[ad3952n]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

You can't just take a hatchback, plonk a small boot on it and say "sedan".

I agree, This tactics is not to my liking too. The Indigo ECS, New generation Dzire and the New Hyundai Xcent are some examples that come to my mind. In my view if Hyundai would have used the Fluidic concept on the Xcent too then it would have been a much better looking car.

Originally Posted by Live To Jive

IMO the 3rd version of the Innova looked the best.

I feel the 1st generation Toyota Innova, 2nd Generation Innova and the 3rd Generation Innova were really good respectively because:

1st Gen Innova: Sober and Elegant looks. It was stronger in comparison to the present one too.

2nd Gen Innova: Classy and Elegant.

3rd Gen Innova: It was much more contemporary yet it looked neat.

Apart from the above, the Innova's design that we see now is simply bizarre and the front profile of this decent looking car has been destroyed to the core.

Thanks

[arnabchak]

Originally Posted by avdhesh15

Two cars which I really wanted to buy back in the day when I couldn't afford them were the Baleno and the City (1st gen). Moving on in life, I did buy both, but in their new avatars, i.e. the SX4 and the 4th gen City. Would have been really good if the classical looks would have been retained along with the fresher interiors. Another car I wanted to buy back in the day was the Accord so let's see what happens to that by the time I can buy it!

But I feel that when it comes to admiring cars, the old ones are definitely better. However in terms of today's requirements, the bloated designs some seem more "practical" and that seems to be the common selling theme for most manufacturers.

Avdhesh,

Have yo read this beautiful book called "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne?

Just keep wishing and wishing good. The entire universe will help you achieve your dreams. SX4 and ANHC were again a fulfillment of that and god willing even an Accord(though discontinued now) or equivalent will soon see space in your garage!!

[avdhesh15]

Originally Posted by arnabchak

Avdhesh,

Have yo read this beautiful book called "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne?

Just keep wishing and wishing good. The entire universe will help you achieve your dreams. SX4 and ANHC were again a fulfillment of that and god willing even an Accord(though discontinued now) or equivalent will soon see space in your garage!!

Hey Arnab

I read the synopsis of the book and it look amazing. I'll surely be reading it!

Thanks for your wishes... keep thinking / wishing positively.

Cheers!

[poloman]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

I really don't understand the fascination with massive/long headlights (eg. Fiesta, Vista). I think maybe the designers get caught up in all the "give the impression of speed" design buzz-stuff, and as a result just forget the importance of being aesthetically pleasing overall.

If this trend continues, I have a feeling this might be what the 2018 Vista looks like...
Attachment 1268085

cya
R

Looks like your wish is almost granted by Hyundai
http://indianautosblog.com/wp-conten...i-i20-side.jpg

[kiku007]

What happened to good looking cars? Killed by a combination of factors in India.

1. Buying Pattern - When majority of the car buyers don't give a damn about looks what else will happen? Cars like Dzire and Amaze are plain eyesores. But who cares, they sell extremely well.

2. The 4M Rule - When you want a 3-box sedan in under 4 Meters, it ain't going to be pretty. The 4M Ecosport is looker though.

3. Horrendous face lifts & mid life refreshes - Enough said. But just one more point; in the name of giving the family face to an old design, the cars end up looking weird.

4. Good Looking cars are jinxed in India. Well, that's taking it too far. But to an extent yes!

Some cars like the Polo, Vento, Octavia, OHC, Lancer can be simple and look great. Some like the Honda Civic are futuristic yet not quirky. Both are timeless though.

[AbelAFC]

Originally Posted by wantarangerover

I believe that the there are multiple reasons why cars are uglier these days:

1. Perception: Yes, we maybe getting old!! - Just like our parents saying 'those were the days..'

No that's definitely not the case. I'm 19 years old and find most new cars ugly.

What really takes my goat is the current Honda City. What is that monstrosity? I refuse to accept that the same guys who drew up the last gen City put that disgusting piece of metal on our roads. And to compound my misery, it's flying off the shelves like hot cakes! Since we're on the topic of Honda, I quite like the Brio. But then I weep when I see the damn Amaze and the godforsaken Mobilio. I remember when I first laid eyes on the City as a four-year old in '99, I knew I was in love. But then I see the 'all new City' and I feel like there is no hope for humanity.

Now I might get flamed for this, but here goes anyway. It took me about a year to accept that the F30 3 series was the successor to the E90. I just couldn't digest the fact that the clean lines of the E90 had been changed to something so swoopy. And please don't get me started on the baby-5er rear end of the F30.

Also, since 'family faces' seem to be all the rage lately, do designers copy-paste a common template on every car in their range and dash the design straight off to the die machine? Sure, Mercedes managed to make their new cars look brilliant, I just cannot make sense of how similar their cars are. I'm sure its lovely for a C-Class owner to have a car that looks like a flagship model, but where's the product differentiation? I struggle to distinguish between the new M- and GL-Classes. And while the W222 S-Class looks wonderful, its completely shattered the image that the W221 created in my head. I, for one, would never accept a W222 S65 even if it was given to me for free.

