"Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)" (vicarious-chair)
03/31/2015 at 13:00 • Filed to: supercars, mclaren, 12c, 570s, R8, audi
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"Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)" (vicarious-chair)
03/31/2015 at 13:00 • Filed to: supercars, mclaren, 12c, 570s, R8, audi | 3
| 12 |
Not necessarily "cartoons," but the lines and perceived animation of some new supercars are becoming less sensual and seductive. They've turned to more electric lines carrying more childlike angry or excited faces.
Take the R8 for example. Upon first release, the car was about smooth, yet fast lines; a serious, yet somehow forthcoming face and an overall presence that exuded quality and an athletic spirit.
Now? Some of these qualities carry over, but it's face has gone overtly sour, lines have become hard and bolded and the overall design language has become blocky and straight-cut. It looks more of a drawing than a sculpted body.
I don't think these changes make it look terrible, but I see it as a downgrade, not an upgrade. I see this as an in between refresh, just so we can have the best version brought to us in 2020.
This next example is a bit more biased, I think, by personal taste, because the original iteration had its own excited face to it:
... but at the same time, the only "toony" thing about the car was its mouth, and in certain colors, could be dismissed. Then you could focus on the beautiful contrast of the roofline and waistline; the perfect continuing lines from front fender to rear. Even though this car is said to be designed mostly by aero-engineering, it carries a wonderful, flowy design (probably due to that).
The 570s, though.
I'm not feeling it's excited eyes, or tight lipped smile. The pinched fender lines look nice and the roofline from the rear point of view is gorgeous; but that might be all it has going for it.
The more I look at it, the more I like it, but it still doesn't seem like an appropriate upgrade from the 12c.
The tail lights seem too thin to pull off their oblong oval shape, and the whole rear end seems a bit messy compared to the 12c's. I feel like if a body panel had wrapped around the rear end, maybe right across the license plate level, it'd look sharper.
Again, I might just need to let things grow on me.
Anyone else feel this way?
E. Julius
> Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
03/31/2015 at 13:05 |
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I think it's just one of those things that goes in and out of fashion. Sort of like how the smooth, curvy designs of the 60s were replaced with the extreme wedge designs and hard lines of the 70s. The pendulum will swing the other way in a decade or so.
Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
> Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
03/31/2015 at 13:06 |
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Supercars are cartoons by definition.
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Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
> Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
03/31/2015 at 13:07 |
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dammit.
JustDauKee
> Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
03/31/2015 at 13:12 |
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hey cut the kid some slack here...
ly2v8-Brian
> Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
03/31/2015 at 13:15 |
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See Lamborghini. The flavor may be different now but the language has always been flamboyant.
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JustDauKee
> Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
03/31/2015 at 13:17 |
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He's got a point. Maybe 'caricatures' is a better word for what he's trying to describe.
Anyway, could I be considered to be admitted into the halls of Jalopnik? Here's an article I wrote earlier...
http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/top-gear-this-…
djmt1
> Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
03/31/2015 at 13:30 |
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Numbers.
Competition and regulation means that companies need to squeeze as much performance out of these cars as possible while meeting whatever regulations are in place and these days it is all about efficiency. Aerodynamics are becoming more appreciated these days. I think Hammond sums it up best when he was talking about the Viper. "They put it in a wind tunnel you know!"
RallyWrench
> Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
03/31/2015 at 13:33 |
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Begs to differ.
If it doesn't look like a 10 year old boy's notebook doodle they're not doing it right.
Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
> Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
03/31/2015 at 13:34 |
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Because (in the words of Mr. Regular) "aerodynamics don't look like what you think aerodynamics looks like."
phenotyp
> Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
03/31/2015 at 13:59 |
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It's not just supercars, it's all cars.
There's really only one car it works well on, and the answer, of course, is
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Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
> ly2v8-Brian
03/31/2015 at 14:00 |
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That's always been their schtick, though. They are the exception.
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Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
> djmt1
03/31/2015 at 14:02 |
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I understand where you're going with that. I'd like to see where Audi states that the new R8 is that much slipperier and providing of more downforce than the previous model.
Side note: I really like the updated Viper design. A little childish/americanese in spots, but its a swooping, sexy design.