Driving down the M1 at the weekend got me thinking. Which cars were considered good looking from the time they first appeared and still appear good looking now. I'm excluding the exotica from this, just the cars we see most days.
The only criterion is the looks, I'm not talking about reliability, your good or bad experiences etc.
My nominations are, in no particular order:
Citroen Xantia (both saloon and estate)
Mercedes 190
First Renault Clio
Alfa 156 (had to include that, even at the risk of all the usual anti-Alfa reactions we get here).
|
Well we've had similar threads, but by excluding exotica it makes it a bit more interesting, so
Pug 206 (but only in silver)
MG ZT (gunmetal grey looks great)
Volvo S60
Audi A4 Avant (current model)
All the above look "right" in some way, shape or form.
|
C70 in coupe or convertible form.
For that matter, I've always liked the looks of the SAAB convertibles too. They managed to make a saloon car into a soft-top without falling into the usual trap of giving it the most humoungous backside (a la Golf or the laughably big-bottomed SportKa)
|
|
406 Coupe. Cheap and yummy looking (except the interior, the build quality..........).
|
|
Rover 75. Particularly in the estate version with all the chrome. Reminds me of my next nomination, the MB W123.
|
...suppose a metallic 1987 Moonstone blue 2.0i Montego is out of the question...sorry...used to own one and was quite proud
at the time...until some muppet mangled it on the A5 :(
|
|
|
never mind good looks, how about the car with feelings and facial expressions ..? According to today's Independent, Toyota has won a U.S. patent that would use extra lights, eyebrow-like slits on the bonnet, a wagging antenna, adjustable body height and other quirky features top express moods much as a human being or animal would. And among the proposed features is a propensity ty change colours: orange for feeling fine, red for anger, surprise or reluctance; green for sleepiness; and blues and whites for for anything from sadness, tears and fear to inspiration, aplomb and sophistication.
Got it?
|
|
|
|
|
These cars spring instantly to mind;
VW Golf mark 1
Peugeot 205
VW Golf mark 4
Lexus IS 200
Each of these shapes seems to have influenced the design direction of mainstream cars. The shape of the Golf 4 was derivative of the original, obviously but the detailing (lights, shutlines etc.)is reflected strongly in cars such as the current Astra and Corolla.
Agree about the Alfa 156 and Mercedes 190. Both classic shapes.
|
...Merc drop top SL's from the early 80's
|
|
|
Volvo S40 and V40. Time has been very kind to these two good- lookers. Deeply horrible cars, however. Apprearances can be deceptive...
|
from the above, i'd agree with the 406 Coupe and the Lexus IS200. For more of a lasting beauty though, i'd have to say the
Ford Capri Mark III.
I'm only 21 so don't really remember them when they were still being produced, but i really want one for myself! Just sooo retro cool.
|
s'funny about older cars, they never look quite like you remember them.
I used to love the capri until I saw one recently - kind of small, and kind of not put together very well looking.
I used to love the squarish MR2 and didn't like the first of the curvy ones. I saw a square one recently and it looked naff.
Ditto when the 323i change from the squareish one to the curvy one.
I used to love the Lancia Beta Coupes and the Le Mans, but they look naff now.
Even the latest E Class didn't look great when it first came out but now the previous one looks really old-fashioned.
I remember my Hunter and my MkIII Cortina as big cars, but they're really not.
Even the MG (I used to have Roadster) look really small and weedy these days.
I can't off hand think of any vehicle, however much I loved it at the time, has really retained its attraction now.
As for modern cars which I think look good - E Class, The Alfa that Alan has got (whatever its called), 406 Coupe and, predictably, the new Landcruiser.
|
As for modern cars which I think look good - E Class, The Alfa that Alan has got (whatever its called), 406 Coupe and, predictably, the new Landcruiser.
Blimey, I'm stunned!
It's a 156 Sportwagon. So those that voted against the 156 for not having a name can think again ;o)
And it's no more pretentious that Landcruiser.
|
It's a 156 Sportwagon.
Isn't that just another name for an estate car?
|
>> It's a 156 Sportwagon. Isn't that just another name for an estate car?
5-door coupe apparently. Or so I;ve been told...
|
|
|
>> It's a 156 Sportwagon. Isn't that just another name for an estate car?
Vectra. Isn't that just another word for mundane?
This could get really boring.......
|
Vectra. Isn't that just another word for mundane?
No, that'll be a Mondeo. Vectra is another name for Cavalier.
|
Ah, the Chavalier. Beloved of saggy 40-something 40 a day string-vestwearing dads and their sullen brood. Also much cherished by the Barry Boys.
Yummy. Now there's heritage for you.
|
|
Jealously will get you nowhere.
|
|
|
|
only two qualify here for me, really meaty-looking mens cars, bit like the truckers yorkie (not for women) :-)
No 1... triumph 2500s
No 2... vauxhall senator 3.0 (with lurvely egg-box grille)
drool.....
billy
|
|
The peugeot 306 will always be a beautifully proportioned hatchback to my eyes.
|
Alfa Guilia Bertone Coupes...
Citreon DS
Alfa GTV ('96 onwards).
