New Car Designs

skandyhere · 2nd July 2007, 18:40

going through the number of 'which mid-sizer' queries here, i was just wondering how car designs have changed appreciably since the past 5 years.

for me, a mid-sizer should ideally be sleek (my idea is a low-slung car with smooth lines) on the outside.

take a look at the old cars - the accent looks stately for the segment, the ikon looks eager, the lancer looks beautiful, the baleno has good proportions (to me at least), the old city looks like it's a refined design of the esteem (which apart from being too boxy, is decent looking).

cut to the newer ones. stubby. short. tall. wheels look piddly. fiesta. aveo. NHC. verna. sx4. you can add more as u keep thinking.

but of course, due regards go to the added benefit of increased interior space afforded by the cab-forward layout. yet, i talk only of the design.

don't you guys think the newer models leave a great more to be desired in external elegance?

rahul_intlad · 2nd July 2007, 18:59

Quote:

a mid-sizer should ideally be sleek (my idea is a low-slung car with smooth lines) on the outside

Cars getting taller has to do with safety regulations,in the event of a head on collision with a taller car/SUV the taller vehicle tends to go over the lower one.

Here's a link with a video:

YouTube - Fifth Gear - When an SUV rams a smaller car

sabret00the · 2nd July 2007, 22:42

I believe auto design is going thru a terrible stage and with the inception of hybrid and technologically advanced design this is the time of cars designed by an engineer and not by a stylist or a designer.they are too perfect these days so perfect that they hit the eye.I feel gone are the days of the mustangs,the impalas,the camaros,etc.That was the golden age of car design.

Taking the opportunity to post three of my posts here you wud understand wat I'm trying to mean.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/474682-post148.html
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/470667-post290.html
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/484231-post128.html

bhanusrinivas · 3rd July 2007, 11:39

will this be the new trend for future designs? it looks pretty cute,

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4355/31433556sb2.jpg
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/9228/40241810zs6.jpg
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/2667/85285732ll0.jpg
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/2079/80349871eb1.jpg
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2397/62372477hi3.jpg
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4208/54276179kr1.jpg
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/7260/18277955eo3.jpg

its being aired as the 1 lac car design by renault and mahindra in a lot of mail chains with the links below

Renault's small car to cost less than Rs 1.5 lakh-Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

http://www.dancewithshadows.com/auto...gan-india.asp+

Moneycontrol India :: News :: Mahindra Renault Logan receives great response :: :: Press- News :: Mahindra Renault,car ,Logan,Rajesh Jejurikar,Nalin Mehta

Cheers,
Bhanu

SRK · 3rd July 2007, 11:54

Most of the new designs will come up..will have to be aerodynamic..which means you will have car shaped like the Bullet trains in the future..

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 3rd July 2007, 12:02

Beauty and good looks are very personal and subjective - for me, the Honda city is ugly, Santro is ugly. The xing looks good for both me and biwi. The wagonR IS ugly; but biwi thinks otherwise. so you know who wins!!!

GTO · 3rd July 2007, 17:37

Bring 'em on, brother. Took the words right out of my mouth. I hate new-age designs like the NHC, Verna and to an extent....even the SX4 with its overtly tall look.

Designs I love are the OHC and the Lancer...truely timeless and just so proportionate. From the current breed of cars, I like the Optra & Octavia designs.

enygma · 3rd July 2007, 17:47

You are absolutely true. One of the reasons why I am wandering in the What Car section deciding between a Adventure and a Safari is because of the shape of all the mid-sizers. I would rather go for a full fledged SUV looks.

@GTO - How about the Cedia in the current lot - that still looks low-slung? And prices that seems to be approaching the mid-sizers.

abhibh · 3rd July 2007, 17:50

Yup toally agree with GTO. I love OHC and Lancer Design.