Of course, how could I leave out Audi in this rant? Beautiful looking cars, but A4 + (longer wheelbase) = A6 + (longer wheelbase) = A8. What is the incentive an A8 owner has, apart from that spinning passenger seat?

Sigh, rant over.

EDIT : I'm a victim (of sorts) of the new ugly-sedan trend. My dad wants to replace our lovely '06 Fiesta with.. Wait for it.. A SUNNY!!! I told him that if ever dared to buy that car, I'd stop driving. Not that he minds of course. Aesthetics don't matter to him, but 21.887363 kmpl and flat torque curve does. Sure, I understand that we can't buy an M3 (E92 please!) just to satiate me, but surely, doesn't that godawful centre console put him off? I mean, he's gotta to put up with that haemorrage for the next half-decade too, doesn't he?

[Warhound]

Sorry - have not read the complete thread but just by looking at the pictures in teh first post, its obvious as an aeronautical engineer that the sole reason vehicles are blending into a Egg-shell is because of aerodynamics. With an increased emphasis on Fuel economy especially in our country, that alone takes precedence over anything else- at least for the majority.

[sohail99]

Car makers should realize that aerodynamics wont matter much when we are sitting in traffic jams most of the time!
(Electric drive would make more sense then, probably with solar panel roofs, so they can charge themselves while in traffic jams)

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Warhound

Sorry - have not read the complete thread but just by looking at the pictures in teh first post, its obvious as an aeronautical engineer that the sole reason vehicles are blending into a Egg-shell is because of aerodynamics. With an increased emphasis on Fuel economy especially in our country, that alone takes precedence over anything else- at least for the majority.

If aerodynamics was the need of the hour then cars would be low-slung, sleek, more streamlining modifications to have the least resistance from air.

But all we see are tall, bulky looking cars that do nothing to aerodynamics.

Anurag.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

If aerodynamics was the need of the hour then cars would be low-slung, sleek, more streamlining modifications to have the least resistance from air.

But all we see are tall, bulky looking cars that do nothing to aerodynamics.

Anurag.

Agree to it. All in the name of space and modern design. I fail to understand that how acres of headroom, more than what is reasonably needed, should help anyway? Only for ingress/ egress?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by saket77

Agree to it. All in the name of space and modern design. I fail to understand that how acres of headroom, more than what is reasonably needed, should help anyway? Only for ingress/ egress?

Vertical space also gives the freedom to free up a lot of interior space (legroom for instance) without having to increase the overall length of the car.

Take the WagonR for example- the legroom is actually nothing great, so is the actual under-thigh support. But because you are seated with a relatively higher H point, the legs can be almost vertical giving the impression of having a lot more knee room and under thigh support, than say- a low slung car like the good old zen.


Sent from my iPhone using Team-BHP

[tbppjpr]

Already stated earlier in this thread that some car designers are getting fascinated with oversized bulky headlights. Another thing what makes me feel irritated about the headlights is that these days they are moving onto sides from the face.

Look at here, we can't even see the second headlight from this angle:




But on the other hand, look at the evolution, headlights are like eyes and they are on face, thats whey these cars look good to eyes:

Starting days:


Design had become lot more unified, yet the headlights were in place:


Stance got lower, still the headlights were in place:


Modern era model, sill following conservative design language


Futuristic, aerodynamic, ultra modern profile, still not quirky because elements are well proportionate and most importantly 'eyes' are still eyes:


Modern generation SUV, but it doesn't mean make the headlights bigger than wheels. Here again they are perfectly sized maintaining conservative design and placement:



EDIT : One more thing, there is rule of pasting yellow tape on sides of the headlights in some states. Poor users of such cars left confused about where to paste that tape in the cars having such weird kind of protruded headlights. Either something wrong with the rule or the headlights are wrong.

[ajaypjayaraj]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

EDIT : One more thing, there is rule of pasting yellow tape on sides of the headlights in some states. Poor users of such cars left confused about where to paste that tape in the cars having such weird kind of protruded headlights. Either something wrong with the rule or the headlights are wrong.

Yeah you said it! Looking at some headlights I've thought the same. Poor guys would have been caught between the law and the head lamp design.

[aneezan]

We are talking about India here, right? Here, the heart doesn't rule over the mind. Here, the things that people look for are efficient, cheap, space. Here essentially, its more for the buck. Beauty stands last in the order for many. Why do we see hordes of Dzires and Amazes on the road. They essentially stand for what at-least 75% of Indan customers have in their mind.
The sub-4 meter sedans answer to these. As I see more cars in this line-up, they are getting uglier and uglier. In-fact, hatches are following this trend as well(new i20?)

[vsbabu]

Slightly off topic, but other than the design "directions" of late, what gets to me really is that it is so hard to buy a new car that has black/grey interiors these days. Every one is after beige and it is a pain to maintain as well as when it gets older, if the plastic is of cheaper variety, it stands out like a sore sight. Anyone here feels the same way?