Dutton cars are universally hideous - this "GT40" proves it.

Dutton cars are universally hideous - this "GT40" proves it.

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Discussion

OwenK

Original Poster:

3,472 posts

202 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
quotequote all
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DUTTON-GT-40-Ford-GT40-Repli...





Erm... doesn't look much like the real thing, does it? I was under the impression that "replica" meant "accurate copy of, down to the smallest detail" - and not "looks a bit like it if you're at the other end of the road and squint really hard".

It says it's made by a kit car company called Dutton, a name which rang a bell. Further research revealed that this company have never produced anything apart from absolutely hideous unattractive tripe:



(this is one of my favourites, the way it looks sort-of-like-a-Caterham-but-not reminds me of when you asked for Lego for Christmas and you instead got some bizarre Chinese off-brand rubbish)



(this one looks even more like an off-brand knockoff Caterham!)


Now I know they may well be fantastic cars to drive, but God almighty they need to start hiring a designer rather than fumbling around in the dark with a ruler and a smudged, tea-stained Seven blueprint... am I alone in this?

GKP

15,099 posts

248 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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Didn't Dutton once make some sort of amphibious car?

EDLT

15,421 posts

213 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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They aren't the worst.


TurboMills

281 posts

187 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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Dutton! absolutely hideous! I frequent the kit car shows, when these boy's turn up it's pure comedy, and disgust! Should be re-badged Dutty.

interloper

2,747 posts

262 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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Its all in the details. Dutton seem to take fairly tamely designed cars then embellish them, with horrible details and a level of plastickyness that is hard to believe!

interloper

2,747 posts

262 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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EDLT said:
They aren't the worst.

Now that is pretty special!

Ferg

15,242 posts

264 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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I don't believe that 'GT40' is made by Dutton.

Ferg

15,242 posts

264 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
quotequote all
It's very easy to slate Dutton Cars for their output over the years, but remember this was a Kit Car world where no-one wanted to just rip-off the styling of the Caterham/Lotus Seven like (I believe) Spyder did and then the likes of Westfield joined in. The Phaeton was very cheap to get on the road relative to the cost of a Seven replica now.
The dodgy styling of others is difficult to argue except to say that styling is always 'of a time'. Remember these are '80s cars.

hairykrishna

13,578 posts

210 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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I don't think it's THAT awful. Although, obviously, it looks sod all like a GT40. I don't think dutton made a kit anything like that either. My guess is that a road registered dutton was bought for peanuts and turned into that to avoid the fun of an SVA test.

TurboMills

281 posts

187 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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ahh, a 'GT40 forwards, a BMW M1 in reverse', good luck to the creator.

Orb the Impaler

1,881 posts

197 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
quotequote all
OwenK said:
WTF are you lot on about. That looks *exactly* like a GT40 to me - the realism is to be commended. The design of those rear clusters must have taken, er, seconds.

Negative Creep

25,231 posts

234 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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interloper said:
EDLT said:
They aren't the worst.

Now that is pretty special!

wiffmaster

2,608 posts

205 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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Negative Creep said:
laugh - great call! Wonder if there are any other cars that look like people or TV characters?

Corpulent Tosser

5,468 posts

252 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
quotequote all
The thread title is way off track, a single example of a car does not prove that a marque is universally ugly, they may be ugly but one example does not prove it.

As for the car on ebay I am fairly sure that it is not a Dutton design it is probably a Dutton chassis that someone has buggered about with.

As for Duttons in general, yes they are ugly, but the Pheaton was actually a very good car in its time, its record in sprints/hillclimbs bears that out.

BTW no I don't have a Dutton.

Justin-W

1,091 posts

231 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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In my opinion thats what someones done to a Dutton, not made by Dutton.
Have to admit I do like Dutton's my father did have a Pheaton in yellow to which he replaced the engine with a Lancia twin cam and I can assure you it was quick and handled the road fantasticly.
An old work colleague has a Melos too of which is being rebuilt which I went in last year and that too put a grin on my face.
I even looked into getting a Legerra at one point but couldn't find any at the time.

So next time you go mouthing off, think about it.

Edited by Justin-W on Sunday 31st May 17:33

NiceCupOfTea

25,313 posts

258 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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I give you: the Dutton Commander



Apparently it handles like a boat getmecoat

Olivera

7,671 posts

246 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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EDLT said:
They aren't the worst.

rofl

Olivera

7,671 posts

246 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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I actually don't understand the point of stty kits like these. For a few grand these days you can have a nice classic impreza, a sierra cosworth or an E36 M3. Whhy the hell would you construct one of these abortions instead?

King Herald

23,501 posts

223 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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And if you think Duttons are bad, look at some of the other trash on the market. I mean, who would be seen dead in something like this?????



Ferg

15,242 posts

264 months

Sunday 31st May 2009
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Olivera said:
I actually don't understand the point of stty kits like these. For a few grand these days you can have a nice classic impreza, a sierra cosworth or an E36 M3. Why the hell would you construct one of these abortions instead?
Because there are those of us who think that driving a car we built ourselves is far more satisfying than just going out and buying something.

When you've done that it will all become clear.
smile