Where is new car design heading?

[racer69]

What does everyone think of the way new car design is heading?

Open up the latest edition of Autocar or Wheels and they always have releases of manufacturers latest designs, bodyshapes etc.... and i can't say i like the way it is heading.

All these sharp edges, oddly shaped headlights, big/high rear ends.

What do you all think?

[BertMk2]

New cars tend to either be dull and indistiguishable from each other or bizarre. Hondas, Mazdas, Toyotas, Peugeots etc in the first category and Renault / Nissan in the second.

The new Megane and Micra are particularly hideous.

[mac]

You cannot call Mazdas, or for that matter, Peugeots dull.

I reckon the new range of Mazdas, from 2 to RX8, is a great looking great looking group of cars.

[Maisie]

Up its own whatsit

Agree with either conventional and not worthy of a second glance, or bizarre and hideous in most cases. There are few cars out there that actually look good, interesting and not as though the designer was on drugs.

[woodyracing]

i dont like the way most cars are heading. glass bubbles!
heck, they'll be making them out of rubber next so if a pedestrian gets hit they will just bounce off.

but i must say there are a lot of very nice new sportscars poping up here and there.

[Logrence]

There's nothing like the good old Maestro out there...

[Mackmot]

Ive got a mate doing MA Transport Design at Coventry and the future sure looks odd.

Look at this http://www.cardesignnews.com/news/20...est/index.html

[Mackmot]

Looks like we are heading for futuristic Caterhams

[BertMk2]

Originally posted by mac
You cannot call Mazdas, or for that matter, Peugeots dull.

I reckon the new range of Mazdas, from 2 to RX8, is a great looking great looking group of cars.

Peugeot 307 - Looks like someone's smashed a Focus into a 206, also looks like the Civic - derivative and dull. 106 - Dull. 406 = Generic rep-car shape - dull.

Mazda 323 - Looks like an Almera. Dull.

If you took the badges off most new cars you'd have trouble telling them apart. (Again Renault seem to be the exception - nobody else would think the Megane was a good idea).

I'll let you have the RX8 though, that's half decent.

[StuiE]

Apart from Mazda, and maybe Nissan, I don't like the look of many new designs at all, especially the tall box hatches, and soft roaders, their getting weaker with every new model. If a had alot more time on my hands, I could have a list of every concept car vs the nice looking ones, the nice looking ones wouldn't take long to write out.

[Mackmot]

Remember that the cars you see on the road are about 4 year old designs. Read www.cardesignnews.com to find out the future

[429CJ]

Well, I think I'll stick with trucks and vans for the next decades, althought, the new Cadillacs do look nice.

[mac]

Originally posted by BertMk2
Peugeot 307 - Looks like someone's smashed a Focus into a 206, also looks like the Civic - derivative and dull. 106 - Dull. 406 = Generic rep-car shape - dull.

Mazda 323 - Looks like an Almera. Dull.

If you took the badges off most new cars you'd have trouble telling them apart. (Again Renault seem to be the exception - nobody else would think the Megane was a good idea).

I'll let you have the RX8 though, that's half decent.

The 323 doesn't count, as it's about to be replaced. And have a look at it's replacement! Once this is in the lineup you will have 2, 3, 6, MX5, and RX8 all looking great.

This is my take on the industry of design:

Alfa - Producing the most gorgeous cars in the world. 147, 156, 166, GTV, Spider and all of their concepts are to die for.

Aston Martin - Still producing some of the most attractive sportscars around. DB7, Vanquish and upcoming Vantage are all stunning.

Audi - Starting to lose the plot. VW and Audi appear to be merging into one. A4, A6 and TT are very attractive though.

BMW - Going downhill fast. Z4, 7-series and upcoming 5-series are all U-G-L-Y.

Chrysler - Producing some attractive and interesting cars, such as the Crossfire and Sebring. Doesn't particularly have it's own identity though.

Ferrari - I think their cars are stunning. F360 and F550 are both brilliant. Enzo was designed for function over form, and as such, was a terrific design. I guess we'll see exactly where they're at when the new 456GT is previewed.

Ford - I think most of Ford's recent design is delightful. Focus, Fiesta, Cougar are great. I even liked the AU Falcon as it was a bit different. However, I'm not really a fan of the BA Falcon as I thought it was Holdenising the car. And I really don't like Ford US's retro thing. As far as I can tell, doing this to Mustang and Thunderbird tells me that they have no new ideas.

GM - Monaro, VT Commodore, Barina, VX220 and new Astra are great. Pontiac's GTO is ordinary, as is new Commodore and Vectra. Admire GM Euro for attempting to create their own family design, but it hasn't worked as well as Ford's "edge".

Honda - S2000 aside, Honda's design team is really struggling. Integra is also okay.

Jaguar - I really like current Jag's. X-type is very attractive, S-type is individual, XJ is distinguished, XK is very handsome and new F-type is stunning. Most importantly, they all look like Jaguars.

Lamborghini - Was a little worried when VAG bought it. However apart from a little family harmonisation, the new Lambos have stayed individual, and are looking meaner than ever.

Lotus - Gorgeous. Mr Chapman would be proud. Esprit doesn't count though. M250 concept looked great too.

Maserati - Outstanding. GT Coupe and Spyder are brilliant. Went off the rails with Kubang concept 4WD, but new Quattroporte should tell us where they're really at.

Mazda - Brilliant. The best Japanese company in design.

Merc - Classy. All look like Mercs, and all are very handsome. New SL is hornacious. Can't think of one ugly car in the range - until the new M-Class comes out.

