Cars:New Designs or Old Designs

[Stuartf12007]

For me its newely designed cars.

Of course not all are great, but excellent examples of goods designs would be
Nissan 350z and Honda Civic.

what is your opinion?

[CarlMetro]

From both technical and safety aspects then the modern day car is far better. The big problem for me is that fact that they all lack soul.So many of them look the same. It is rare these days for a new car to stand out from the crowd, where as in the days before the Ford Sierra, which I think was a big turning point, cars had curves and straight bits too.

[GridGirl]

Depends what you mean really by what is a new or an old design. Do you mean old versions of current cars or old cars in general?

I love classic cars from 40's, 50's 60's but cars from the 70's and 80's dont really appeal to me so much but they are old designs. I love the gadgets and creature comforts of newly designed cars but in generally they dont look as different as they used to. Apart from the mini and beetle nothing really stands out as being different.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Over the past 5 years new cars have started to look different again. In the 90's and 80's they all looked the same.

Examples are Jaguar S-type, BMW's, Renaults and Citroens.

[Zico]

I like the newer technologies but dislike the weight penalty that comes with them.. ie, look at the latest bloated/overweight golf in comparison to the original mk1... even the latest Civic you mention is heavier than the last, probably just me tho.. Im not interested in all the latest gadgets if they dont offer a performance boost and/or come with a weight penalty. looks, to a degree, also mean next to nothing to me. How it drives, corners, handles are my main criterias.

Give me an Integra Type-R, 306 Rallye or equally.. a Ford mk2 RS with basic interior, wind-up windows and with no air-con and I'll be a happy man.

[uncre8tv]

80's Japanese cars are the best to my eyes.

1st gen of RX-7, 300ZX, MR2,
the Supra, Celica GTS, CRX,
Skyline, Maxima, and on and on.

All such great examples of the 80's Japanese aesthetic. RX-7 takes the cake in my book. The technical darth-vaderish looks of all of them are so great. Plus they seemed to make sure the form followed function pretty well.

[Daniel]

From both technical and safety aspects then the modern day car is far better. The big problem for me is that fact that they all lack soul.So many of them look the same. It is rare these days for a new car to stand out from the crowd, where as in the days before the Ford Sierra, which I think was a big turning point, cars had curves and straight bits too.

Couldn't agree more. My 406 is a good car but to me it doesn't have a soul like my 504 had. I simply get in, turn the key, wait for the glowplug light to go off, turn the key and then drive away. It just doesn't have soul

[janneppi]

I'm not sure about the soul thing, i can imagine some Australian complaning that his brand new 504 Pug is a technical materpiece but lacks soul compared to his old steam powered three wheeler.
Keep the 406 for thirty years and it will develope a soul, or rust

[Donney]

From both technical and safety aspects then the modern day car is far better. The big problem for me is that fact that they all lack soul.So many of them look the same. It is rare these days for a new car to stand out from the crowd, where as in the days before the Ford Sierra, which I think was a big turning point, cars had curves and straight bits too.

I have never considered the Sierra thing but I could not agree more. Nowadays cars look less risky and interesting, they look too safe and concerned, they have developed politically correct looks.

[wedge]

For me I loved the late 1970s-80s when many cars were designed and inspired by Giorgetto Giugiarro. From the Lotus Esprit, the DeLoreon, Lambourghini Countach, Audi Quattro, VW Scirocco all the way up to the Corrado and to some extent, the Seat Cupra.

I love the sleek look, sleek angles. Very futuristic for its time, especially the DeLorean!

They don't design sports coupes like they used to. Probably the new Volvo hatchbacks comes close to the spirit of the 'wedge' concept.

Today's cars are now metro-sexual/A-sexual, they have a lot of curves and have to appeal to a women as well as men.