From curret designs i love
1. Optra
2. Octavia
3. Type II Accord
4. Fiesta (still cant match the but one of the best C segments)

caliper · 3rd July 2007, 18:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhanusrinivas

will this be the new trend for future designs? it looks pretty cute,

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4355/31433556sb2.jpg
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/9228/40241810zs6.jpg
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/2667/85285732ll0.jpg
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/2079/80349871eb1.jpg
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2397/62372477hi3.jpg
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4208/54276179kr1.jpg
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/7260/18277955eo3.jpg

its being aired as the 1 lac car design by renault and mahindra in a lot of mail chains with the links below

Cheers,
Bhanu

I guess they're right that beauty is subjective. To me, these are so ugly, I don't know where to begin.

It seems that some car designers are so flat out of ideas (everything has already been tried once), that they have to try outlandlish designs in order to be able to say they've come up with something new.

This particular design looks like a flying saucer on wheels.

Finally, is the lack of a door jamb going to increase or decrease sturdiness in case of a side impact?

1100D · 3rd July 2007, 19:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by caliper

Finally, is the lack of a door jamb going to increase or decrease sturdiness in case of a side impact?

Door Jambs (in conventional sense) are underneath the Door skin panelling. One thing people can be rest assured that structurally the new cars are pretty rigid. Only thing is that they fail to appeal to the senses that are used to watching cars a certain way. However for people new to automobiles, they seemingly have a steady following for the new-age designs. So mostly its a matter of expectations.

To me best car designs are best termed as boxy, W123, W124,W126 (Mercedes') E30 E36 E34 (BMWs) just to name a few. The lure of those twin set of eyes arising out of the black grille flanking the kidneys, God am I turning into a poet!

CrAzY dRiVeR · 3rd July 2007, 21:43

No one likes the Civic?

I have this feeling that it is pretty low and sleek. A far- cry from the monoform design of the NHC.

1100D · 3rd July 2007, 21:56

There is some disconnect between how the Civic starts out and how it ends.Infact I quite like the euro Civic hatch.

reignofchaos · 3rd July 2007, 23:13

Yup the Civic Hatch in Europe looks nicer than the Civic Sedan. Out of the current designs in sedans, I love the Cedia the most and hence own one

. Its the only remaining low slung design in the lower D segment market.

sabret00the · 4th July 2007, 00:45

Drawing from GTO well the SX4 was concieved as a pure 2box 3door hatch supposed to perform on any terrain and with a rally bent of mind...but then Suzuki had to sell it in India and the untold truth is that none in this country wud pay so much for a car that doesnt have a boot ie.remember the fate of the chevy srv...hence the tail was a hastily done job....

2nd July 2007, 18:40	#1
skandyhere BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Charlotte/Blore Posts: 347 Thanked: 92 Times	New Car Designs going through the number of 'which mid-sizer' queries here, i was just wondering how car designs have changed appreciably since the past 5 years. for me, a mid-sizer should ideally be sleek (my idea is a low-slung car with smooth lines) on the outside. take a look at the old cars - the accent looks stately for the segment, the ikon looks eager, the lancer looks beautiful, the baleno has good proportions (to me at least), the old city looks like it's a refined design of the esteem (which apart from being too boxy, is decent looking). cut to the newer ones. stubby. short. tall. wheels look piddly. fiesta. aveo. NHC. verna. sx4. you can add more as u keep thinking. but of course, due regards go to the added benefit of increased interior space afforded by the cab-forward layout. yet, i talk only of the design. don't you guys think the newer models leave a great more to be desired in external elegance?
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 22:42	#3
sabret00the BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: YYC \| BLR \| CCU Posts: 692 Thanked: 55 Times View My Garage	I believe auto design is going thru a terrible stage and with the inception of hybrid and technologically advanced design this is the time of cars designed by an engineer and not by a stylist or a designer.they are too perfect these days so perfect that they hit the eye.I feel gone are the days of the mustangs,the impalas,the camaros,etc.That was the golden age of car design. Taking the opportunity to post three of my posts here you wud understand wat I'm trying to mean. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/474682-post148.html http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/470667-post290.html http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/484231-post128.html Last edited by sabret00the : 2nd July 2007 at 22:50.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2007, 11:39	#4
bhanusrinivas BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: hyderabad Posts: 104 Thanked: 0 Times	will this be the new trend for future designs? it looks pretty cute, http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4355/31433556sb2.jpg http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/9228/40241810zs6.jpg http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/2667/85285732ll0.jpg http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/2079/80349871eb1.jpg http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2397/62372477hi3.jpg http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4208/54276179kr1.jpg http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/7260/18277955eo3.jpg its being aired as the 1 lac car design by renault and mahindra in a lot of mail chains with the links below Renault's small car to cost less than Rs 1.5 lakh-Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times http://www.dancewithshadows.com/auto...gan-india.asp+ Moneycontrol India :: News :: Mahindra Renault Logan receives great response :: :: Press- News :: Mahindra Renault,car ,Logan,Rajesh Jejurikar,Nalin Mehta Cheers, Bhanu Last edited by Rehaan : 3rd July 2007 at 12:08. Reason: [font] and [color] tags removed
	() Thanks

