to wash the car so I have the excuse to run my hands over all the lines.

[BStowers023]

Those are my flavor right there bstowers. I'm also partial to white c5z's

 

We've got good taste :thumbup:

[Miller]

We've got good taste :thumbup:

 

Vipers and Daytona coupes that's what Maryland does!

 

[JaronsToy]

Sex pure sex

That's why I still have my viper and bought the f- type jag old and new looks that are timeless.

[Geeto67]

You know it's interesting...when these conversations come up people never talk about the designers themselves or their body of work. It's really interesting that all the iconic cars in history were designed by a handful of people.

 

So here is some fun juxtaposition facts. The Guy who designed the 1970 and 1971 'Cuda also designed the 1970s-80's Chrysler K-series line and the first gen Chrysler Mini-vans (John Herlitz).

 

The guy who designed the Challenger, 1966-67 Charger, and 1967 Dart (Carl Cameron) was heavily influenced by the 1949 Cadillac fastback.

 

The designer for the 1963 Corvette (as well as the 1968 vette) was also the designer for the 1969-1970 Boss Mustang and the Jeep Grand Cherokee (Larry Shinoda).

 

The designer who created the 1940's bullet nose Studebaker (Virgil Exner) also designed the first Chrysler 300, Most of Mopar's 1950's line (including Desoto) and the 1970's revival of the Stutz Bearcat.

 

The 1948 Buck tooth Buick, 1959 Cadillac, 1953 Corvette were all the same design group under Harley Earl. Earl also introduced planned obsolence and "dynamic obsolence" (fashion) to the auto industry. the corvette was inspired by a jaguar xk120 roadster his wife owned.

 

Bill Mitchell headed up the design team that designed the Corevtte Stingray (Larry Shinoda did the original design for both the mako shark show car and the production car as part of the team) the Corvair, the first and second generation Camaro/Firebird, the first and generation Buick Riviera (by combining Rolls Royce and Ferrari styling cues), and the downsized 1977 cadillac fleetwood.

 

The guy who designed the Edsel (Roy Brown Jr.) also designed the Ford Cortina (in england), the second generation Econoline van, and the batmobile (Lincoln Futura).

 

hopefully as you have been reading this you have been picturing some of these cars in your head and seeing how diverse and flexible some of these designers really were.

[zeitgeist57]

I am a big fan of what's been mentioned here already - Big-fin Caddy's, Oldsmobiles, etc from the 50s/60s/70s. You guys know I love my land yachts.

 

A classic car that I feel is constantly overlooked from a styling perspective is the Nash Ambassador, especially the 1949-1951s. I just love the hidden wheels and upside-down bathtub body design. Combined with '40s-50s engineering and interiors, and you get a very unique look. I love the simple, streamlined rearend, too.

http://www.collectorcarads.com/Picture1/1949nashsuper_1.jpg

 

 

I'm also a big fan of CORVAIRS, especially 2-door hardtops. Nothing to me combined styling elements of the '60s sports cars better than the '65-69 Corvair 2- and 4-door. No B-pillars!!! Considering how they developed a wagon, coupe, sedan, minivan, and pickup...there were properly legitimate plans to take the success of the air-cooled VW Beetle and make a whole future for GM out of it. I appreciate that the engineering was so strong around air-cooled cars for daily drivers.

 

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/CC-58-019-800.jpg

 

As I get older, simple car designs and engineering appeal to me a lot more than the complexities mandated by governments these days. Still some great cars, but in terms of the classics, these do it for me.

[Draco-REX]

The C7 shooting brake thread reminded me of a couple cars from the 60s that I love.

 

First, the Lincoln Continental hardtop. Suicide doors, a hood so long the front bumper arrives 5 minutes early, and enough trunk space to stash a rival mafia family.

http://img.feedfloyd.com/media/post/thumb-2/6198c216c82749bdea1ac290eadf7284cbdb4e67.jpg

 

But the one I was reminded of was the Ferrari 330 P3/4. The "prototype" classes of today still echo these lines. I'm not a big fan of Ferrari styling in general, but every now and then, there's a Ferrari that really grabs me.

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200605/1966-ferrari-330-p3-one-o-2_800x0w.jpg

[Smokey]

^^fully agree. There are some great looking vintage Ferraris.

 

I tend to like either very angular car or flowing bubbly designs. Some great ones have been posted here like the Jag e-type. I also believe the MKIV Supra and FD rx7 are successors to that design style. I'm still happy every time I look in the garage and think the FD styling has held up amazing over the years.

 

Here are a couple of others I haven't seen mentioned.

 

Lamborghini Miura

http://www.thewheelsofsteel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Lamborghini_Miura_IRL.jpg

 

Ferrari Dino 246GT

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200909/ferrari-dino-246-gt-11_600x0w.jpg

[SPL_Josh]

R type

[88lx5oh]

http://s177.photobucket.com/user/ricafortegio/media/IMG_2966.jpg