my most hated automotive trend (Corvette, buy, sell, BMW)

[Linson]

assuming the unsuccessful image insert is a 68-70 charger, you cant compare it.

however, i think that the Monaro based GTOs are much more bland looking than the late model chargers. i think that the Charger at least would make a decent cop car - what with it having 4 doors. both are a slap in the face to there heritages, which were pissed on by the corperations that figured these cars needed the bump from their legacy names because they lacked the styling to be exciting on their own merits.

[Linson]

oh, there it is. a 68. ya know, while the 68-70 Charger is probably my favorite muscle car, i cannot stand to see them with General Lee paint jobs. looks like crap every time.

[Linson]

Originally Posted by Drover

Starting in the late 40s/early 50s, Buick put port vents on the front fenders. The higher up the model hierarchy, the more vents, either two, three or four on each side. They periodically reappear, including recently.

1950s:



1980s:



2000s:




And now you can go to places like Pep Boys and get fake vent port thingys to stick on the side of your car, like this wally did:

oh, i see. but i would consider that more of a brand-specific styling cue, than an automotive trend. an example of a brand-specific styling cue that i can live without would be Dodge putting the same grill on practically their entire line-up.

an automotive trend would be automakers acting like they need 7 years to come up with vehicles that can get 40 miles per gallon although they were making vehicles that got over 50 miles per gallon 20 years ago.

[JHG722]

Originally Posted by Linson

okay, so let me get this straight. you like this...



and this...



and not this...




well, to each his own. eye of the beholder and all that.

Yup. Although outside of a Corvette, I would never buy an American car anyway.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Linson

oh, i see. but i would consider that more of a brand-specific styling cue, than an automotive trend. an example of a brand-specific styling cue that i can live without would be Dodge putting the same grill on practically their entire line-up.

an automotive trend would be automakers acting like they need 7 years to come up with vehicles that can get 40 miles per gallon although they were making vehicles that got over 50 miles per gallon 20 years ago.

Well, it's not brand specific. Maserati is doing it too:




Plus, variations of the "fender vent" theme (though not necessarily in "porthole" guise) are showing up on anything from BMWs to Cadillacs to Land Rovers to Fords.



Not to mention there are lots of gleeps out there getting the fake sticky-on versions from Pep Boys and putting them on anything from Chrysler 300s to Mustangs.


Here's an article on the subject: A frivolous fashion for fender vents - The Driver's Seat

[Linson]

Originally Posted by Drover

Well, it's not brand specific. Maserati is doing it too:




Plus, variations of the "fender vent" theme (though not necessarily in "porthole" guise) are showing up on anything from BMWs to Cadillacs to Land Rovers to Fords.



Not to mention there are lots of gleeps out there getting the fake sticky-on versions from Pep Boys and putting them on anything from Chrysler 300s to Mustangs.


Here's an article on the subject: A frivolous fashion for fender vents - The Driver's Seat

i stand corrrrrrected. i'm not hatin' it, but it does seem to be a trend.

[Linson]

Originally Posted by 8 SNAKE

Touché, and precisely why I made the last post that I did.

wrong. Drover gave you an out, and you took it - wisely i might add. but anybody who takes the time to read this thread can see that you 1. have added nothing on the topic or even automotive for that matter. 2. came into this thread like the thought police, again offering zero on the topic. 3. made all sorts of assertions, none of which you could back up. 4. when cornered, were unable to explain yourself, yet you tried to play it off as though you were merely unwilling to explain yourself.

lady, i'm sorry if you were offended by the word damned or god damned or by the overall negative tone of my original post. i dont share your religious or etiquitte conundrums over such things. but i honestly dont see why you chose to inject yourself into the conversation rather than just moving on to something more suited to your sensibilities. but for what it's worth, sorry, lady.

[Jesse69]

I hate that many car have too much horsepower and are too heavy and have to be 5 star crash rated. Didn't the 1987 IROC Z camaro only have 130 HP? Nowaday they gotta have over 250HP.

And now *** cars are like American cars. Like the Camry and Accord - heavy, big, and lots of HP.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

I hate that many car have too much horsepower and are too heavy and have to be 5 star crash rated. Didn't the 1987 IROC Z camaro only have 130 HP? Nowaday they gotta have over 250HP.

1987 IROC had anywhere between 170 and 225HP depending on options.

[sailordave]

The Grand Am is a front wheel drive American car, the G8 is rear wheel drive Australian car. Honestly I think it should have been named Bonneville. It's true to the original namesake, a rear wheel drive performance sedan and the name has history. Performance sedans have been around for decades. I think your problem isn't so much performance sedans as the lack of sports cars in general. The Ford Falcon came before the Mustang and the original Mustang was based upon the Falcon frame. There are some Toyota fans who still think Toyota was crazy to stop making their Celica and Supra. Closest thing Toyota has to those cars is the current Corolla and Scion Tc. No one makes affordable sports cars anymore. Long gone are the days when Joe 6pack could buy a 240Z, a Camaro, a Mustang, or a Challenger and get it ready for the drag strip on the cheap. That's why the kids today buy old or new Cavaliers, Cobalts, Civics, and other similiar cars. They're more affordable and can be made to go fast without a lot of cash. That was the appeal of those early muscle/pony cars. The above cars are today's pony cars. Remember when someone would buy a Duster for cheap and rework the engine then blow the doors off bigger cars? That's what the appeal is for those small fwd cars. Today's performance family sedans are for those dads who have a family and need a sedan but every now and then will put a little thrill in their daily drive with a sedan that can go 0-60 in 6 seconds. We don't like some of the things kids today do to their cars. How do you think parents of the past thought about their kids painting flames or putting pinstripe flames on their cars? I'm conservative in my car taste. For classic cars I'd love to get my hands on a mint Falcon or ChevyII/Nova sedan. I'm happy with my daily driver, 03 Malibu. Today's Malibu is a better car with a better engine but it's too long and heavy for my taste.