JaB
|
|
Jaguar E-type.
|
|
MX5 for simple, uncluttered lines that never date
|
MX5 for simple, uncluttered lines that never date
Sorry ElHacko, was that a typo? Did you mean "Lotus Elan"?
|
|
Agree with the 306 and the Bertone. I just thought that the non-Alfa brigade wouldn't know a beauty when they saw it.
Another nomination I thought of is the Rover 600.
|
The new Honda Accord for me .... looks like a BMW, but prettier.
|
looks like a BMW, but prettier.
now there's two words you don't often see in the same sentence....
BMW, Pretty
|
|
|
|
Agree with the 306 and the Bertone. I just thought that the non-Alfa brigade wouldn't know a beauty when they saw it. Another nomination I thought of is the Rover 600.
even people who wouldn't know an Alfa if it jumped up waving a flag recognise the beauty that is the Guilia Bertone.
A gorgeous car by anybodies standard.
JaB
|
|
Stop it, you're making me cry. Sold my lovely yellow ochre one in 1982. Not all bad though; bought my first ever Sud ti.
|
Prettiest ordinary cars, judged purely on looks:
1960's - Hillman Hunter
1970's - VW Golf Mk 1
1980's - Peugeot 405
1990's - VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra/Ford Galaxy
2000's - Can't decide yet!!! - Still the Galhambran, maybe!
Cheers, Sofa Spud
|
|
>>Another nomination I thought of is the Rover 600.
When the Rover 75 came out, seen alongside the 600, one could have been forgiven for thinking the 600 was the new model and the 75 the old, if one didn't know!!
Cheers, SS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1970s Alfa Spyder
Peugeot 205 5-door - not the 206 withat that awful rear door angle that looks like a 70s Datsun Cherry (and makes a dangerous blind spot)
1980s Mercedes estate (W123 I think)
and a fond memory of the pre-Farina Austin A55.
|
1970s Alfa Spyder
Sigh....
Yes the 1970's Alfa SPIDER is a gorgeous looking car.
In fact all the spiders from the Duetto to the S4 of the 90's are all lovely looking cars.
ER... I could be accused of being biased about that tho'
;)
JaB
|
I must agree with some previous posts, most 1980's Peugeots were pure class, the quality of Pininfarina evident to all.
205, beautiful proportions, especially rear hatch and rear light interaction. 405 - timeless design, no ugly large headlamps or high bulky boot, a lovely curve from rear screen pillars towards boot lid. Similar to Alfa 164.
306, last of the line before current horrors of 206 and 307 appeared. The way the rear lights and tailgate blend in on the 306 is class. Of course many current designs are restricted by crash test worthy-ness, gaining weight and losing the slim pillars and window lines of older designs.
A few from the 70's - how about the Citroen GS? Ahead of it's time, air cooled flat 4 engine.
|
|
|
|
Mazda Xedos 6 - beautifully proportioned car - IMHO one of the best looking cars of the 90's.
Alfa 156 is about the closest in terms of styling but the Xedos gave you a sweet V6 and Mazda reliability.
Completely and utterly under-rated - steal of the century at the moment.
|
BMW 5 series sport, old shape.
Saw one a few days ago, in the same colour & spec as my old one. Thought it was every inch as beautiful as when I chose it. A perfect combination of sporting elegance and distinguished presence from the side, yet with just a hint of "out of may way" menace in a rear view mirror.
|
|
|
Mazda Xedos 6 - beautifully proportioned car - IMHO one of the best looking cars of the 90's. Alfa 156 is about the closest in terms of styling but the Xedos gave you a sweet V6 and Mazda reliability.
If you pick the right 156 it gives you a V6 which is regularly described in motoring press as one of the best engines ever created. And what's more, it's even beautiful under the bonnet then. have you seen the Alfa V6 engine? None of this modern plastic tosh, lovely gleaming chrome risers. Mmmmmm.
|
For sheer beauty, I don't think anything comes close to the Peugeot 406 Coupe. Clean lines, but doesn't look bland -- kinda timeless.
The Mazda Xedos 6 comes closest, but it's still a fairly distant second.
Among older cars, the Citroen CX is magnificent. Thirty years on, and the basic shape has hardly aged at all.
In smaller cars, the 1993 Nissan Micra redefined cute. No visual aggression, very practical shape, and real charm.
But my favourite modern car of all is not the prettiest, just the most striking: the Fiat Multipla before it mangled in the facelift. Dare to be different, and make a people-van that's actually cute and wacky :)
|
The '93 Micra, cute and bland, always reminds me of a shrunken Ford Sierra estate, apart from the Nissan grille.
Cheers, SS
|
|
|
OK slightly biased but:
Range Rover Classic
Land Rover Discovery
Now for some ordinary cars :)
Alfas - especially the GTV, my late Uncle had a 1977 in metallic green. Fully chromed - not that plastic bumpered thing that appeared in the 80s.
I always like the Lotus Esprit Turbo WOW!
Cobras - Even the Kit car varients that hang around
The Pimlico - kit car based on a Mini classic - looked like a cross between a mini and a beach buggy. Mini Front end, beach buggy middle with a t bar, mini shaped rear end. I had one of these based on the 1275GT.
Dutton Phaeton, though I could never fit in one
Mini classic, not the new ones
Beetle
H
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's a no-brainer.
Jag E-Type. Period.
|
|
|
