by "CobraJoe" (cobrajoe)
Published 09/08/2017 at 11:08
by "CobraJoe" (cobrajoe)
Published 09/08/2017 at 11:08
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STARS: 2
So, why is this cool:
and this is awful?
They both have massive rear wings and changes to the body, they both have low profile tires and more negative camber than stock, they both have low ride heights and unnecessary stickers.... So why does one make us drool and one make us recoil in horror?
The answer is kind of obvious: Function.
The race car has a singular purpose for every modification: To make it faster around a track. The stanced NSX, on the other hand, tries to copy those mods just to make it look like it could fast on a track.
It’s not limited to stance either, I’m pretty sure that every car culture that’s hated around here has the same problem, they took one or multiple examples of “race car tech” and took it to the visual extreme, well past the functional advantages of the mod.
Stanced; they took negative camber and wide wheels, but not the wide sticky tires with taller sidewalls that require wide wheels and high negative camber.
Donks; they took oversized wheels and low profile tires to the extreme, but lost the handling advantage they can give.
Brodozers; they took the tall ride height of competitive off road trucks, but not the capability.
Ricers; they took the big wings and stickers and body kits, but without the sponsors or any functional aero advantages.
Coal Rollers; they tuned their engines to dump massive amounts of black smoke like a pulling truck, but did it to annoy people instead. (Most diesel pulling trucks dump their exhaust up instead of down).
Art Cars; ... Ok, I guess my theory breaks down here. Maybe the original function was the antenna bobble that helped people find their car in the parking lot?
There are some mods that were functional on other non-race cars, but lost their function when applied as a custom mod. The best examples I can think of are lambo doors and landau tops.
So, lets put that theory to the test. Are there any mods that are cool without the functionality of the original design?
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
09/08/2017 at 11:14, STARS: 3
Pointless modifications must be attractive to be good.
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
09/08/2017 at 11:23, STARS: 0
Nah it’s nothing to do with function or not on an actual conceptual level. ‘Functional’ is simply something that you and your peer group (me included) has identified as a trait that is desirable and therefore ‘cool’.
Case in point, ask someone from the Stance crowd and they’d probably say the red NSX was cool too. It’s entirely and utterly subjective. Tattoos are cool now for most of the population. Flares and platform shoes were cool for most of the population in the 70s.
However, I do like the idea of trying to trace back the evolution of style trends :) that’s a fun game. I can see it being true of the Stance crowd, but donks always struck me as to be more about visual impact than anything derived from racing.
"jimz" (jimz)
09/08/2017 at 11:29, STARS: 0
window tint makes many cars look better from the outside, but have a negative impact on visibility from within at night or dawn/dusk.
"Enginerrrrrrrrr" (Enginerrrrrrrrr)
09/08/2017 at 11:47, STARS: 0
The stance on that red NSX is not for enhanced function in any way... functionality is not an objective trait.
"CobraJoe" (cobrajoe)
09/08/2017 at 11:49, STARS: 1
Nah it’s nothing to do with function or not on an actual conceptual
level. ‘Functional’ is simply something that you and your peer group (me
included) has identified as a trait that is desirable and therefore
‘cool’.
I’m using “functional” as meaning “being used for a purpose other than looks”. Whether the mod has is desirable outside of the peer group is debatable, but whether or not it was added to change the abilities of the car should be easier to identify.
I guess the “coolness” is subjective, but take a long term look at it. In 20-50 years, which cars will be remembered, and which will be laughed at as fads of the time? Tricked out mural vans are a thing of the past, but drag race inspired hot rods are still going strong.
As for the Donks, I was reading Hot Rod magazine in the 90s when larger 16in and 17in wheels started becoming a popular mod on muscle cars for handling reasons. It wasn’t too long before 18s and 19s were being used for more visual impact without completely losing the handling advantages, and I think the large rim and donk culture took it from there for more extreme visuals and ignoring the handling aspect of it.
"CobraJoe" (cobrajoe)
09/08/2017 at 11:52, STARS: 0
Window tint does have the function of keeping the car cooler in the summer and helping with privacy. Not exactly race derived tech, but still has a function beyond looks.
"CobraJoe" (cobrajoe)
09/08/2017 at 11:56, STARS: 0
Attractiveness is a very subjective trait though. There was at least one person who thought that this looked good:
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
09/10/2017 at 18:37, STARS: 0
Agreed that ‘functional’ is easier to measure :)
The thing about ‘cool’ is that it’s only ever an artifact of the time. In the 70s, flares and afros were cool. In the 80s it was neon stuff. 90s was double denim. 00s I don’t know really, but in the past decade or so it’s been beards and tattoos.
Each and every one of those will look ridiculous the instant it’s surpassed by another recipe for what looks cool, until it comes around again because fashion is cyclical. And although I’m definitely more of a function guy than a form guy, there’s a ton of cool-factor in looks alone. Hell, it’s the main reason Magnus Walkers 911s are as liked as they are.
I wonder if Magnus’ 911s will become just as comical as those ridiculous Testarossa strake things that got tacked onto everything in the late 80s...
I do get your point though that some things endure as being cool through time. I suppose while what looks cool is cyclical (and thus stance stuff while ‘cool’ today will look outdated tomorrow because it’s a fashion trend), the exhilaration that comes from speed is a constant. Hence why it endures.
Interesting about donks :) I genuinely would like to know if someone’s pinned down exactly where it came from. I’d always thought it was a general evolution from the whole low-rider thing as it feels like a similar trend...
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
09/10/2017 at 18:40, STARS: 0
But ‘functionality’ as a foundation of what is cool is absolutely and utterly a subjective trait, which was the point :)
What’s ‘cool’ changes wildly between groups and over time, so if we’re looking for a genuine philosophical ‘what is cool’, then the only real definition that holds up is ‘whatever this particular bunch of people feel exemplifies traits they feel positively about’.
"CobraJoe" (cobrajoe)
09/10/2017 at 21:59, STARS: 0
It must be noted, the Testarossa side strakes were functional, they were effectively a grill covering the hot radiators. Again, it was a style born out of function, and the style became far less cool when it was applied to other cars that didn’t need the function. If any part of that was the style of the time, it was the love of ridiculously extensive body mods
You are right, there is a category of “cool” things that were purely style, pinstripes, flame paint jobs, neon, shag carpet, denim... Those things are all pretty much time limited.
Then there are trends that were originally dictated by function, these things usually remain cool for longer periods, even if they are surpassed by new tech. Hot rods, roots blowers, mechanical fuel injection, jaguar IRS, Hemi engines... If you showed up to a car show with any combination of go fast parts from a certain period, you’ll be sure to gather positive interest.
But there is a category that fits somewhere in between. Functionally inspired, but done obviously for style instead of function. That’s where the usual hated groups fit. Stance, Donks, Coal rollers, rice... Even the lesser hated groups like Pro-street style trailer queens would fit here. These trends don’t seem to die as quick as the purely style driven category, but they do tend to fade. After all, it’s hard to look cool when you show up to a drag strip with your fully custom, fat tire, roots blown, big block Nova and a FWD Civic puts up better times than you.
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
09/11/2017 at 11:17, STARS: 1
Hmmm, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head about the difference there. It’s not whether something’s cosmetic or not, or even pointless (like shagpile carpet). It’s whether something is pretending to be something that it’s not (which isn’t ‘cool’ no matter what context it’s in).
Nailed it :)
"Architeuthis Ex Machïna" (bluebeard)
03/04/2018 at 11:31, STARS: 0
Some bull horns on the hood would totally turn that thing around, Boss Hogg style.