Ageless cars?

Daaryl

Honda NSX, Easily one of the best looking cars on the planet!

kiteman

Mazda Xedos 9, from 2000, is a beautifully designed car and I believe its appearance qualifies as ageless, and maybe timeless.
I own a really nice one in british racing green, and it has the unusual "miller cycle" engine.
It is a V6, 2.3 with a supercharger fitted for good measure.


As I still have less than 50 posts I cant upload photos yet.
Strangely my posts count has remained at 32 for a good few months.

Seems I cant even put up a link to the "miller cycle engine" from Wiki ?

AMKC

Can,t believe no one has mentioned it yet. Its a classic. The Porsche 911.

I also think the Seat Leon Mk1 still looks good
I think the Fiat Grand Punto the one that was out before the Evo version and Bravo still look good too. The Punto after the Evo version looks good too but I think it looks best the way it was designed the first time.

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=http://www.iloveindia.com/cars/fiat/fiat-grande-punto.html&ei=bMGxVNWpCY3W7Qbh-oBY&bvm=bv.83339334,d.ZGU&psig=AFQjCNEB0SrSepU6EK141CcjndvF2zvNBA&ust=1421021927598848

Leonard Hofstadter

TrailerBob wrote: »

17 years ago, the mk4 came out. I still think it looks well today, maybe not as up to date as the A2, but ageing better than the mk5 imo. Pity most of them have been molested with coilovers, rs6's, tinting and "booo"

I agree. In GTI or Highline spec the Mk4 Golf still looks very fresh, with the tinted glass and the smoked lenses. A high spec one of these with leather still looks good inside, too.

I have to agree with those who mentioned the E39, while the pre LCI models with the orange indicators do give the game away with regards to their age, the LCI Sports with the clear indicators and the other styling tweaks and wheels still look very fresh. Orange indicator lenses really do make a car look so old!

The E60 although controversial at the time really was one of Bangle's best designs, if BMW brought out a 5 series in the morning with the E60's design it would easily pass for a brand new car (mind you, I still hate the E60's interior, but the outside looks great even in SE spec).

dr.fuzzenstein

Nevermind all that came later, I still like the MKI. I think it looks remarkably fresh for 1974 (obviously the below GTI is later), especially when you consider the competition at the time. It brought about a completely new design language and made everything else look old in comparison.

boombang

Somebody wanted to post the Xedos 9 (& Miller Cycle):

http://www.autogaleria.hu/autok/mazda/xedos-9-uk-1993-99/mazda_xedos-9-uk-1993-99_r4.jpg

Bit bland for me, but aged well for sure.

Merc W124 in all guises is a timeless one for me. Very nicely proportioned and unfussy design:

http://www.w124.co.uk/wallpaper/1920x1275-1994-E280-200685-01-www.w124.co.uk.jpg

jprboy

delly wrote: »

On a sidenote, is there any non super cars with popup lights on sale today? I remember my sister had a 323F when I was younger and I was fascinated by the lights.

Don't think popup lights are allowed nowadays for safety reasons. Can increase the extent of injuries to pedestrians in the event of a collision.

dr.fuzzenstein

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Nevermind all that came later, I still like the MKI. I think it looks remarkably fresh for 1974 (obviously the below GTI is later), especially when you consider the competition at the time. It brought about a completely new design language and made everything else look old in comparison.

I'd usually agree with you Dr Fuzz but the MK1 Golf stinks of the 70s/80s. I love that car but she's an antique at this stage and for the right reasons. Sorry

Long Time Lurker

Long Time Lurker wrote: »

It came out in 1983. That's 32 years ago. You could launch it today and it would pass as new.

Really? I adore that car but there is no way in hell it would pass as a 151, 141, 131

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05, 04, 03

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97, 96 and so on.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Truckermal

Lexus IS 200 still looks modern well the unmolested ones at least..

colm_mcm

RayM wrote: »

For a car that was launched 26 years ago, I think the Opel Calibra (if there are any unmodified ones left) still looks very fresh.

It looks like Lego compared to today's stuff.
Very handsome car, but distinctly 80s in design

joujoujou

Multipla.

Still as ugly as it was on its launch day (1998).

colm_mcm

joujoujou wrote: »

Multipla.

Still as ugly as it was on its launch day (1998).

A face that would stop a clock.

Qualifies.

dr.fuzzenstein

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

I'd usually agree with you Dr Fuzz but the MK1 Golf stinks of the 70s/80s. I love that car but she's an antique at this stage and for the right reasons. Sorry

I do like them. I could be biased because my dad bought one of them when they first came out in 1974. It looked light years ahead compared to what you saw on the streets back then and certainly a lot better than the Simca 1100 we had before.
Just look at British cars of the time, they look 10 years older.
I rest my case yeronner! ;-)

Honorable mention to the Mini of course for design innovation.

