Is it just me or have cars recently become better looking?

I wouldn't say those decades were complete droughts. Supra, 300ZX, RX7, McLaren F1, WRX STi, G35 coupe, Mini Cooper - I like all of these

To an import lover like me, American styling has never really caught my eye. To me, these are more about reliability, value and ease of repair. Although the Viper, Impalla SS and Hummer H1 would contrast that statement.

For me, car style in general began to regress about 2006. The Japanese stuff became more sea-creature (current Leaf & Accord, anyone?), the American an insult to retro (Mustangs designed out of play-doh?), and Euro gained too many "lines for the sake of lines" (Mercedes with four fog lights?).

 

The new Mazda 6 is fantastic!

While I think a lot of newer cars have gotten a lot better looking, I have found it increasingly difficult to tell them apart. Benz and Audi looks too much like Infinity and Lexus which look too much like Hyundai and Kia. It just seems to me like a lot of cars have lost the personality that they once had.

On the other hand, I love the new Jag F Type. I think that is one of the best looking cars for sale today.

 

My comments on the 918 were all based on looks, it's not very good looking and is very small. I don't want to dwell on my car, but it was not an SL type design and the faster 928's are in the 5.3 category (factory numbers) and you need a 355 to best mine. BTW the GTS debuted in 92.

couple of great video's that cover a lot of this subject, great classic looking cars

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72EGVQgAMC4]Petersen Automotive Museum Vault (Part 2) - CAR and DRIVER - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXuX3Pzh-mk]Vintage Corvettes - Jay Leno's Garage - YouTube[/ame]

 

I find it funny how manufactures get on a roll and then lose focus and change for the sake of change rather than come up with great designs. Here's some of my take.

Found their mojo:
Audi
Ford
GM
Jag
Lamborghini
Range Rover
Aston
Kia
VW
Subaru

Lost their mojo:
Mercedes
Porsche-Too hit and miss
Dodge
Ferrari-There are signs of life as of late
Jeep-Too many dogs in the line

WTF is going on?:
BMW
Lotus
Lexus
Toyota
Honda
Hyundai
Mitsubishi
And a whole bunch more I don't even care to mention

 

IMO they didnt "find" their mojo. They stole it.

Audi- incorporated better styling and interior quality from Lamborghini acquisition
Ford- stole Aston looks using bailout $
Lamborghini- i dont think they ever lost it?
Range Rover-i dont think they ever lost it?
Aston- never been a fan and the one-77 or something was not appeaing either
Kia- no comment
VW- i dont think they ever lost it?
Subaru- i dont think they ever lost it?

And seriously WTF is going on with Lexus and BMW?
I agree, especially after seeing the latest S class, that Mercedes is really loosing it.
What signs of life do you see from Ferrari, I think they totally lost it.

 

can you refresh my memory as to bailout $$ for Ford?

 

Has anyone seen the commercial for the new Corrola? Looks like a Hyundai. The new 4runner is bad too.
As for Ferrari, I always liked the vents and openings on the mid engine cars. The 458 is nice, but it is a little too smooth. The Dino, Boxer, 328 and on all have the scoops and ducts. The front engine cars were always clean and sexy. Seems the roles are reversed now.

 

sure thing, "Ford Motor owes the government $5.9 billion it borrowed in June 2009, the same month GM filed for bankruptcy. By Sept. 15, Ford needs to start paying that money back. In a government filing, the carmaker said $577 million is due within the next year, and the full amount must be paid off by June 15, 2022."

source: Automakers' Report Card: Who Still Owes Taxpayers Money? The Answer Might Surprise You - Forbes

 

I completely agree and never understood why Ferrari did this. It makes the 430 and 360 so much more appealing. They made the 458 waaay to plain looking and no engine window is a real bummer.

 

I guess it's a case of semantics.
A bailout and a loan are two different things in my lexicon.
My bank didn't give me a bailout when I bought my house,but they did indeed loan me the money. Which like Ford I'll have to pay back.😀

 

true, and bailout is for emergency - so called - situations, like GM's then, otherwise it is commonplace that large companies are involved with government loans of one sort or another, some are grants even, all part of the big business process, and in the case of big businesses like GM and Ford, the potential employment - or un-employment - potential affects literally hundreds of thousand of people, millions worldwide = "to big to fail"

 

Very few new cars excite me these days and no real manuals is the primary reason.

 

have to admit............that did make me laugh

 

I'm loving some of the new designs for 'regular cars'

I just bought a '13 WRX, and saw an XV on the floor for the first time. That is a GREAT looking car IMO.

My GF just bought a Kia sportagelast year. Another great looking design I think. The optima snaps my neck everytime I see one drive by.