happy_renting Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 My goolies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Allegro Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Thus is the most rose-tinted post I have ever read. Old cars were generally horrible, terrible designs. The reason for the lack of the variety in modern cars is the same as the reason for the lack of variety in aircraft and computers - the optimal design has pretty much been arrived at. If you want genuine differentiation you generally have to look for disruptive technologies (e.g. early IE vs. Netscape Navigator), all modern browsers pretty much look like a variation of Firefox (tabbed browsing, large readable area). I didn't say the cars of yore were better designs than those of today, merely that there was more variety. From an aesthetic point of view I think they were more interesting, (which is where you are right in that I have rose tinted spectacles) but I agree they were technologically poorer. Although one advantage of simpler cars was that there was less to go wrong and they were easier to fix - one of the reasons why the Morris Minor became so popular I believe. I'm not sure though if cars have reached an optimal design, or ever could do. They have reached a design which is best suited to our modern motoring habits and conditions as well as modern construction methods. If those habits, conditions and methods change, car design will change accordingly to maximise profitability for their manufacturers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybong Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Citroen C1, Peugot 107, Toyota Aygo. Same cars - different names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frozen_out Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 I didn't say the cars of yore were better designs than those of today, merely that there was more variety. From an aesthetic point of view I think they were more interesting, (which is where you are right in that I have rose tinted spectacles) but I agree they were technologically poorer. Although one advantage of simpler cars was that there was less to go wrong and they were easier to fix - one of the reasons why the Morris Minor became so popular I believe. I'm not sure though if cars have reached an optimal design, or ever could do. They have reached a design which is best suited to our modern motoring habits and conditions as well as modern construction methods. If those habits, conditions and methods change, car design will change accordingly to maximise profitability for their manufacturers. Can't really disagree with that. Optimisation is one reason for convergence though. Its hard to say that cars aren't more optimal than they were 35 years ago. On the topic of oddities my uncle had a Matra Rancho. Now that was a weird old car. I used to love having a ride in it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riedquat Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Can't really disagree with that. Optimisation is one reason for convergence though. Its hard to say that cars aren't more optimal than they were 35 years ago.At moving about without breaking down, true. However I don't think it's necessarily fair to say it's "rose-tinted" if that doesn't give you the best - which I define as whatever makes the world the most satisfying place to live in. And variety and interest play a big part in that (people who only seem to care about the functionality are disturbed, dangerous, and responsible for things like Milton Keynes). I'd rather have the cars of now than of 35 years ago but it's not 100% clear-cut. And I'd certainly prefer to be driving them on the roads of 35 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Citroen C1, Peugot 107, Toyota Aygo. Same cars - different names. Same crap paint job where they don't finish the job underneath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bossybabe Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Newcastle Brown Ale is not like other brown ale. No. Most brown ales don't have loony bins specially sponsored by the brewery for their drinkers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 No. Most brown ales don't have loony bins specially sponsored by the brewery for their drinkers! http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/happy-birthday-to-brew-469909 Champion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scunnered Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 My goolies. You're not from Devizes, by any chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 You're not from Devizes, by any chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frozen_out Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 At moving about without breaking down, true. However I don't think it's necessarily fair to say it's "rose-tinted" if that doesn't give you the best - which I define as whatever makes the world the most satisfying place to live in. And variety and interest play a big part in that (people who only seem to care about the functionality are disturbed, dangerous, and responsible for things like Milton Keynes). I'd rather have the cars of now than of 35 years ago but it's not 100% clear-cut. And I'd certainly prefer to be driving them on the roads of 35 years ago. They've converged (optimised?) on a generally appealing styling though, in each class pretty much all cars look the same (compare a Kia sportage with a Mazda CX and a Honda CR-V). One thing I find interesting is that for the US market they've converged on shapes with much more aggressive lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riedquat Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 They've converged (optimised?) on a generally appealing styling though, in each class pretty much all cars look the same (compare a Kia sportage with a Mazda CX and a Honda CR-V). One thing I find interesting is that for the US market they've converged on shapes with much more aggressive lines. Current cars I generally find too dull to be appealing in any way but not not hideous either, just bland. Precious little anything though isn't any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scunnered Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 There was a young man from Devizes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 There was a young man from Devizes... You disgust me. Carry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybong Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Hollywood star Clint Eastwood is a big fan and had crates of it shipped out to Africa when he was on location filming White Hunter, Black Heart. He must have been feeling lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybong Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Same crap paint job where they don't finish the job underneath. That's the same as