Maybe a lot of you figured this out already but it just dawned on me how the european constantly design nice looking cars. I was looking at a commercial for the new Avalon and it was just as nasty as the previous car. I know Chrysler is going to screw up the next generation of Charger and 300m. need I mention how Acura screwed up the TL and the grille. Hyundai has a few nice models out,we'll have to wait and see if they can continue the trend (ditto with ford). Other than the 7 series BMW with the "Bangle Butt" the Europeans haven't had too many unattractive cars (American versions) going back several decades.

 

Europeans have many attractive cars, and dont forget that Chrysler is now owned by a European company so their styling may change? Also Jaguar looks really nice now especially the XK

 

I'm not sure about that. I really don't like BMWs whole lineup (style wise) with except for like 2 cars.

 

Its all subjective. Europeans have been designing those Ugly Jags for years. Some American designs have been really nice lately, Camaro, LaCrosse, CTS, Enclave etc.

 

I don't know about that, actually.

You may be thinking of the primarily premium brands that are sold here. Look at mainstream European brands (Skoda, Seat, VW, Lancia, Fiat) and I think your opinion may change.

GM's Buick brand keeps cranking out handsome cars (granted the Regal is the German Opel, but put that one aside and the point still stands). Chevy's got the new Cruze and Malibu, both handsome cars to me, as is the Equinox. Traverse....meh.

Cadillac makes awesome looking cars to me.

Ford makes handsome vehicles, especially including the new Focus and Edge along with the Fusion and Taurus.

On the other hand VW made some pretty dreary designs until they came up with the new Golf, which in itself isn't a "hot" car.

 

+1



O.P.
You don't like the new TL, other people do.

It's all subjective

Also, I agree with Mycarisntinmywifesname.

You're looking at premium brands in Europe and leaving out cheap brands.

You can't compare Ford to BMW...

 

Also alot of it has to do with how trendy European cars are right now. Just look back a few years here on AZine and check out some of the posts about Audi's new grille before they became "cool". Most thought they were hideous much the same as the new TL grille but now Audis are considered the best looking cars on the road....

 

+1

 

problem with all of that is looks are subjective.

imo, europeans makers have come out with all sorts of ugly in the past several decades.

 

Even though I typically look at the higher end Euro's as well, I have to agree with just about all of this statement. You cannot compare a Ford to a BMW. Now Ford to Seat or Skoda... much more apples to apples.

 

Skoda and Seat are both VW brands now and they have much nicer cars than Ford. And Ford has some good looking cars in Europe but in NA, not so much. Now they are finally starting to look OK, but in the last 10 years, there isn't a single ford car that I liked. (trucks not included, I like F-150s)

Europeans just seems to have more style and refinement when it comes to cars IMO

 

^ Overall I agree... but it's hard to compare Euro models to US models. Some trim levels of the Focus in Europe blow away the US version. So same company, same model, but completely different car depending on the region...

 

Subjective topic is subjective.

I don't think I have ever seen a Mercedes car that I liked in terms of style, and this includes the old classics like the gull wing. They are just dowdy to me--old man cars for lack of a better term. I guess this is partly because they ARE old man cars in general.

I like BMW's exteriors. Interiors, not so much. I think there is a disconnect--their exterior designs are aggressive and modern, but the interiors are bland.

Audi has been over doing it. The LED strips, etc. are tacky and will date the cars at some point, like the big wings of the Japanese 1990's early 2000's sporty cars. I think they are burning design good will, so to speak, by pushing great attention getting designs over the edge into just plain flashy (LED strip lights, the R8's blades, etc.). In 2015, LED strips will not look cool.

Ford is on a roll. I was following a new Taurus yesterday, and I liked it. It is a big car, but it looks like it is supposed to be big, if that makes sense. The sport trim package on the Fusion looks good, too. Best looking car in the segment. The new Mustang has retro looks with out going full bore retarded like the new Challenger. I am much more impressed by a good design on a mundane car like the Fusion than a $80,000 luxury car.

 

I agree with you on the LEDs. I think they should of just left them on the R8 only.
I still love Audi or VAG in general.

BMW exteriors and interiors are quite boring imo.

 

it's a subjective matter no?