Mitsubishi - Still nothing like the old FTO. Lancer + Magna = boring.

Nissan - Beginning upward climb. 350Z and new GTR are looking great. Pulsar not bad. New Maxima could have come from any company and is not particularly attractive.

Peugeot - 206 is still beautiful. 307CC is lovely. 406 (for an old car) is also looking good. Not sure about 307, but it looks like a Pug.

Porsche - Boxster and 911 are brilliantly designed cars. I even like the Cayenne. Can't wait for the 928 replacement.

Renault - Very individual and eccentric. However, Laguna aside, not particularly attractive.

Saab - Becoming more generic. Stick a badge on it and it could be from anywhere.

Subaru - Still struggling. They're latest concept car looked like a direct copy of the RX8.

Toyota - B-O-R-I-N-G. Even they're "wild and exciting" Celica and MR2 are boring.

VW - Attractive. The beneficiary of the Audi relationship. Touareg is the benchmark in soft-roader design.

Volvo - Producing some very handsome cars. S60 is awesome. The 8 year old C70 still looks the goods, and the XC90 isn't bad either. But they all still look like Volvos. S80 is looking a little cumbersome, bhut the new S40 should give us an indication of where they're heading.

Ford have got it right with Aston, Jag and Volvo.

[Lee Janotta]

Where's car design headed?

[BertMk2]

Mac - that's what you call an extensive list!!!

I'm with you on the Aston Martin thing, their cars look superb, I think Ford have done a good job there, the Astons still look like classic British cars should. Same goes for Jaguar really, they've managed to update the range but keep their identity.

Lotus are also looking good (the Exige is a superb piece of kit).

Honda - Integra type R is superb.

Mitsubishi - FTO is a gorgeous looking car, the Evo 5 was the best Evo, the 7 & 8 are far too sanitised.

I can't believe you didn't mention Citroen though - C3? What were they thinking?

[AussieV8]

Well mac I will agree with you 100% about Mazda's. I have been a Mazda fan and owner for over 20yrs and with the new cars out there and others coming the change will be the biggest in the automotive industry for a while. Like you said the newest and the baby the 2 is a great little run about. The Astina (323) gets replaced next year and as for the 6 it has won awards all over the world and especially out of the UK. The MX5 (Miata) speaks for itself and we here in OZ have are own turbo SP model that puts Hondas S2000 to shame. The RX8 well what a car I just read the article in Car and they give it a good rap. My wife and I have ordered a RX8 (yellow) when it arives in August down here and we can't wait. Even their B series utes are slowly getting better and the 4WD ones especially in the USA where they have V6 ones (not fare) are not far off the Hilux (yuk).

[429CJ]

Audi TT is ugly, looks like a fat swine.

[DNQ]

Originally posted by mac
Toyota - B-O-R-I-N-G. Even they're "wild and exciting" Celica and MR2 are boring.

I reckon! What about the Avalon - that car could have easily been designed in 1992 it looks THAT plain. Celica is OK, but Toyota have no designed an interesting road car for decades.

Even their F1 car looks dull.

[kmchow]

Definitely hybrid designs as in SUV/car looking hybrids or wagon/minivan/car hybrids like the Chrysler Pacifica. I guess such vague bodystyles allow for different interpretations by different people.

Suicide doors could come of age now that Mazda, Saturn, MB all have such designs.

For convertibles, the folding hardtop has become a must. For minivans, seats that fold flat into the van are required. Toyota has upped the ante by making the 2nd (previously just the 3rd row) row seats also flat folding into the van.

Transmissions are slowly moving to 5 speed autos as being the common sight. Some sort of sequential/manual shift mode is to be expected. Alternatively, continuously variable transmissions (CVT) have made a big comeback lately. Variable valve timing is becoming more common.
Xenon lights could slowly become more common and hit the family midsize car category.

In NA, if gas continues to rise in price, perhaps more diesal powered cars will be exported.

[AussieV8]

Gee I remember learning to drive in a Holden Belmont Station Wagon with 3 on the tree no power steering and brakes that would work when they wanted to. We are spoiled with all the mod cons and who would buy a car without A/C.
Even the buses that I driver everyday have A/C, ABS and about 20 odd purlpe headed air (old) bags... He He He.

[kmchow]

'Cause now, luxury cars (BMW and Jag only--same ZF tyranny)start to get 6 speed autos. I hear the BMW has pretty good shifting. It seems a hit/miss thing with the current 5 speed autos. Some models/brands are better than others. Almost everyone has a pretty competent 4 speed auto.

The domestic trucks in the near future are going to have 6 speed autos.

[daz90]

the new saab 93 is a nice looking motor, and the new maxda 6 is nice too. all the new renaults look like vans with extra windows, they really went to work on that megane, just think some little kid in france must be getting paid a fare wedge for designing that pile of ****. a do like the new vauxhall prototype, widely tipped to become the new astra. not sure what it is called though, looks a bit like the mercedes c class hatch.

[StuiE]

Originally posted by DNQ
I reckon! What about the Avalon - that car could have easily been designed in 1992 it looks THAT plain. Celica is OK, but Toyota have no designed an interesting road car for decades.

Even their F1 car looks dull.

As far as I know, the Avalon WAS designed in 1992, realeased in '92-93 in the US wasn't it? We got that series1 when the US already had the series2. I think it looks more than plain, it looks ugly!

I tihk the Camry looks much beter than any other before it, but it still won't get younger buyers.