always then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 That's the same as always then. A colleague had an Aygo as a courtesy car. We all went out to the car park to look at it. The paint job was shoddy, and "disnae look like Toyota" quality, as a Glaswegian chap said. That's because they are built in France, or maybe Czech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northerner Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 There was a young man from Devizes... ... whose ears were two different sizes. The first was so small it was no use at all but the other won hundreds of prizes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crashmonitor Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 A colleague had an Aygo as a courtesy car. We all went out to the car park to look at it. The paint job was shoddy, and "disnae look like Toyota" quality, as a Glaswegian chap said. That's because they are built in France, or maybe Czech. Guilty of driving a Peugeot107 which is basically from the same stable as the Aygo and C1 (Citroen). Brought out in 2004, they all have Toyota engines which basically go on forever and a body work that is basically plastic on all the corrosion prone areas. Not ever seen one with corrosion even though they have been about 11 years now and it's the first car I have ever had I can call reliable after three years of driving. They are actually an example of something unchanged in 11 years, the design and economy of the triplets was so good no changes have been made. The 108 is a slight tweak in style, not for the better imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eight Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Guilty of driving a Peugeot107 which is basically from the same stable as the Aygo and C1 (Citroen). Brought out in 2004, they all have Toyota engines which basically go on forever and a body work that is basically plastic on all the corrosion prone areas. Not ever seen one with corrosion even though they have been about 11 years now and it's the first car I have ever had I can call reliable after three years of driving. They are actually an example of something unchanged in 11 years, the design and economy of the triplets was so good no changes have been made. The 108 is a slight tweak in style, not for the better imo. New shape Renault Twingo is rear engined. So that's a bit of a break from the norm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hovis Posted October 16, 2015 Author Share Posted October 16, 2015 I didn't say the cars of yore were better designs than those of today, merely that there was more variety. From an aesthetic point of view I think they were more interesting, (which is where you are right in that I have rose tinted spectacles) but I agree they were technologically poorer. Although one advantage of simpler cars was that there was less to go wrong and they were easier to fix - one of the reasons why the Morris Minor became so popular I believe. I'm not sure though if cars have reached an optimal design, or ever could do. They have reached a design which is best suited to our modern motoring habits and conditions as well as modern construction methods. If those habits, conditions and methods change, car design will change accordingly to maximise profitability for their manufacturers. Absolutely that. In amongst all their general silliness Top Gear attempted a review of the best 4x4 caravan tower. When put together they all looked the same and did essentially the same thing so their attempt to pick the two best was little more than tossing a coin. It has got to: this is what a hatchback looks like, this is what a family estate looks like etc. Pulling out a random car as an example, I can't see a technical reason why you can't built a modern car that looks exactly like this Rover P5. I'd buy it and it would probably be a success, look at the cult status of the 1990/91 import Nissan Figaro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Absolutely that. In amongst all their general silliness Top Gear attempted a review of the best 4x4 caravan tower. When put together they all looked the same and did essentially the same thing so their attempt to pick the two best was little more than tossing a coin. It has got to: this is what a hatchback looks like, this is what a family estate looks like etc. Pulling out a random car as an example, I can't see a technical reason why you can't built a modern car that looks exactly like this Rover P5. I'd buy it and it would probably be a success, look at the cult status of the 1990/91 import Nissan Figaro. Aerodynamics... Safety... No reason at all. In fact there are some cars that still look like that, if your pockets are deep enough for a Bentley or Rolls Royce you're in luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Absolutely that. In amongst all their general silliness Top Gear attempted a review of the best 4x4 caravan tower. When put together they all looked the same and did essentially the same thing so their attempt to pick the two best was little more than tossing a coin. It has got to: this is what a hatchback looks like, this is what a family estate looks like etc. Pulling out a random car as an example, I can't see a technical reason why you can't built a modern car that looks exactly like this Rover P5. I'd buy it and it would probably be a success, look at the cult status of the 1990/91 import Nissan Figaro. What goes around comes around - it will happen. Look at US sports stadiums - especially baseball. For decades they built all very 'modern' stadiums. As modern as modern could possibly be. Then lots of fans started seeing other teams watching games in 'old fashioned' grounds - like Wrigley field. They wanted that back. What happens ? Every new baseball stadium in the US is now being built to look like its 50-100 years old - but with modern technology beneath the surface - its a huge winner with the fans. Some car companies have already tried this for the very top range models (Ford GT40 or that one-off Jaguar E-type release for example) but have yet to do the same for a 'normal' car. Maye you should email them and ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 In fact you can add US sports cars to that. Mustang, Challenger, Charger etc.. Its already happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eight Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Some car companies have already tried this for the very top range models (Ford GT40 or that one-off Jaguar E-type release for example) but have yet to do the same for a 'normal' car. Maye you should email them and ask. Problem with this kind of "cynical retro" is that you end up with abominations like the new Mini, and it's even more offensive derivatives. John Cooper would have a fit if he saw one of those monstrous 4x4 efforts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.