Give it ten years and we'll see what happens
Discussion
Why is it that some cars, even originating from the same manufacturer, wear completely timeless designs yet others age quicker than Hollywood wives outside the reach of a botox clinic? Although I'm not its greatest fan, the McLaren F1 still looks completely fresh thirteen years later and the Ferrari F40 still carries a magical appeal twenty years later. Yet the Ferrari Testarossa/512TR/512M look like vast, bulky dinosaurs in comparison and I believe the 512M - the last of the Testarossa shell designs - was in production until 1994.
Again, I think the Porsche 993 is standing the test of time better than the 996, though this might have something to do with the 997 carrying a more familiar shape. The Jaguar XJ220 still looks absolutely amazing, like a proper, hulking great supercar should. Is the Zonda, for example, going to age as well as the XJ220? Possibly, but possibly not.
Although rarer, it does occur lower down in the price and performance ranks. I still consider an unmolested Escort Cosworth to look sharp but an early Mondeo ST24? I don't think so. The same can be said of bikes, too. I could spend a long time admiring the delicate brutality of a Ducati 916, where I'd struggle not to be sick in my mouth when confronted with a 999.
Then there are cars today which, I predict, are going to get old very quickly. Cars which are just that little bit over the top which, given a few years, may turn into an embarrassment. It may be a controversial Marmitisté opinion but the Lamborghini Reventon might just slide into this category.
I realise that all of this is completely subjective. I realise that there are people who may find the looks of the F40, XJ220, F1 and 993 borderline nauseating and I realise that some people will get wood at the thought of having a Reventon on the driveway but I'm sure there are a core of timeless designs that the majority of us would agree on.
Any suggestions for cars more than 10 years old that still look fresh today? Any older cars that look better than their successors? Any predictions on cars that are going to age very, very quickly? I'd be interested to hear other peoples' opinions
Again, I think the Porsche 993 is standing the test of time better than the 996, though this might have something to do with the 997 carrying a more familiar shape. The Jaguar XJ220 still looks absolutely amazing, like a proper, hulking great supercar should. Is the Zonda, for example, going to age as well as the XJ220? Possibly, but possibly not.
Although rarer, it does occur lower down in the price and performance ranks. I still consider an unmolested Escort Cosworth to look sharp but an early Mondeo ST24? I don't think so. The same can be said of bikes, too. I could spend a long time admiring the delicate brutality of a Ducati 916, where I'd struggle not to be sick in my mouth when confronted with a 999.
Then there are cars today which, I predict, are going to get old very quickly. Cars which are just that little bit over the top which, given a few years, may turn into an embarrassment. It may be a controversial Marmitisté opinion but the Lamborghini Reventon might just slide into this category.
I realise that all of this is completely subjective. I realise that there are people who may find the looks of the F40, XJ220, F1 and 993 borderline nauseating and I realise that some people will get wood at the thought of having a Reventon on the driveway but I'm sure there are a core of timeless designs that the majority of us would agree on.
Any suggestions for cars more than 10 years old that still look fresh today? Any older cars that look better than their successors? Any predictions on cars that are going to age very, very quickly? I'd be interested to hear other peoples' opinions
The problem with many designs is crash regs.
Citroen SM, Droop Snoot Firenza, Escort Mk II, Miura, all pretty timeless. It can be done as the new Mustang proves but that of course draws on a classic design itself. Not that that is a recipe for success as the Corvette C6 draws on Corvettes past but fails miserably as a design in itself and yet the new Camaro is a stunner.
Some designs age really badly then as design turns full circle, look fantastic again - I'm thinking original Esprit, Countach which looked very angular in the era of super-smooth 90's designs we had but which now, as edges come back in, look fabulous.
Of your nominees, I thought the MacLaren was old school "composite LeMans racer" when it was launched and I've never liked it from that day to this and the Countach (pre-bodykit) knocks it into a cocked hat from every angle. The 993 looks like a pop-up soldier and rather like a VW Type 3 for my liking.
The XJ220 is a stunner but borrows from classic C/D/E-Type Jaguars. The Zonda I feel will date but then it's never really grabbed me and you'd need to wheel on a reborn classic Ford GT to make me look twice. The Koenigsegg is too bland to even recall the precise details of as are many "generic" designs now appearing from the woodwork with little originality to them. On that point, the Elise proved you can still make an original design (twice)and it still looks great now (whereas the VX220 never did).
The Daytona, 288 GTO, F40 never really did it for me either and I'd gladly take an original Ferrari Dino over any one of them for sheer elegance and beauty.
I don't know whether it's a function of the era in which you were raised but I suspect not because as a 70's teenager, I was repeatedly wowed by many designs- Monteverdi, Ghibli, Bora, Merak, Europa, Aston V8, even the Bond Bug - but still hated the Stag and the XJS.
Citroen SM, Droop Snoot Firenza, Escort Mk II, Miura, all pretty timeless. It can be done as the new Mustang proves but that of course draws on a classic design itself. Not that that is a recipe for success as the Corvette C6 draws on Corvettes past but fails miserably as a design in itself and yet the new Camaro is a stunner.
Some designs age really badly then as design turns full circle, look fantastic again - I'm thinking original Esprit, Countach which looked very angular in the era of super-smooth 90's designs we had but which now, as edges come back in, look fabulous.
Of your nominees, I thought the MacLaren was old school "composite LeMans racer" when it was launched and I've never liked it from that day to this and the Countach (pre-bodykit) knocks it into a cocked hat from every angle. The 993 looks like a pop-up soldier and rather like a VW Type 3 for my liking.
