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The Future... Today?
So my wife and I were driving to dinner, and we passed a 2nd generation Thunderbird. I like that generation much more than the first, because they accepted that they weren't making a sports cars and just made a very nice looking coupe and convertible instead. Anyway, I remarked "it looks like the future.. at least the early 60s version of the future."
So she asked me what current car I thought looked like the future. And I was just plain stumped. I thought for quite a while, and the best I could come up with was the newest Acuras, and it wasn't a positive in their case. So I figured that I would posit the question to all of you.
What contemporary car looks like our current view of the future?
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The Updated konigsegegsegseggesgeg
Or the Porsche 918 hybrid thingy.
In terms of mass produced stuff? Nothing is as "out there" as the 60's were.
Its all about subtle tones and structures these days.
(having said that if mazda had the balls to actually run their fluid concept designs they would have to be up there.)
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Current Car that looks like the future?
Maybe the Honda Civic Hatch?
I don't really know, but what I can say is that brand of Futurism and forward thinking is not as prevalent in todays train of thought...and it's a shame.
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The first Honda Insight was (is) certainly futuristic, although the current version looks like any other car. But aside from some small-production examples I can't think of anything with the stylistic impact that some designers gave us a generation (or two) ago.
I'm fascinated by Aptera's futurism but somewhat concerned they have yet to begin large-scale production. Mainly because I want one. Tesla's deal with Toyota is a positive development, we'll see the Model S reach it's ready market... but attractive as it is, the design could fit any ICE car. Regardless of styling though, electric cars are the future.
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[quote=cmcpokey;939110]... the best I could come up with was the newest Acuras, and it wasn't a positive in their case. [/quote]
I'm thinking Acuras also; at least design-wise. May I suggest the Lamborghini Reventon? If Lambo rolled out their sedan (its called the "Epoq", right?) then that would've been a good example too.
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IB4R, my wife looked at the Civic R on the honda.co.au site (since we don't get a single decent honda here) and she rather agreed.
and csl, she liked the Model S, but didn't find it to be anything resembling revolutionary stying. other than the interior, which is kick ass. i have seen one in person, and it really doesn't stand out very well. and the deal with toyota didn't quite work out as intended. instead of forming a partnership, it seems tesla just put a bid in to purchase NUMMI. of course, with money borrowed from the government. but i think toyota is reserving the right to partner with them in the future.
but so far it seems like there just isn't any really remarkable, ultra modern design out there, aside from concept cars.
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When the Audi LED running lights first came out they were vaguely futuristic, though Audis tend towards modernism rather than futurism mostly.
The Nissan Cube. Oh, what a hellish future that would be.
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The basics are still the same for the past 40 years - four wheels, windscreen, headlights, etc.
I look at something like the Honda FCX Clarity is possibly the most advanced car on sale today.
But really the basics are likely to remain the same. People don't seem to be as excited about the future as they were 40-50 years ago.
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[quote=f6fhellcat13;939120]When the Audi LED running lights first came out they were vaguely futuristic, though Audis tend towards modernism rather than futurism mostly.
The Nissan Cube. Oh, what a hellish future that would be.[/quote]
she said the cube when we were first discussing it, but i didn't think it so much, since it is really just an evolution of the kei car which as been around for decades.
[quote=IBrake4Rainbows;939122]The basics are still the same for the past 40 years - four wheels, windscreen, headlights, etc.
I look at something like the Honda FCX Clarity is possibly the most advanced car on sale today.
But really the basics are likely to remain the same. People don't seem to be as excited about the future as they were 40-50 years ago.[/quote]
the basics have stayed the same, but even the details have stayed pretty constant. look at a car from 1990, and compare it to a similar model today. then do the same for a car from 1940 to 1960. we seem to have stagnated in our creativity.
there have been sizable developments in the small production areas, with cars like the Atom, the reventon, the 458, and the Honda FCX, but those are not the pedestrian cars we see and drive all the time.
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I take what I said back. To see the future we must look to the last model cycle of all the major automotive manufacturers and hit them with genuine Louisville Slugers [sic] (made in the PRC). The is the Bright Happy People's Fun Honqi that we can look forward to.
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[quote=cmcpokey;939119]and csl, she liked the Model S, but didn't find it to be anything resembling revolutionary stying. other than the interior, which is kick ass. i have seen one in person, and it really doesn't stand out very well... but so far it seems like there just isn't any really remarkable, ultra modern design out there, aside from concept cars.[/quote]
I thought that's what I said...
[quote=csl177;939117]... But aside from some small-production examples I can't think of anything with the stylistic impact that some designers gave us a generation (or two) ago... we'll see the Tesla Model S reach it's ready market... but attractive as it is, the design could fit any ICE car. Regardless of styling though, electric cars are the future.[/quote]
Whereas the Aptera is genuinely futuristic. We'll see if it reaches mass production, though. No comments on it's design? :confused:
[quote=IBrake4Rainbows;939122]The basics are still the same for the past 40 years - four wheels, windscreen, headlights, etc. But really the basics are likely to remain the same. People don't seem to be as excited about the future as they were 40-50 years ago.[/quote]
[quote=cmcpokey;939123]the basics have stayed the same, but even the details have stayed pretty constant. look at a car from 1990, and compare it to a similar model today. then do the same for a car from 1940 to 1960. we seem to have stagnated in our creativity.[/quote]
That's because automobiles have become appliances that consumers choose for the same reasons they might pick an electronic device or refigerator. Personal mobility is quite different now than it was 40, 30, 20 years ago. Congested roads and extended commute times have given us the car as personal space extension; and consumer fetishes for gadgetry enables manufacturers a broad opportunity to profit
while essentially building the same basic (increasingly bland & rounded) box on wheels. Truth is, futurism has never succeeded in the marketplace. The public at large detests and fears radical change.
And where there is style, it's of a homogenized nature. We have only ourselves to blame for that.
Look at the landscape we live in for everyday examples. :(
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[quote=cmcpokey;939123]the basics have stayed the same, but even the details have stayed pretty constant. look at a car from 1990, and compare it to a similar model today. then do the same for a car from 1940 to 1960. we seem to have stagnated in our creativity.[/quote]
I disagree. Yes many cars have been [I]globalised[/I], but if you dig a bit deeper lunacy is still among us. The problem is, that today it is considered an eccentricity and it's usually not very successful.
There's the Civic hatchback, as has already been mentioned, but there others too. There's the Fiat Multipla, and previous generation Renaults (Megane, Avantime, Vel Satis) for instance.
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Well, in 1955 everybody considered the DS to be the future. Coming to think of it, I have a definite feeling that it still is.....others, including Citroen, still haven't caught up.
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[quote=henk4;939135]Well, in 1955 everybody considered the DS to be the future. Coming to think of it, I have a definite feeling that it still is.....others, including Citroen, still haven't caught up.[/quote]
When Citroen announced the return of the DS name I was hoping very much for a modern DS.. not a retro throwback model, but a proper up to date DS.
I'd like to point to the RR Phantom as being an excellent modern take on an old design ethos at this point. It's not futuristic really, but it's perfectly modern 'conservative' design.
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[quote=henk4;939135]Well, in 1955 everybody considered the DS to be the future. Coming to think of it, I have a definite feeling that it still is.....others, including Citroen, still haven't caught up.[/quote]
The Ds was ahead of a time, that never actually came.
[quote=pimento;939136]When Citroen announced the return of the DS name I was hoping very much for a modern DS.. not a retro throwback model, but a proper up to date DS.[/quote]
Funny you should mention it, since the slogan for the DS3 ads is... "ANTI-RETRO"...