3rd July 2007, 11:54	#5
SRK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,201 Thanked: 524 Times	Most of the new designs will come up..will have to be aerodynamic..which means you will have car shaped like the Bullet trains in the future..
	() Thanks

3rd July 2007, 12:02	#6
BaCkSeAtDrIVeR BANNED Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kochi Posts: 2,522 Thanked: 752 Times	Beauty and good looks are very personal and subjective - for me, the Honda city is ugly, Santro is ugly. The xing looks good for both me and biwi. The wagonR IS ugly; but biwi thinks otherwise. so you know who wins!!!
	() Thanks

3rd July 2007, 17:37	#7
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,512 Thanked: 300,698 Times View My Garage	Bring 'em on, brother. Took the words right out of my mouth. I hate new-age designs like the NHC, Verna and to an extent....even the SX4 with its overtly tall look. Designs I love are the OHC and the Lancer...truely timeless and just so proportionate. From the current breed of cars, I like the Optra & Octavia designs.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2007, 17:47	#8
enygma BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore - The SpeedBreak City Posts: 36 Thanked: 13 Times	You are absolutely true. One of the reasons why I am wandering in the What Car section deciding between a Adventure and a Safari is because of the shape of all the mid-sizers. I would rather go for a full fledged SUV looks. @GTO - How about the Cedia in the current lot - that still looks low-slung? And prices that seems to be approaching the mid-sizers.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2007, 17:50	#9
abhibh Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Back in the HOOD near you! Posts: 2,768 Thanked: 39 Times	Yup toally agree with GTO. I love OHC and Lancer Design. From curret designs i love 1. Optra 2. Octavia 3. Type II Accord 4. Fiesta (still cant match the but one of the best C segments)
	() Thanks

3rd July 2007, 21:43	#12
CrAzY dRiVeR Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore / TVM Posts: 17,180 Thanked: 73,491 Times View My Garage	No one likes the Civic? I have this feeling that it is pretty low and sleek. A far- cry from the monoform design of the NHC.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2007, 21:56	#13
1100D Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 4,390 Thanked: 4,096 Times View My Garage	There is some disconnect between how the Civic starts out and how it ends.Infact I quite like the euro Civic hatch.
	() Thanks

3rd July 2007, 23:13	#14
reignofchaos Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,542 Thanked: 2,450 Times View My Garage	Yup the Civic Hatch in Europe looks nicer than the Civic Sedan. Out of the current designs in sedans, I love the Cedia the most and hence own one . Its the only remaining low slung design in the lower D segment market.
	() Thanks

4th July 2007, 00:45	#15
sabret00the BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: YYC \| BLR \| CCU Posts: 692 Thanked: 55 Times View My Garage	Drawing from GTO well the SX4 was concieved as a pure 2box 3door hatch supposed to perform on any terrain and with a rally bent of mind...but then Suzuki had to sell it in India and the untold truth is that none in this country wud pay so much for a car that doesnt have a boot ie.remember the fate of the chevy srv...hence the tail was a hastily done job....
	() Thanks