What Makes A Car Beautiful?

richard09 wrote:

That one manages to be really smooth and butt-ugly at the same time: quite an achievement.

Yes, but why does it strike us as so ugly?

I contend because it has no animal characteristics - no face, no waist, no gills

NoCoPilot wrote:

Is it just me, or does the XKE hood look just a little bit like this?

Did you recognize what this was

No.

NoCoPilot wrote:

Yes, but why does it strike us as so ugly?

I contend because it has no animal characteristics - no face, no waist, no gills

Why should a machine have animal characteristics?

A. The spaceship from My Favorite Martian (1963-1966).

B. Because that is how we humans judge "beauty."

NoCoPilot wrote:

A.  The spaceship from My Favorite Martian (1963-1966).

Never saw it.

NoCoPilot wrote:

B.  Because that is how we humans judge "beauty."

Not at all. Every entity, whether animal or not, is judged on the merits befitting that entity. Unless, of course, one is inclined to anthropomorphize everything.

A. It was another in the series of goofy-premise sitcoms of the time (I Dream of Jeannie, Mister Ed, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Bewitched, etc.)

B. I contend "anthropomorphising" is exactly why many consumers get so attached to our cars.

NoCoPilot wrote:

B.  I contend "anthropomorphising" is exactly why many consumers get so attached to our cars.

That may be possible. I have never been emotionally attached to a  car and such an attachment seems very strange to me.

Oh...

Can you come out and play?

Smug

Velly hoppy to meet you!

Good one!  Now tell me another!

Ah so!

Putt-putt-putt

This is a bad Photoshop job, but it still portrays something very wrong.


This one looks like fun, actually.

Bah. Humbug. Bunch of grinning idiots.

Jaguar E-Type grey 1:12 cast model (WITH headlight covers!)
http://www.diecastmodelswholesale.com/jaguar-e-type-series-1-coupe-gray-limited-edition-to-1500pcs-1-12-model-car-by-gt-spirit/

Early design work on the Tesla S was done by Henrik Fisker.  When Fisker pulled out of the design team and started his own car company to manufacture an electric hybrid sports car, Elon Musk sued him.



Fisker's is a damn sight better looking, if you ask me.

The Mazda MX-5 is a good looking car.

So you want face on your car? Go for it.

I'd never heard of these, but seeing the price tag, I'm not surprised. I think it qualifies as good-looking, athough in "face" terms, it somehow makes me think snake or vampire, rather than perky cheekiness. The performance numbers are staggering.

Topspeed wrote:

The hybrid setup translates into mind-blowing performance numbers, with 0 to 62 mph taking 2.8 seconds, 0 to 124 mph taking 6.6 seconds, and 0 to 186 mph taking 20 seconds. Furthermore, 93 to 155 mph acceleration takes only 3.9 seconds.

Topspeed wrote:

Only 80 examples of the Regera are slated for production with an estimated price tag of $2 million.

Yeah, bit out of my pricerange.

Furthermore, acceleration from 93 to 155 mph is not on my list anywhere of desirable car traits.

NoCoPilot wrote:

Furthermore, acceleration from 93 to 155 mph is not on my list anywhere of desirable car traits.

Yes, but acceleration when you're already at speed can be very useful, and is usually missing on your regular cars. One thing I liked about the Eclipse, when I had it, was that it produced some good punch from, say, 50 to 75. You could whip past annoying people before they even realized you were about to pass them. I agree that 93 to 155 isn't on my list of priorities, though.

Admission — I fucking hate automobiles.  Spending more than fifteen minutes in one gives me the heebie-jeebies, like being a sardine or something.  I do like the streamlined industrial designs of the 30's and 40's, however.  



This is more my style:

That Art Deco train is famous. There's also a huge double decker bus (6 made, IMS) that was rebuilt on one of those auto mechanic shows a year or so ago. Deco is a distinctive, and attractive, movement.

richard09 wrote:

Yes, but acceleration when you're already at speed can be very useful. You could whip past annoying people before they even realized you were about to pass them.

I find that the brake works equally well to avoid dangerous drivers, and it's considerably cheaper.

NoCoPilot wrote:

I find that the brake works equally well to avoid dangerous drivers, and it's considerably cheaper.

What if the dangerous driver is behind you? Can you not think of a situation in which you would benefit by being able to accelerate away from another driver?

Funny, you seem to be a huge fan of the Tesla, which is - by some measures - the fastest production car made.

And yet... I don't seem to have bought one yet. Maybe acceleration isn't that important to me?