 

i was in london/paris a few weeks ago. lots of nice looking smaller cars/hatchbacks. lots of wagons too

but mainly as others said, its just a different market.

theres 300C wagons there.

theres 300C diesels

well, EVERYTHING is diesel there, even your premium large cars ( S-class, 7 series)

 

 

Yup, I wish there were more diesels here.

 

There are plenty of good looking Euro cars out there. I think Europeans do a better job making the same platform look and drive more unique than American companies do.

Everything is diesel there because they tax the crap out of gas and tax diesel less because commercial use is so high... not because one is better or not.

 

Yeh, ive been studying in europe all year and some of these car designs are just ridiculous..idk what theyre thinking sometimes, name the ugliest "american" designed car and i guarntee it wont be worse than this..which btw i do probably see one every two weeks or so



(Fiat Multipla)
For every good theres a bad

 

hmm, didnt see one of those when i was there

i have to admit, there were some pretty nice vauxhalls there. looked waaaayy better than the gm versions

 

Like others have said it's subjective.

As far as the Asian lux makes go:
Lexus: Vanilla...nothing inspiring
Acura:
Infiniti: Starting to all look like catfish cars. I dunno it's kinda weird. handsome interiors.

Euro lux:
Merc: hit and miss on their models
BMW: pretty good across the board (exterior wise) interior is still a minimalist land of meh
Audi: Grandslam interiors all the way around...exteriors are good...but the new A8 makes me afraid of what's to come.

US:
Ford: turning it around with stunning eurostyled cars....inside and out.
GM: slowly turning the corner....still steps behind Ford. Time will tell.
Chrysler: kick it all to the curb (maybe keep the challenger) bring over the Alfa's & teh Fiat 500.

:wink:

 

Most American car companies will get it right at least once in a while but over the long haul they have more misses than hits. Yeah I was talking about high end European cars (some VW's) and the cars for the American market. Some of the cars for other markets are kinda goofy.

 

Agreed on most counts except for Infiniti, I personally like their exterior styling and think they are pretty sporty/unique looking.

Lexus: Pure luxury but yes all vanilla looking
Acura: so-so currently, TSX and MDX probably the only tolerable designs
Infiniti: Like pretty much across the board

BMW: mostly blah in my opinion, though a few models are nice looking
MB: a lot like Lexus just with a couple more curves/lines
Audi: really like the exterior and interiors!

Overall, I guess I would say Infiniti and Audi are my favorites for body style.

 

which side sell more cars generally? japanese brands or european brands?

 

5-7 years ago (G35, TL, TSX, M35/45 and so on) many thought that Germans were in peril.

*How wrong.*

 

I know Lexus sold more cars than any luxury marque in April. I agree that they are a little vanilla but the IS and the LS have some pretty strong desing language...

 

Kill it before it Multiplas

 

Well comparing the luxury brands:

Acura 105,723
Infiniti 81,089
Lexus 215,975
TOTAL: 402,787
Audi 82,716
BMW 196,502
Benz 190,604
TOTAL: 469,822

 

so its not like european brands are literally raping japanese brands right?

like i said, it's a subjective matter.

 

Multipla is the European Aztek

and yeah, styling is entirely subjective.

 

Oh it's definately subjective, and I don't think styling has much to do with the difference in sales.

That aside, 15+% is a fair difference. Factor in Audi's huge continuous growth and it looks like the difference may grow in the next few years.

 

yes the Euros do have it right. Why they wont bring this car to the US is beyond me. 305HP and AWD, this is what the US needs.

 

Whoever sells more would hold more of an argument if all the cars were actually priced similar.

There are people who will live with the styling of a $35K TL over a $50,000 BMW.

 

The RS is FWD.

 

My bad, I read somewhere it was coming with AWD, but realize its only FWD now.

 

It's still a great car.

 

Kraut kars are much more expensive than Jap cars so those numbers hide a lot.

 

It really depends on which brand in particular you're talking about and what aspects. I personally, as much as I like Audi's and Mercedes-Benz, cannot stand how boring they are to drive. They crank up the power steering ratio so incredibly much it's just not fun to drive. The same can be said about Lexus and the newer Acura's, no steering feel whatsoever, and in the Lexus in particular that "luxury-barge" feeling that is caused by the incredibly soft suspension.

I don't give two shits what a car looks like, how it drives always comes first, looks are something you can learn to live with. Give me a BMW with good steering feel and some stiffer suspension and I'll be happy for a lot longer than with most anything else.

 

saw one of these in white in London