Is it just me or are cars getting uglier?

[joe2tiger]

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[sameerrao]

I agree ... Good post!

[ZfrkS62]

I cn understand where you are coming from joe. and i am sure in the 80's there was someone asking the same thing.

In the 80's and early 90's, it seemed like all the high end exotics were shooting for this ultra-futuristic look, as evidenced in the Lamboghini Countach, McLaren F1 and Vector W8. Even Ferrari with the Testarossa was leaving a bit to be desired.

Ferrari has turned around but with the F430, as beautiful a car as it is, they left a little too much of the 360 in it. I think if the sharpened just a couple of lines, it would have been perfect.

Lamborghini, leaves alot to be desired in their cars. Though i've never really been a fan of them, the Gallardo and Murcie, i just cannot get into. nothing about their look excites me and i honestly can't figure out why. They just look so plain for what they are supposed to be.

Chevrolet. Oh my fucking lord, what the hell happened????? All of GM is turning out crappy looking plastic cars that i could probably design my smashing up all of my models. The 67-69 Camaros and Firebirds were absolutely gorgeous. Something happened in the mid-late 70's as they began transitioning into the 80's that began turning the cars boxier. The Camaro, Firebird and Vette all suffered from this. The F-body Camaro/Firebird was pretty much the last hurrah for GM. The Corvette, being GM's lone flagship now, is the only one that is still retaining a civilized, graceful appearance. The C5 more than the C6, but the look of the C6 is still relatively new and i suppose it will take a little bit of time for it to grow on me.

Ford. Fuck. They're just as bad as GM. I haven't liked one car put out by Ford in the last 20 years. No matter what badge it was produced under. I struggle to understand why Aston Martin is so pricey. All i can figure is that they are holding on to a past that they can't live up to.

Chrysler. The first generation Viper is really the only thing they have created that managed to make me turn my head and smirk.

I don't really know what's happening in the designers head's, but i guess as long as they don't start completely recycling designs *coughcough* FORD *cough* i guess we'll be alright.

[nthfinity]

with the chinese, and corean copying so many contemporary designs; that gives the pseudo effect of 'uglifying' cars... but well, some cars are born ulgly (cough Aztek*cough)

While i do agree the 612 really isn't much of a looker, i've got a spot in mind for the 599; but i dont think it looks as good as the Maranello.

the F430 just shares too much in common with the 360, which really was the exotic car with corvette performance (not the other way around really....)

now the F430 really doesn't even match up to its blue collar competitor, nor the Ford GT...

while the GT's styling is guarenteed. it was an instant classic in 1967; and is once again in 2006+. i have no problem wiht them resurecting thier most succesful prototype racecar ever

the 911 is a classic shape, and thank god PAG haven't ruined it! and of course, it edges above its former selves with little effort

the NSX... i really never could get into this car... there really wasn't much special about it; except its raraty in the states. good riddence (oh, and style wasn't special either)

right now, we are seeing a resurgance in styling in the us IMO... the thuroughly modern Mustang; with classic lines; but definately not a classic shape... the Solstice is going to be a timeless design... its simply brillliant!

the audi TT was ahead of the curve... now we are seeing the copycats emerging from several manufactuerers.

the resurgance of iconic grills for brand recognition... when was the last time you recognized so many brands just by the grill?

[Everlasting]

maybe cars are getting uglier due to the increased safety demands and regulations which in most cases might limit the options of the designers or maybe designing a good looking car requires financial investments so big that the companies involved decided they better off without which is wise from their part since ppl today are so boring or just lead very hectic and complicated lives they don't even care about what their cars look like or maybe all the good designs, lines and shapes have been though about, done and redone and this is what left for today's unimaginative designers to work with or maybe this is some evolutionary stage in which cars get uglier before they get prettier so it's a step forward in a sense! A step forward to the "jet fighter stage" where's it's smooth, beautiful form is just a mere coincidence but goddamn it's fucking gorgeous so maybe abandoning form for function is a good thing ironically in the end resulting in pretty machines but still there is the danger of all cars looking alike in the end!!!

but if u think about it, think about the future that is - in a couple of decades the car won't exist so why worry about it
and in a million years human race won't exist!
a new race will evolve that we are to them as single cell organisms are to us that is something to think about
it's largely depressing

there are still some good looking cars out there today
like the Alfas, Aston Martin and maybe a couple more I forgot

[stracing]

for me its because i'm getting old, i'm still stuck in one era. at one stage in my life cars got me really excited. when the old cars rolled out i went "oh wow" now when i look at new cars it like "oh ok". when i look back at the old cars i still go "oh wow". when i finally got my first look at a real 250GTO, i had a chill down my spine

[black_magician]

hehe ... it's just you.

