Vehicle styling inspirations

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:55 am

I know many were not pleased with the styling of the latest Impreza and to some seemed that the stylists lost their individualty and were inspired by models past from other manufacturers. I have to admit that sometimes have trouble telling an L series wagon from a early to mid 80's Toyota Corona wagon from both ends. The Corolla sedans of the same period could almost pass for a small L sedan. So Subarus styling has not always set them apart.

Way back in the late 60's Ford claimed the XR and XT Falcon was Mustang bred giving them the hip look at the rear pillar, same camp so that is OK in my mind

More recently we have had the Mazda 3 stylist reported as being inspired by the Alfa 147, and it is pretty fair understanding the new Beetle and Mini and where their inspiration came from.

Now just the other day I was behind a new Ssang Yong Actyon an SUV seemingly styled on an early Ford Festiva Trio, I reckon if it was green and not black it would have looked like a Hulked Festiva ! On second thoughts, it still did !!

Now we also have the Shitroen C3 that looks so much like the Honda CRX from many angles - it don't look too bad !

Some styling inspirations may be obvious to some but not others, got any suggestions ?

chubby37 · Post by **chubby37** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:03 pm

my brother in law in hungary has a skoda roomster....i just want to know if skoda has an open policy on drugs at work...smoke it if you got it...then hit design table...wow man

http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/im ... ster-1.jpg

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:19 pm

not as ugly as that 'concept' design by Hyundai some years back that was likened to Scrooge McDucks car !

I was just revisiting this post when Top Gear just announced their Ugliest Car of The Year Award 2007 - it is a Gee Whizz (sp ?) , a little elecrric jobby that they proceeded to wind up its battery supply an dragged remotely , a Mustang, then a toy remote racer that then lande its explosive under the Gee Whizz - and blew it up !!

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:58 am

steptoe wrote:I was just revisiting this post when Top Gear just announced their Ugliest Car of The Year Award 2007 - it is a Gee Whizz (sp ?) , a little elecrric jobby that they proceeded to wind up its battery supply an dragged remotely , a Mustang, then a toy remote racer that then lande its explosive under the Gee Whizz - and blew it up !!

How funny was the stig when the car blew up - He just stood there looking at it as if he expected it to still take the next corner... Hehehe

Bennie

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:14 pm

El_Freddo wrote:How funny was the stig when the car blew up - He just stood there looking at it as if he expected it to still take the next corner... Hehehe

Bennie

BUT....how do u tell where the Stig is looking

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:45 pm

Matatak wrote:BUT....how do u tell where the Stig is looking

This is true... I was going by the reflective helmet sheild and the fact he didn't move his head or put the remote down...

I've wondered how car companies haven't been sued by another company that they ripped the design from. There are quite a few around when you start looking into it.

You get sued for using someone's photo or video with out getting their permission, or quoting someone's writing without siting it can get you done for plagarisim, how is it that these car companies can change the look of the car so marginally you wonder how it is stylistially different and get away with it?

A bit more diversity between similar market models would be great!

The other one that can get me from a distance is the L wagon compared to a skyline wagon or sedan of the same era...

Cheers

Bennie

Subaman · Post by **Subaman** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:34 pm

Some of the later Liberty sedans very much resembled a few of the BMW models too.

32ford · Post by **32ford** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:12 pm

alfas look like ford edsels from the front, but people wouldn't buy an edsel cause they looked to female

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:21 am

why ? they bought the WRX dubbed the 'flying front bum'

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:38 am

steptoe wrote:why ? they bought the WRX dubbed the 'flying front bum'

That's cos it was probabily the fastest "front bum" on the planet at the time...

Bennie

Phizinza · Post by **Phizinza** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 2:02 pm

I don't know what this is all about but I say build a retro designed new brumby! lol