German Car Zone

You're right Rob. Even though Audi's design is clean and smooth it is also bold at at the sametime. If Audi's designs were bold their cars would look like Volvo, barely interesting at all.
On the other hand Audi got a bit too fussy with the R8. It really doesn't fit in with the rest of the cars in the Audi line up. More over they have taken the use of Carbon fibre to an obsene level. CF is a material which should be used for weight saving and in a way replace metal. Take a look at the R8 and you will see huge chunks of CF panels which doesn't even fill a function, I thinking of the big big panels on the sides. That's something I never really expected from Audi.
They should start seeking their (Audi)o parnet B&O for some advise beacsue they really know how to use exotic and expensive materials in a tasteful manner.

OK, the way I see it:

Audi - Aero, Bauhaus (first A4, first TT), Humanity/Emotive (current A6), IMO Animalical (R8), future, who knows, the most likely to switch (again) its design philosophy of the german marques. Brand - still not properly defined/undefined.

BMW - for the automotive industry it is avant garde, on a wider perspective not really. Don't like certain things (FL 7er head lights, 5er spoiler vs eyes (excluding M5, M package), new X5 headlights, Z4 headlight a bit to sad). Brand - probaly the sharpest of the german marques (despite runflat tyres and too much weight on most of its cars).

MB - idea good in theory = mix old with new, in practice, it varies from nice/good like new CL to the S/GL disasters (= too little of good old Mercedes and too much like cheap - kitch copies). Brand - Prestige (and luxury, comfort, even safety) vs. everything to everyone.

OK ...I need you to explain more clearly "Aero" -- do you mean like aerodynamic/streamlined ....I'm not precisely sure.

Yes, I'm not crazy about the CF either Hassan ...it looks much better without it.

This is probably my favourite car right at this moment.


Could it be any better?

^^
Preach

The first Aero design was to my knowledge the Mk I ford Fiesta.
Other representatives would be the Mk III Mustang and the 83-88 Ford Thunderbird.

Luw, I really like your observations regarding the styling and over-gratuitous use of carbon fibre on the R8. I feel exactly the same - you summed it up nicely - it's overdone without having any functional or aesthetic purpose. Seeing that this is a thread dedicated to the appreciation - of lack thereof - of car design I'll go so far as to say that the R8 takes the award for dullest and most unevocative supercar on sale today.

Imhotep, those extremely ugly cars you posted mess up the whole lay-out of the site.

Please delete them or make them at least half the size.

Imhotep, those extremely ugly cars you posted mess up the whole lay-out of the site.

delete them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've sized them down for you.

-Bruce