RULE: Cars Must Drive the Way They Look

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind) 04/23/2016 at 19:40 • Filed to: Rant

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“You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Bull pizzle! If the cover doesn’t match then that’s a product issue!! These are objects, between word-of-mouth and appearances you have 99% of what determines reception. If reviews state that the product’s outside appearance is unlike it’s dynamics, then we have a problem. When a car is boring on the outside but great to drive (Chevy SS Sedan) you’ll get hit with comments on how it should have been more aggressively styled. If the style is aggressive and the character is not (Lexus RX) then you’ll have people upset that the product is overstyled. It’s an automakers own fault if people do not take to their product because it contradicts itself.

Right now Toyota and Lexus get a lot of heat for their styling. Not many like the Lexus IS, but I wager it’s because it doesn’t backup the level of aggression that the outside depicts. Most people find the RC much more acceptable in styling, however that vehicle is slightly less aggressive in exterior design and more sporting in character. We have styling and character converging towards the same peak. That’s good! The LC looks like a sporty GT and we know the driving experience will match, therefore I would bet that this is currently the most universally accepted spindle generation Lexus. I’m drawing that conclusion before the car even comes out!

If the vehicle is conservative looking and conservative in engagement, we may not like it, but we certainly can’t blame it for being exactly what it presenting itself as! An awful looking vehicle that is awful to drive is also kind of fine. That’s why the Nissan LEAF is all of sudden getting a pass for being a shitty $35k electric car.

I do need to point out that enthusiasts prefer the outside to be uninteresting while the character is brutal. A vehicle that is conservative in styling but offers a driving experience that far more exciting is always a love. In fact, the worst it looks and better it drives is a love of ours! Doesn’t mean we’d ever buy it though!! That’s the catch. A vehicle that offers a great exterior but a terrible driving experience is always blasted. Hence why we don’t get supercar styling for $25k. It’s a fun paradox and we always commend “Sleepers” and bash “Posers.”

The new C63S is a great example of a vehicle that is conservative in styling but brutal in character (once you twist that dial). That said, when the exterior appearance matches the character, you’re going to end up preferring the other generation more once the “new-ness” wears off.

Do me a favor automakers, figure out what your product’s character is and stick to presenting that character in every facet of the design and marketing. I know we love cars that play multiple roles. A luxury cruiser that can handle a track day, what’s not to love?! The trick is making sure it shows both sides, but favors the market it was made for over the market it has been adapted to.

66671 - 200 [METRIC] my dash > Wobbles the Mind 04/23/2016 at 19:47

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Tl;Dr

dogisbadob > 66671 - 200 [METRIC] my dash 04/23/2016 at 19:52

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looks awesome, drives awesome? ;)

dogisbadob > Wobbles the Mind 04/23/2016 at 19:54

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Nobody cares how it looks, and nobody cares how it drives, either. But the V6 Camry is fucking fast, and reliable, too. Same with the Accord.

not for canada - australian in disguise > Wobbles the Mind 04/23/2016 at 20:00

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Disagree, sleepers are the best.

(This was mainly an excuse to post the Lacrosse Super)

PRBot II > Wobbles the Mind 04/23/2016 at 20:01

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Thought the post deserved a response, but you covered all the bases. Not much left I can think of to say, so here’s a GT350R.

NJAnon > Wobbles the Mind 04/23/2016 at 20:01

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To a degree I agree with you. But that “sleeper” is a misomer. Theres too many things that would give off a faster car no matter how many badges you try to remove or if you put a baby car seat in the back.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Wobbles the Mind 04/23/2016 at 20:10

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I don’t really know what’s going on here but I know several non-car people that like the Lexus RC.

DoYouEvenShift > dogisbadob 04/23/2016 at 20:11

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Fucking fast?

dogisbadob > DoYouEvenShift 04/23/2016 at 20:16

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0-60 is in the mid-to-high 5's for recent V6 models!

DKerstan > NJAnon 04/23/2016 at 20:21

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A sleeper is a car that on the outside looks like as it would from the factory, but has performance mods. For example this Volvo: http://www.speedhunters.com/2014/01/want-g…

A unbadged exotic or sports car will never be a sleeper because it looks fast sitting still.

NJAnon > DKerstan 04/23/2016 at 20:25

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volvos are outliers. they don’t count. :P

DoYouEvenShift > dogisbadob 04/23/2016 at 21:05

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Thats respectable.

This is fucking fast.

Malanga > Wobbles the Mind 04/23/2016 at 21:10

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What about one of these?

Birddog > Wobbles the Mind 04/23/2016 at 22:50

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“I do need to point out that enthusiasts prefer the outside to be uninteresting while the character is brutal”

Thanks for tossing that out there. I don’t think it’s 100% accurate though. The G8, GTO, SS and to an extent the FRBRZ are perfect examples of how an automaker can F—- up by trying to listen to the “enthusiast”.

“We want X from over in Y!”

Automaker builds the enthusiast a car.

Annnd??

“Oh, well I have to wait because *excuse* and it needs *manual Trans, more power, it looks boring*”

It’s not the car’s fault it’s the enthusiast. Car design is schizophrenic right now because the “enthusiast” is schizo.