The XJ220 is a stunner but borrows from classic C/D/E-Type Jaguars. The Zonda I feel will date but then it's never really grabbed me and you'd need to wheel on a reborn classic Ford GT to make me look twice. The Koenigsegg is too bland to even recall the precise details of as are many "generic" designs now appearing from the woodwork with little originality to them. On that point, the Elise proved you can still make an original design (twice)and it still looks great now (whereas the VX220 never did).
The Daytona, 288 GTO, F40 never really did it for me either and I'd gladly take an original Ferrari Dino over any one of them for sheer elegance and beauty.
I don't know whether it's a function of the era in which you were raised but I suspect not because as a 70's teenager, I was repeatedly wowed by many designs- Monteverdi, Ghibli, Bora, Merak, Europa, Aston V8, even the Bond Bug - but still hated the Stag and the XJS.
Edited by LuS1fer on Saturday 20th October 15:41
I never understand the praise lavished on the 993, it's only an evolution of the 964. The best looking 911s are those built before 1973, over time that original design has been updated and in my opinion the purity of the design list. I do have a softspot for a 3.2 in guards red, the classic city boy car.
The last true classic design form Porsche was the 928. About time they tried another original design but looking at how well their current ranges sells I think design innovation maybe sometime away.
I don't think it's too terrible if a car doesn't age well but is instantly identifiable with its era. The Lotus Elite (1974 - 1982) is very much a car of the 1970's but none the worse for that.
The last true classic design form Porsche was the 928. About time they tried another original design but looking at how well their current ranges sells I think design innovation maybe sometime away.
I don't think it's too terrible if a car doesn't age well but is instantly identifiable with its era. The Lotus Elite (1974 - 1982) is very much a car of the 1970's but none the worse for that.
jayzee said:
Current BMW 5 series IMO hasn't dated, and will still look fresh in years to come. My first impressions at launch were "yuck", but over the last few years I have grown to like it, so much so, I now have one myself.
I think that all of the Bangle BMW's will come to define the era, but maybe not date too well. I think that the E39 will be remembered better, and become timeless.I hope that in 10 years time we will look back and laugh at the current M cars, RS Audis and AMG mercs. "Why were they soooo big and heavy" "Why did we pack all that computer crap into them when a machanical diff or e-dif makes for a purer drivers car"
mat205125 said:
jayzee said:
Current BMW 5 series IMO hasn't dated, and will still look fresh in years to come. My first impressions at launch were "yuck", but over the last few years I have grown to like it, so much so, I now have one myself.
I think that all of the Bangle BMW's will come to define the era, but maybe not date too well. I think that the E39 will be remembered better, and become timeless.I hope that in 10 years time we will look back and laugh at the current M cars, RS Audis and AMG mercs. "Why were they soooo big and heavy" "Why did we pack all that computer crap into them when a machanical diff or e-dif makes for a purer drivers car"
mat205125 said:
I hope that in 10 years time we will look back and laugh at the current M cars, RS Audis and AMG mercs. "Why were they soooo big and heavy" "Why did we pack all that computer crap into them when a machanical diff or e-dif makes for a purer drivers car"
Hmmm... My Bangle B5 is lighter than a 'classic' M5 (E39) but I too prefer the looks of the '39: it's a perfectly honed saloon silhouette, imo.In ten years, the only thing you should be thinking of concerns a bigger storage facility because all these cars will be gnad quiveringly cheap.
Then again, they'll probably be illegal but...
Fittster said:
mat205125 said:
jayzee said:
Current BMW 5 series IMO hasn't dated, and will still look fresh in years to come. My first impressions at launch were "yuck", but over the last few years I have grown to like it, so much so, I now have one myself.
I think that all of the Bangle BMW's will come to define the era, but maybe not date too well. I think that the E39 will be remembered better, and become timeless.I hope that in 10 years time we will look back and laugh at the current M cars, RS Audis and AMG mercs. "Why were they soooo big and heavy" "Why did we pack all that computer crap into them when a machanical diff or e-dif makes for a purer drivers car"
Pooh said:
I think it is down to true beauty rather than trendy styling.
IMO this has true beauty and will not date
But this is trendy and will.
You can see why too. The Audi has additional visual features to draw ones attention, the Alfa has none, relying purely on it's lines and proportions. Anything 'added' will be, unless retro, contemporary therefor date stamped.IMO this has true beauty and will not date
But this is trendy and will.
mat205125 said:
jayzee said:
Current BMW 5 series IMO hasn't dated, and will still look fresh in years to come. My first impressions at launch were "yuck", but over the last few years I have grown to like it, so much so, I now have one myself.
I think that all of the Bangle BMW's will come to define the era, but maybe not date too well. I think that the E39 will be remembered better, and become timeless.I hope that in 10 years time we will look back and laugh at the current M cars, RS Audis and AMG mercs. "Why were they soooo big and heavy" "Why did we pack all that computer crap into them when a machanical diff or e-dif makes for a purer drivers car"
Laird said:
Pooh said:
I think it is down to true beauty rather than trendy styling.
IMO this has true beauty and will not date
But this is trendy and will.
You can see why too. The Audi has additional visual features to draw ones attention, the Alfa has none, relying purely on it's lines and proportions. Anything 'added' will be, unless retro, contemporary therefor date stamped.IMO this has true beauty and will not date
But this is trendy and will.
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Stuart
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