12 hours ago
Digital Dreams
Ever wanted to see what Polyphony Digital's (the creators of Gran Turismo) studio looks like? Take a tour!
Top 10 Top Down
If you've got a convertible, Mazda has some destinations for you. Here's Mazda'a Top 10 Top Down driving destinations. I need a convertible!
Toyota News
Toyota has released some pics of it's upcoming vehicles recently, one a production vehicle, and the other a concept that gives a peek at the new full-size truck. Take a look.
That's the Toyota FTX, a concept truck that gives the styling direction for the next Tundra. Looks pretty good to me, aggressive, distinctive, and tough enough to go toe-to-toe with Dodge, Ford, and Nissan. The Domestic boys better watch their back, with the Titan and a new Tundra on the way, the Japanese are finally competing in the final automotive frontier.
This is Scion's new tC coupe. Finally, a car that should really appeal to younger buyers, unlike the xA and xB. No word on price yet, and the styling is, well, somewhat bland, but at least when Scion launches nationwide in June there will be a coupe in the line up. If the price is right I will have to seriously consider purchasing one.
That's the Toyota FTX, a concept truck that gives the styling direction for the next Tundra. Looks pretty good to me, aggressive, distinctive, and tough enough to go toe-to-toe with Dodge, Ford, and Nissan. The Domestic boys better watch their back, with the Titan and a new Tundra on the way, the Japanese are finally competing in the final automotive frontier.
This is Scion's new tC coupe. Finally, a car that should really appeal to younger buyers, unlike the xA and xB. No word on price yet, and the styling is, well, somewhat bland, but at least when Scion launches nationwide in June there will be a coupe in the line up. If the price is right I will have to seriously consider purchasing one.
Deeper Meaning
HondaKid's blog has a post about someone thinking there's no deeper meaning in cars. I have a perfect example of one, and it's a certain styling element on my Ford Probe. You look at the hood, and there's two bulges, where the shock towers are. Without the bulges, the towers would protrude above the hood. It's a blemish on an otherwise sleek design, and there's a story behind it.
It's a story about the conflict between design, engineering, and cost control. Design wanted the sleek hood, cost control wanted off-the shelf shock parts, which meant engineering couldn't design shorter components to clear the hood. A compromise was achieved, and engineering had to design the bulges, instead of more compact shocks.
Those bulges are a snapshot of the way life often works out, the things you have to do to achieve your goals, even though it may not turn out the way you hoped. Looking at my life, I can see plenty of "bulges" during my life. If it was good enoogh for Ford, I guess it can be good enough for me.
It's a story about the conflict between design, engineering, and cost control. Design wanted the sleek hood, cost control wanted off-the shelf shock parts, which meant engineering couldn't design shorter components to clear the hood. A compromise was achieved, and engineering had to design the bulges, instead of more compact shocks.
Those bulges are a snapshot of the way life often works out, the things you have to do to achieve your goals, even though it may not turn out the way you hoped. Looking at my life, I can see plenty of "bulges" during my life. If it was good enoogh for Ford, I guess it can be good enough for me.
Pieces Parts
It all started with Ford and their "New Edge" styling. Sharp creases, bold angles, and straight lines are the concepts in car design, but it's going too far. The Honda Element typifies the new look, but there seems to be a subset, what I call "Lego styled" cars. The Saturn Ion is the worst offender I've seen so far.
Instead of the car looking like a piece of sculpture, it looks more like something created with Lego's. Is there any reason for the bodywork around the windows to be made of so many pieces that don't flow together? You can't look at the car and see one entire shape, your eye is drawn towards each individual part, and nothing meshes together to create something that is greater than the sum of the parts. It gets even worse from a rear-view.
Each piece can be interesting in itself, there's no crime in that, but when that's all you see, a mishmash of seperate items instead of a whole car, something has gone horribly wrong. Your eyes should flow over the lines of a car, drawn from the front to the rear in an easy sweep. Someone at GM's design center needs to take a lesson from Mazda. The 626 is a perfect example of a car that looks more like it was hewn from a solid block of steel, instead of individual pieces bolted together.
That is how cars should be styled. Graceful, sleek, and beautiful.
Instead of the car looking like a piece of sculpture, it looks more like something created with Lego's. Is there any reason for the bodywork around the windows to be made of so many pieces that don't flow together? You can't look at the car and see one entire shape, your eye is drawn towards each individual part, and nothing meshes together to create something that is greater than the sum of the parts. It gets even worse from a rear-view.
Each piece can be interesting in itself, there's no crime in that, but when that's all you see, a mishmash of seperate items instead of a whole car, something has gone horribly wrong. Your eyes should flow over the lines of a car, drawn from the front to the rear in an easy sweep. Someone at GM's design center needs to take a lesson from Mazda. The 626 is a perfect example of a car that looks more like it was hewn from a solid block of steel, instead of individual pieces bolted together.
That is how cars should be styled. Graceful, sleek, and beautiful.