ShadowHearth

Hmmm is this thread just to post old cars that look classic and great or we actually doing a "looks fresh" thing?

e39 - lovely looking, but no way it is fresh looking.
e46 - Check above
e38 - check above
Merc W124 - check above

Some of the other mentioned cars are just pure lovely classics, which should not even be in "fresh" category, but in "awesome cars, which have great looks".

The only proper fresh looking car I can think off is rx7. Considering when it came out, it still looks like a decent modern car ( and I am refering to non modified ones ).

high horse

It seems like most of the cars suggested here are just older cars that the posters like, very few of them would still look fresh today.

I was looking at a mk4 golf recently and thinking about how badly it has aged, I would have expected a bland design to age better than it has.

dr.fuzzenstein

I have to give the W124 my vote. They can swim alongside modern traffic and not stand out like a sore thumb. Or even the 190. Not bad for 80's cars. They make most 90's stuff look bad in comparison.

alias no.9

padd b1975 wrote: »

Mazda MX5.


1989.




2014

Lotus Elan 1962

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Lotus_Elan_Sprint_1964_-_Flickr_-_mick_-_Lumix.jpg

dr.fuzzenstein

alias no.9 wrote: »

Lotus Elan 1962

Very well caught, there is a reason the MK1 MX5 looks like it does...

alias no.9

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Very well caught, there is a reason the MK1 MX5 looks like it does...

It's an open secret that Mazda based the styling on the elan and the exhaust note on the mgb

HandsomeDan

Em, most of these cars look positively ancient. Delusional much?

Mycroft H

Could anything else here other than the Land Rover 90/110 or the Defender manage to pull off a reg 20 years its junior? Don't think so. It's a pretty timeless design.



Here's an F reg from 1988. Could you put a 2008 on it and 99.9% of people wouldn't notice? I think so. There's a few subtle differences buy nothing major.

The A2 still holds its own. Don't think it'll manage 20 years though.

The Jap coupés? Celica? MX5? FTO? They all look like they belong out of Gran Turismo 2 in my head. Decidely late 1990s and early 2000s. They wouldn't pass in 20 years.

JC01

Mycroft H wrote: »

Could anything else here other than the Land Rover 90/110 or the Defender manage to pull off a reg 20 years its junior? Don't think so. It's a pretty timeless design.



Here's an F reg from 1988. Could you put a 2008 on it and 99.9% of people wouldn't notice? I think so. There's a few subtle differences buy nothing major.

The A2 still holds its own. Don't think it'll manage 20 years though.

The Jap coupés? Celica? MX5? FTO? They all look like they belong out of Gran Turismo 2 in my head. Decidely late 1990s and early 2000s. They wouldn't pass in 20 years.

Tbh iv always thought Defenders remind me of ww2 jeeps, just because they didn't update the design doesn't make the design "timeless"

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

boombang

I think the MK4 Golf is not at all bland, but rather is a very carefully considered, visually economical and balanced design that VW have failed to live up to since. But that just illustrates the difference in subjective opinion.

FTO's were not uncommon about ten years ago, but I think they look very fresh for a 20 year old design:



In looking for an image of the FTO it was hard to find ones that weren't modified into hideousness.

Drifting slightly off-topic, but I think the revision of the Renualt 5 was very successful to take essentially the same design from looking very dated and 70s to quite passable in 90s. However, it looks dated today.

sblythe

The E39 is a completely dated design now.

CianRyan

A lot of great looking cars here, the majority of them so not look fresh, certainly do not look like you could slap a 151 or even an 09/08 plate on them.

Honestly, E39? 205 GTI?!
Seriously, this isn't a "car I like the look of and looked well when it was new" thread.
It's an old car that still looks new thread.

A2, yes.
FD3S RX7, yes.

NA MX5, no.
E36... Jesus.

Long Time Lurker

All 205s, and not just the GTI version , are without doubt timeless. Yes they are older but a more timeless design you will struggle to find.

CianRyan

Long Time Lurker wrote: »

All 205s, and not just the GTI version , are without doubt timeless. Yes they are older but a more timeless design you will struggle to find.

They're becoming a classic but they are very of their time and certainly not ageless, you'd have to be mad to think otherwise.

Long Time Lurker

CianRyan wrote: »

They're becoming a classic but they are very of their time and certainly not ageless, you'd have to be mad to think otherwise.

