It seems lately that Ford's Edsel is really making an impression in automotive design. Yeah - everyone is trying to make throwbacks to their heritage. But to me they all look like the Edsel.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Maybe Ford was onto something...
It seems lately that Ford's Edsel is really making an impression in automotive design. Yeah - everyone is trying to make throwbacks to their heritage. But to me they all look like the Edsel.
Attack of the Clones: UnImpreza
When the new for 2008 Impreza debuted, it got a lot of flack for being ugly. And although it's grown on me a bit, I still find it less than attractive. And less unique (or attractive) than it's predecessor. And it's a bit of a conglomerate of numerous other make's models, making it a bit of a slightly homely "everycar".
The 5-door hatch is seemingly the most popular model, and the most drastically changed. While the previous Impreza carried over a lot of (unique) styling features from the previous (and first) generation, the 2008 broke the mold. Apparently when they broke the mold, the stole the one Mazda used for the Mazda 3. The DLO is strikingly similar as is the rear spoiler. The front end of the Impreza also looks remarkably like the 3, with similar looking headlights and similarly placed openings and fog lights. The grille setup is different, but it's finicky treatment is one of the front end's worst features.
The DLO and rear end treatment of the 4 door sedan though is remarkably Korean - not something most car-makers would aspire to. The DLO itself is very Daewoo Lacetti / Suzuki Verona / Chevrolet Optra, with it's tails also having a similar look (yet a bit too vertically oriented). When I first saw the tails, the Kia Rio instantly came to mind. Those tails also feature another fugly trait that seems to be increasingly common - strange cutlines. Why are they curved along the bottom? It doesn't follow any of the body lines... It just ends up looking like a manufacturer error, or that the car's been in an accident.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Nomad makes me mad
A couple area of note are the squashed '57 grille below the license plate up front that gives the front end a kind of double-car appearance, and the painted on wing detail (which looks a bit warped and dented in order to morph into the '57 tail detailing.
Maxima Fugly
This car is frightening and all over the place... I think he may have added some thing for the sole reason that they were chromed.
Starting off with the front end, numerous skulls and/or skull and crossbones visible. "HIS PAIN YOUR GAIN" is written on the windsheild, and bedazzled Playboy bunnies adorn unpainted hood scoops (which are also bedazzled). "HIS PAIN YOUR GAIN" is the first noticable religious reference, but I suppose "BIG DADDY" could be referencing his own pimping skills. "BIG DADDY" appears to be the owner, as this is written on the rear view mirrors in chrome. What appear to be 12 shark fin antennae sprout from the front end. For better reception with God? Or the other ships in his pirate fleet? Or his hoes? And of course there's various pieces of chrome ribbing, and a hawk and some kind of hood ornament thrown in for good measure.
The side profile gives you a better view of BIG DADDY, but also downplays the religious aspect with yet more skulls (which on closer inspection are actually license plates stuck to the side of the car), as well as the text "YOU NEVER MET A MOTHER F----- QUITE LIKE ME". Ain't that the truth. At least he was tasteful enough to censor himself. But what kind of religious man goes around spouting the F-bomb (although I suppose it was censored)?
Out back the chrome ribbing is back in full force, especially in the bumper. As are the skull license plates. Also reinforcing the religious slant are two Jesus fish and the text "ONLY GOD KNOW WHY" (again, ain't that the truth), as well as the text "
So I've basically come to the conclusion that this car is driven by a pirate preacher pimp with superhero aspirations. Maybe he steals your hoes and prays for your salvation.
*UPDATE*:
Found an interior pic, below. Some of the stuff is hard to make out through the window (do I see skunk pelts?), but I especially like all the little skulls stuck to the steering wheel, which will undoubtedly turn into flying skulls of death should the airbag ever go off.
Look closely...
Look closely here and you might see a Bentley Continental. It's kinda hard to tell because of the camo.
Mercury Studefugger
Another bodykit for an unlikely Ford product, not unlike this Thunderbird. I'm sure no one can tell the difference between this and an actual '50 Stud.
Knock Out the Fug
Sure, it's a "grill". But isn't a George Foreman grill for cooking food and not mounting on the front of your car?
George Barris' 67X Toronado
Back in 1967, someone commissioned George Barris to make 4 of these creations to be given away during the 1967 Canadian Expo in Montreal. Basically an Oldsmobile Toronado enlarged to accommodate the curved bench in the rear (which I'll admit is actually kinda cool), the car features some of the most unattractive curves this side of Rosie O'Donnell.
George Barris' Bugazzi
On the outside, this George Barris creation looks like your typical 70's neoclassic extravagance. Not unlike a Stutz. Actually, the only thing on the outside that's uniquely fugly are the square, gold-plated headlight surrounds.
However inside is a different story. In a nutshell, it looks like a richly appointed 70's bathroom threw up in there. In an effort to save weight, fake wood panelling was replaced with real marble. What appears to be a toilet paper holder sprouts from the passenger door. Said passengers are less important than the vintage television that sprouts for the floor, however. Perhaps the pièce de résistance is the flooring, which is made of persian rug. Also, from these pictures it looks like the bottom spoke of the steering wheel is covered in some kind of white fur. The rug theme continues into the trunk, which also contains an elaborately tailored spare wheel cover.
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