Car proportions

[Fiorano]

today at (RIP crystal Cove) Ford Cars and coffee (the place in California for those who don't know where it is- the saturday morning autoshow-off of Bugatti Veyron Murcielago ferrari's Porsche carreras GT cars of all types show up and people have coffee stare and chat)

any way a Pontiac Solstice was parked between a 200X Viper GTS-R and 2007 Viper coupe. it is not only taller than the V10 monsters but almost as long and certainly as wide.
WTF?! the mighty viper which is a big car for sure, is lilliputian and a mighty racer indeed, i can not believe how big and bloated the solstice is- no wonder Mallet made one with the LS2 wedged in it.

Any body ever notice this, or something like this? (similarly the Volvo 122, which i don't feel is too small, is practically tiny next to a 2006 nissan sentra)

[my porsche]

today at (RIP crystal Cove) Ford Cars and coffee (the place in California for those who don't know where it is- the saturday morning autoshow-off of Bugatti Veyron Murcielago ferrari's Porsche carreras GT cars of all types show up and people have coffee stare and chat)

I've been there, pretty good car show, lots of douche bags there though, as with anywhere Ferrari's are.

Why R.I.P Crystal Cove though?

[cmcpokey]

when i was growing up i used to go to the beach at crystal cove all the time.. no real special cars though, although i remember seeing a countach when i was 8 or so.

[henk4]

car proportions have gone totally astray....too low greenhouse in comparison to the waist line, which has gone up too high (allegedly in the interest of safety) and which also results in the use of extremely oversized wheels, to make those at least in proportion with the part underneath the glashouse.

For an illustration of what I mean, look up the Ford Interceptor concept or just look at a Chrysler 300, and compare that with a 1968 Mercedes S.Class, or the timeless Mercedes 280SE Coupe 3.5V8. Also the BMW CSL has the proper proportions, and it does not give you the feeling to be sitting in an armoured car.

[Fiorano]

the strip mall management at the crystal cove gather place said the cars were too loud and there was no space- so Ford MoCo and Mazda said all these people can use the ford PAG building to show off, and have coffee there... so no more Crystal Cove for car shows...
anyway about the proportions of so called "compacts" and little roadsters versus, mega cars
has anyone notice how small the original Ford GT40 is versus the new GT?
or how small a GT40 is compare to anything?

funny the Volvo 122 has a high door sill, compared to the greenhouse...ah volvo always progressive

[acfsambo]

Also the new civic is huge. It is about the size of the last generation camry.

[nota]

car proportions have gone totally astray....too low greenhouse in comparison to the waist line, which has gone up too high (allegedly in the interest of safety) and which also results in the use of extremely oversized wheels, to make those at least in proportion with the part underneath the glashouse.

For an illustration of what I mean, look up the Ford Interceptor concept or just look at a Chrysler 300, and compare that with a 1968 Mercedes S.Class, or the timeless Mercedes 280SE Coupe 3.5V8. Also the BMW CSL has the proper proportions, and it does not give you the feeling to be sitting in an armoured car.

I too was appalled by the extremely shallow side windows of the Ford Interceptor concept, which gives it that porky, chronically overbodied look, akin to the 'fuselage' styling of the early 1970s. Glass does cost more than steel, but this style-trend to ever higher beltlines has become a parody of itself and we seem to have lost those wonderfully airy cabins from years past, and the great visibility they provided.

For your interest, check the difference in the side window depth between these Ford models, the Granada MkII and Falcon XD.
Btw these otherwise visually identical Fords were completely distinct in every way except for their shared style theme

Photo sequence shows Falcon>Granada>Falcon>Granada>etc

[Ferrer]

Also the new civic is huge. It is about the size of the last generation camry.

I remeber seing (I'm afraid I don't know where I found it) a picture with the profile of the current Civic and the one three generations before, one after the other, and the difference was painful...

[The_Canuck]

Mini anyone?

[Mr.Tiv]

I remeber seing (I'm afraid I don't know where I found it) a picture with the profile of the current Civic and the one three generations before, one after the other, and the difference was painful...

It's an unfortunate trend.

[zeppelin]

I'd say it's mostly because of safety regulations, what with cars nowadays needing super strong crash proof frames, crush zones, all sorts of airbags and electronic nannies. These things take up space and weight.

It can also be contributed to the general consumers' demands for roomier and more spacious interiors, and just how much more technology and stuff we're cramming into cars.

It's all gotta go somewhere.

[Mr.Tiv]

It's all gotta go somewhere.

i'd prefer that that "somewhere" be somewhere other than my car.

[bruxell]

IT's like that Top Geartest of the 350Z against all the other generations of Z and ZX. Not only did the 350 lose to the 300TT it almost lost to an old 260. The size and weight of cars is just out of control...

[zeppelin]

i'd prefer that that "somewhere" be somewhere other than my car.

Then shop used, because at the moment the current trend doesn't look like it's going anywhere soon.

[my porsche]

so no more Crystal Cove for car shows...

Wow i must have seen one of the last ones then, I was there in late july