Be Mad! I don't understand why you'd say that. But anyway, heres a little article extolling the virtues of why a 205 is considered a timeless design. I look forward to your validated retort on why madness ensues me :-)


http://www.curbsideclassic.com/uncategorized/peugeot-205-the-most-significant-car-of-the-1980s/

PurvesGrundy

I think some first gen Phase II S40/V40's still look good today:

Alanstrainor

So many cars in here are cars that have aged well, but they are not ageless...had these cars not been released when they were and put on the market now, they would be laughed out of it. A2 is still the only example that fits the bill I reckon!

sblythe

Long Time Lurker wrote: »

Be Mad! I don't understand why you'd say that. But anyway, heres a little article extolling the virtues of why a 205 is considered a timeless design. I look forward to your validated retort on why madness ensues me :-)


http://www.curbsideclassic.com/uncategorized/peugeot-205-the-most-significant-car-of-the-1980s/

Ah yes, a timeless design, I see them on the road today already

CianRyan

Long Time Lurker wrote: »

Be Mad! I don't understand why you'd say that. But anyway, heres a little article extolling the virtues of why a 205 is considered a timeless design. I look forward to your validated retort on why madness ensues me :-)


http://www.curbsideclassic.com/uncategorized/peugeot-205-the-most-significant-car-of-the-1980s/

A significant car of the 80's.
Of the 80's, it's an 80's car that's stuck in the 80's.
Still a great car but it's a great 80's car.

Not timeless, can't figure why you'd use that link tbh.

Same goes for my own MX5, great 80'a car but it's not timeless or ageless.

sblythe

There is no denying that in its heyday the 205 was a great car, and not just the GTI but even the most basic of modelswere fantastic cars. They drove good, were well screwed together and they were reliable and robust little cars.

Well past their prime now though...

Long Time Lurker

Alanstrainor wrote: »

So many cars in here are cars that have aged well, but they are not ageless...had these cars not been released when they were and put on the market now, they would be laughed out of it. A2 is still the only example that fits the bill I reckon!

Its all about perspective. Very hard to judge such a young car for being timeless. If (as you might well be) you are of a younger age then this car still -obviously - looks fresh. The question is how will it look on 30 years. Timeless! I don't think so myself. Quaint, groundbreaking for its time, without doubt, and even maybe it will be seen as timeless. I don't personally think I don't feel it will but its a bit early to say so now.

Long Time Lurker

CianRyan wrote: »

Not timeless, can't figure why you'd use that link tbh.

Because it gives an independent view on why the car and more importantly the design is timeless. Its been hailed as such by many an accomplished designer over the years and not just by unqualified keyboard novices like ourselves.

Remember what timeless means


*not affected by the passage of time or changes in fashion"

Whilst no car design ( no exceptions in my opinion) can fully withstand the passage of time that ia car design evolution, the humble 205 excels in attempting to curtail it. We must agree to disagree .... Or wait till you're a little older :-)

JohnBoy26

My vote goes to the mini that came out in 2001. Hard to believe it's 14 years since it was launched.

TrailerBob

Can we include silly expensive cars?

1996 - that's 19 years ago... Definitely looks fresher, probably because Ferrari design evolves, rather than changes dramatically

JohnBoy26

I think the G wagon has aged very well too.

lintdrummer

I'd buy that with a 151 plate on it.

bigroad

I might be way off but i think the Opel omega is still fresh looking ,sad its gone like most of the big hitters from the mainstream manufactures.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Red Kev

Launched in 1992









Launched in 1974! Space age at the time, still looks good.




And this is from 1991

Mycroft H

Not ageless, but aged very well. Still looks sharp. The SM

Hachiko

some mad cars coming up here......

the Mclaren F1 has to be up there, but then again this is not a normal car.

dr.fuzzenstein

Mycroft H wrote: »

Not ageless, but aged very well. Still looks sharp. The SM

http://i.imgur.com/YycXHcll.jpg

I sometimes think cars looked so much nicer in the 70's, the 80's and 90's where an endless desert of hideous, bland designs with few exceptions. First boxy, then that half-used soap bar design from the 90's. The MKI Mondeo is so awful, I won't even put a pic up here. Only from the 00's on did things improve somewhat with the Focus and the C4.

ian87

I saw an '84 defender today with a white screw through the 8 making it look like an '04. Fooled me straight away anyway.

wildefalcon

lintdrummer wrote: »

I'd buy that with a 151 plate on it.

I'm not into Italian cars, but i've got to agree with this - that's a dam'ed sharp design!