When did American cars get so crap?

[ayceejay]

I think it was probably the 'planned obsolescence' notion that caused it. Companies had to come up with new designs to stimulate sales so the same chassis and engine better suited to a truck was re-covered differently and touted as a new model. They stuck with the same old structure because the factory tooling was/is outdated so they can't make an efficient small engine.

 

[Beebo]

How about an AMC Pacer. Schwing!

 

[swee'pea99]

A Pontiac Aztec is even seen by Americans as one of the ugliest cars ever produced...

... hence Pontiac as a car division are no more.

And yet if you look at it from the side...

Oh no, hang on...I meant from the rear...

Um...

 

[Fnaar]

The Fiat Multipla wasn't always horrid...
1956, under the name Multipla (according to the internet)

 

[Boris Bajic]

This is a proper Multipla. Not exactly pretty, but so beautiful in terms of concept and design economy!

It is a function of the combination of Roman Catholicism and a love of nippy, cheap cars.

It is almost the very definition of jolie laide.

 

[Fnaar]

^^ Lovely, I want one!

 

[swee'pea99]

There - that's what I'm talking about! 'Ugly', yes, in a sense...but both of 'em absolutely ooozing charm! Let's see Johnny America do that.

 

[ayceejay]

To be fair, apart from Italy and France, what what might be called 'personality' in car design left the building a while ago. Japan builds an engine that will last for more than 300.000 kms but the body style will be stuck in limbo. I had a Nissan Altima that was a bugger to find in a car park because it looked just like 90% of the other cars.

 

[slowmotion]

I drove from San Francisco to Vancouver in a Chrysler Impala a few years ago. It was incredibly comfortable but you could almost see the fuel gauge moving anticlockwise. It's not too hideous is it?

 

[asterix]

I do like the old cadillacs with big fins. So long as they are buried nose down in some desert.

 

[Boris Bajic]

@asterix, you were just sent to our planet to make people look for stuff on Google image, weren't you?

 

[ceejayh]

And yet if you look at it from the side...
View attachment 30229

Oh no, hang on...I meant from the rear...

View attachment 30230

Um...

Good lord, it looks as though there's some invisible force being applied to the bonnet!!!

As for the back.....................

 

[Bollo]

And yet if you look at it from the side...
View attachment 30229

Oh no, hang on...I meant from the rear...

View attachment 30230

Um...

Good god! There's grounds for reporting that to the mods!

 

[MarkF]

This is a proper Multipla. Not exactly pretty, but so beautiful in terms of concept and design economy!

I had never seen one of these in my life till this summer, MrsF pointed one out in Saltaire, she'd fallen in love with it instantly, she still has the pic as her phone screensaver. I had Renault 4 years ago and own a Jeep now, I've always been attracted to "utility" vehicles and these things are just wonderful.

I quite like the new USA sports muscle cars, the Camaro, Mustang and Charger, they hark back to silly TV programmes and good times, but, why can't they stop retro rehashing and start designing? This is the US Nebula concept car, it looks like an a.m.e.r.i.c.a.n car to me.

 

[swee'pea99]

I had never seen one of these in my life till this summer, MrsF pointed one out in Saltaire, she'd fallen in love with it instantly, she still has the pic as her phone screensaver. I had Renault 4 years ago and own a Jeep now, I've always been attracted to "utility" vehicles and these things are just wonderful.

I quite like the new USA sports muscle cars, the Camaro, Mustang and Charger, they hark back to silly TV programmes and good times, but, why can't they stop retro rehashing and start designing? This is the US Nebula concept car, it looks like an a.m.e.r.i.c.a.n car to me.

It does indeed...thuggish, charmless, bereft of finesse. Can you imagine actually pulling up, opening the door and climbing out? You'd be embarrassed, wouldn't you? I mean, really embarrassed.