Favorite Car Reviews

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by smoo

Not the best looker but like the AU Falcon not a patch on the new **** today. I followed a new Forester the other day, ugly awkward tail light design that doesn’t flow or align with the rest of the car, same deal with one of the new Hyundai SUVs with tail lights that look like two claws sticking down, or the new Mitsubishi Outlander that has a whole lot of contrasting lines and shapes on the front end. do people buy this **** and think it looks good…

Lexus SC dash is a rip off of the Jaguar XK8. But minimalist for the day, nearly all high end interiors in the early to mid 2000s were loaded with an eye sore of buttons/switches and dated integrated infotainment set ups. Worst offender Land Rover Disco 3 and L322 Ranger Rover/Sport.

I wrote this thread back in 2020, with a focus the trend of over-designing in an attempt to garner attention. Sadly, that trend is at the expense of classic proportions and subtle beauty.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showth...ghlight=design

"With car companies focused on the demand for SUV’s, sales of sedans have plummeted over the last decade. With that, of manufacturers that have continued to make sedans, they have tried to style them in a way to grab the attention of the buyers and perhaps distract them from the pumped-up SUV on the other side of the showroom.

Some car companies have been successful to a degree at injecting style into an otherwise boring vehicle. Mercedes Benz hit the bullseye on the original CLS but in an attempt to keep it fresh, they over-designed it. And its the over designing of cars, and sedans in this case, that bugs me. Some cars have so many body lines and creases that they look like they have been in a fender bender".

[smoo]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I wrote this thread back in 2020, with a focus the trend of over-designing in an attempt to garner attention. Sadly, that trend is at the expense of classic proportions and subtle beauty.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showth...ghlight=design

"With car companies focused on the demand for SUV’s, sales of sedans have plummeted over the last decade. With that, of manufacturers that have continued to make sedans, they have tried to style them in a way to grab the attention of the buyers and perhaps distract them from the pumped-up SUV on the other side of the showroom.

Some car companies have been successful to a degree at injecting style into an otherwise boring vehicle. Mercedes Benz hit the bullseye on the original CLS but in an attempt to keep it fresh, they over-designed it. And its the over designing of cars, and sedans in this case, that bugs me. Some cars have so many body lines and creases that they look like they have been in a fender bender".

Ah yes, good thread.
Not really on topic but since I did mention 2000s interiors, I think the high end B series dash in Fairmont onwards (option on FPV and XRs I think) and Territory Ghia is one of the cleanest designs for that era and still look good today.
They definitely aged better than most of the Euro stuff that did as you say and over designed to attract attention. W211 Mercedes interior is probably the better Euro for that era, like the B series not OTT. Although quality is nowhere near the pre millennial cars.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by smoo

Ah yes, good thread.
Not really on topic but since I did mention 2000s interiors, I think the high end B series dash in Fairmont onwards (option on FPV and XRs I think) and Territory Ghia is one of the cleanest designs for that era and still look good today.
They definitely aged better than most of the Euro stuff that did as you say and over designed to attract attention. W211 Mercedes interior is probably the better Euro for that era, like the B series not OTT. Although quality is nowhere near the pre millennial cars.

I've always loved the W211 E-Class interior, and depending on spec, still looks good to this day.





Given the choice, I tend prefer colored interiors over black-on-black. However, I think in this case, the grey and caramel W211 interiors really age the car.

[smoo]

Yeah that brown/beige combo belongs in the 1990s, it was a popular choice on the w140 S Class and W210 E Class and is more suited to them IMO. Also seen a few VT Commodore/Calais WH Statesmans with the same beige/brown combo, look ok.
I picked up an X5 a couple of moths ago, colour combo help me seal the deal. Better than black or a drab soul less grey.
Not a fan of the tapered off flat dash but it’s not too busy, there’s worse designs out there.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by smoo

Yeah that brown/beige combo belongs in the 1990s, it was a popular choice on the w140 S Class and W210 E Class and is more suited to them IMO. Also seen a few VT Commodore/Calais WH Statesmans with the same beige/brown combo, look ok.
I picked up an X5 a couple of moths ago, colour combo help me seal the deal. Better than black or a drab soul less grey.
Not a fan of the tapered off flat dash but it’s not too busy, there’s worse designs out there.

image

I really like that X5, most of them would have been black.

Always loved when Ford got adventurous with interior colour choices, but Aussies seem to be very conservative with sort of thing and just order black.













I factory ordered the Streetwise Blue interior on my XR6, you hardly see many thus equipped.







I just wish Ford Australia would have the balls to offer the colored interiors on Mustang that the US gets access to.









Sorry, off topic.

[DFB FGXR6]

Tiff Needell's review of the Jaguar XKR back in 1998............

[DFB FGXR6]

Listen to that Busso V6! And to think the GM HF-V6 replaced that engine.