[AlienDB7]

Originally Posted by mrmojo77 Ofcourse it has influence what safety regulations say. Prototype idea might be radical, but when the car is taken the production I'm sure the crashtesting changes the shape to more safe one. Personally I think it's mainly the pedestrian safety that affects the look of the nose and windshield.

And the wind tunnel screws up rest of the design

[komotar]

well, I agree with you in a way....but there are standouts...

the curves are not all gone. Brera spider, the Z4 coupe, Aston Martin's, the new punto, or even the opel astra( simple clean lines....)

imo, these cars are some of the bright exceptions...

and it's really unfair to compare these cars to the Miura. Probably the best looking car ever.

I think wee need to look at both, supercars and avreage cars to see if the desing is going downhill....

and if some of the current prototypes come into production, well, then I don't think we need to be worried..afterall, the 60's not only gave us the miura , I'm prettey sure it gave us some ugly looking cars...

[DeMoN]

Well, I agree with the 1stp post except for the F430. To me, its very pretty. I like it more than the 360. The only problem I see with that car is the two front air vents. If they had another non-circular shape, it would look really sweet. If they did the front side vents like the RISI ferrari Challenge F430, it would look agressive as hell.

All in all, its true, it seems that cars are no longer prettying up. Cant think of any one modern car that makes me wanna hang a poster of it as you said it (except for the Murcielago and DB9 and AMV8).

New cars/concept cars seem to be shown every other day. Any of you guys think that the amount of "new cars" might decrease the prettiness? I mean, its like seeing a hot lady in an olds-people restaurant vs seeing that same girl at a beauty contest. You certainly wont get the same feeling.

And oh boy, they do need to stop the retro shiet. Cmon man its getting retarded. Every company is searchig database of old classics to bring back.

[DeMoN]

Or better yet, get paid less lol. That would surely make em work harder. All in all, I rather change than stupid Porsches attempt of "keepin it real"

[SilviaEvo]

i gotta say i agree. the japanese cars cant compare from the cars made in the 90's like the MR2 SW20 and the MR2 Spyder. Evo 1-6 compared to the Evo 8 and shit. now the new Skyline is HORRIBLE! and the 350Z's just seem to have a fat ass. moving on to some European cars. E90 M3's pictures are NOTHING like the older cars. the E30, E36, and E46 are all beautiful designs. but the E90 is pretty boring although im satisfied with the design it doesnt take your breath away like an 1991 BMW M3. also the same can be said with the 5 series too. E34 brilliant. E39 sexy as hell. but the E60 is just meh. comparing Ferrari i mean their new cars dont look as good as the old ones. the 599 i hated the design from the first time i saw pictures of it and the new designs are horrible compared to Ferrari's of old. 275 GTB/4, 250GTO, 250 California Spyder, etc. the new ones just dont compare although i love 360's, 355's, 308's and such but the F430 is a little lower down on the scale. other Italian cars are of course the raging bull itself the Lamborghini. Diablo 6.0 is just sexy but the Gallardo on the other hand is just nothing as special as the Diablo.

[DeMoN]

I need proof of that, I know grown ups with taste. W/O going that deep, jabba sure is one of em.

[Z3uS]

I agree with you! Though i don't think the F430 is ulgy, it's definately not prettiest one.

My favourite modern design is the Lambo's Gallardo and i still think it has one of the most beautiful designs.

The new Audi generation (excluding the RSQ possibility) is very nice too specially the RS4.

[ARMAN]

Cars become look-a-like imo, cannot say uglier but many of them looks tastefull and same everyone copying everybody. But prorbably same thing was happeing 10, 20, 30, 40 etc years ago thou.