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In Reply to: Re: Where to look for sensible, well-styled cars, now that the German auto industry has been reduced... posted by Peterloplop on September 04, 2004 at 03:28:03:
Okay, Peterloplop, I'll have to agree with you, somewhat, on that nose treatment of the A3. Not nearly as bad as the more widely-used version, as you show on the A8, but still a little snoutish for me. Just give Audi some time, though, and I'm afraid even their little one will get a stronger dose of ugly.To my eye, the 7-Series is just about the most awful-looking thing on the road today, giving even the sorry Pontiac Aztek a run for the money for Numero Uno in the category of Most Horrific Styling. GM has always gone after the bottom-of-the barrel auto crowd (no offense, GM fans). BMW is perhaps picking up a whole new customer base to replace the traditional fans who wouldn't be caught dead behind the wheel of one of the current models. As one writer here in the U.S. surmised, probably correctly, BMW seems to have gone after the market consisting of people with lots of money but little enthusiasm for the BMW heritage of The Ultimate Driving Machine. What a shame.
Pictured is the beautiful Pontiak Aztek. They couldn't even dignify it with the proper spelling.
Follow Ups:
Guh... That aztek really is an abomination. It's strange since the Toyota underneath all the nastiness doesn't look too bad (for an MPV). I'm glad we don't get them down here.
You will probably like the BMW advertisement half way down this page. They also did a story about Bangle discovering that he is actually left handed after all these years of designing with the right one.
I was like you with the 7 series until I started seeing them regularly. I think that's Chris Bangle's talent/curse. I felt the same about his Fiat Coupé when it was first introduced... ugly as sin. Now I quite like them when I see them on the road.
One of the guys on 5th Gear (British car show) said of the 7 series; "It's like a supermodel with her two front teeth missing. By no means perfect, but you still would *wink*"Oh and here's something to horrify you...
The new Rover 75.
The blind leading the blind.
In a few years every car will look like that. The "snoutish" disease had already infected Audi, VW, Rover, Subaru , and Bugatti . I fear that this may jump to humans and the next generation will all be born with one giant nostril instead of two small ones.
Ha! That BMW "ad" was prety good!As far as the 7-Series, I guess we'll have to leave it at "to each his own". Actually, I've only seen probably fewer than twenty or so examples around here since its introduction, and this area is heavily populated with BMWs and Benzes. I just can't get over that awful hump in the rear that passes as a trunk (boot) lid and which looks as if it was transplanted from an entirely different make of car. And the front end, as well, with its over-styled headlamp treatment, which has been described as the "Kabuki" look, and seems even more pronounced on the new 5-Series. It just bothers me that BMW has chosen to put so much emphasis on styling that borders on gimmickry. And speaking of gimmickry, it seems that the company has gone off the deep end of weirdness with such fooishnesss as I-Drive, or whatever, which has been just about universally derided in the automotive press. What's the point?
Tellingly, I have a friend who owns a Z3 who tells me that he wouldn't go for a Z4 based on its odd styling, and another friend who has a 2003 3-Series who expressed a similar lack of interest in the newer genearation, across the range. It's been my observation that the Z4 has not been selling nearly as well as the Z3 around here, as I've only seen a handful. But there might be other factors, such as price or reliability--I just know that they're not exactly plentiful, while the Z3s are a dime a dozen, locally.
Re that Fiat photo--I actually think it's not a bad looking car, except for the grillwork and surrounding area, which could be cleaned up nicely. But I'm afraid the sound of it rusting away would keep me awake nights.
And that Rover? Fuggeddaboutit--it reminds me of nothing more than that steaming pile in that BMW "ad."
Oh, well. Those older Volvos are starting to look pretty good again.
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