I concluded, stating: "I'm hoping the Honda stylists will come to their senses and find a more attractive side-window profile when the fifth-generation CR-V comes along."
And voila! They actually did.
Nov 17, 2016
Honda Finally Gets the CR-V Right
A while ago I wrote about the side window designs of recent Honda CR-V SUV models. I was not happy.
I concluded, stating: "I'm hoping the Honda stylists will come to their senses and find a more attractive side-window profile when the fifth-generation CR-V comes along."
And voila! They actually did.
Gallery
The first-generation CR-Vs appeared in the USA for the 1997 model year. Window treatment was basic station wagon (break) style.
Second-generation CR-Vs arrived for 2002. A wee bit of rear overhang was added and the C-pillar received the merest whiff of a dog-leg treatment. Nothing objectionable as yet. (These first two images are "for sale" photos, the others look like they came from Honda.)
But for the 2007 third-generation, there is trouble. The drooping upper window profile clashes with the profile of the vehicle's top. That design was suited for sedans, not SUVs.
Honda's 2012 redesign corrected some of the problem just mentioned, but the window treatment remains better suited for sedans.
Here is a photo of a 2017 CR-V. As of late October when I drafted this, I couldn't find one showing the left side view, so this will have to do. At long last the upper window profile and the roof profile are in sync. The side of the tail light assembly clashes with the rest of the C-pillar treatment, so Honda stylists still have a little more work to do.
I concluded, stating: "I'm hoping the Honda stylists will come to their senses and find a more attractive side-window profile when the fifth-generation CR-V comes along."
And voila! They actually did.
Nov 14, 2016
Plymouth Valiant Begets Dodge Lancer
Detroit's Big Three car makers launched lines of compact (in the American context) cars for the 1960 model year. I wrote about Chrysler Corporation's version, the Plymouth Valiant, here. (To be historically accurate, for 1960 the car was simply "Valiant," becoming the Plymouth Valiant for 1961.)
In a move to spread the tooling costs of the Valiant over more cars sold, Chrysler added a facelifted Valiant to its product line in the form of the 1961 Dodge Lancer (Wikipedia entry here). Valiants and Lancers using the Virgil Exner influenced styling continued through the 1962 model year.
Gallery
This is an entry-level 1960 Valiant four-door sedan.
Here is a press-release photo and caption announcing the 1961 Dodge Lancer: click to enlarge. The car is a two-door hardtop coupe, the Plymouth Valiant also getting this new model for 1961. Note that it has fixed side windows towards the rear that are the same as those seen on the Valiant four-door. To create the coupe, the B-pillars were eliminated from the greenhouse and the front doors lengthened while, of course, the rear doors were eliminated. As for distinctive Lancer features, the front fender blade was given a reverse-slanted bend at its rear. The grille/headlights/bumper ensemble was replaced, creating a more conventional (for the times) wider appearance compared to the Valiant's taller, more classical grille. This change required a small area of different sheet metal at the front of the hood.
Rear 3/4 view of a 1960 Valiant.
This RD Classics photo of the rear aspect of a 1961 Lancer reveals that even fewer changes were made here in the transformation from Valiant to Lancer. Aside from different side chrome trim, the Lancer got a different bumper and restyled rear fender tips and tail lights. The greatest change was the elimination of the faux- spare tire cover from the trunk lid: this required revised body stamping, probably in the form of a fewer pass or two plus separate stampings for the cover.
All things considered, the Valiant was a quirky design. The Lancer, on net, was a reasonable clean-up job. The grille area relates better to the rest of the front. Eliminating the spare tire cover motif on the trunk was an important improvement. The tiny blades/fins detailing atop the aft part of the rear fenders was a minus: the Valiant's treatment here was cleaner and better.
In a move to spread the tooling costs of the Valiant over more cars sold, Chrysler added a facelifted Valiant to its product line in the form of the 1961 Dodge Lancer (Wikipedia entry here). Valiants and Lancers using the Virgil Exner influenced styling continued through the 1962 model year.
All things considered, the Valiant was a quirky design. The Lancer, on net, was a reasonable clean-up job. The grille area relates better to the rest of the front. Eliminating the spare tire cover motif on the trunk was an important improvement. The tiny blades/fins detailing atop the aft part of the rear fenders was a minus: the Valiant's treatment here was cleaner and better.
Nov 10, 2016
Facelifting the 1955 Chevrolet
The 1955 Chevrolet (Wikipedia entry here) was a sensation when it was unveiled. For many years Chevrolet was usually the best-selling American brand. But Chevys were seldom very exciting until the '55s came along.
An extremely important excitement factor was its new V-8 motor that supplemented its long-standing "stove-bolt six." Then there was the new styling -- General Motors' A-body version of its B and C body themes launched for 1954. Differences from 1954 Chevys included slab fenders (with a flowing top line), the trunk lid at about the level of the fender tops, a lower hood not much above the fender line and, most important, a wraparound or panoramic windshield.
Another departure for Chevrolet was its grille. Heavy, chromed sculpted bars were replaced by something that looked like a tipped up storm sewer grid ... or perhaps a grille inspired by Ferrari (take your pick). Because it slanted forward and its vertical grid bars were set ahead of the horizontal ones, the grill opening usually looked like a dark, rectangular hole aside from the chromed frame. This was at odds with GM styling supremo Harley Earl's preference for sky-reflecting chrome trim. All-in-all, a curious feature that also was oddly likable.
Regardless, '55 Chevys sold very well. But even as they were being announced to the buying public, stylists were working on the obligatory (in those days) facelift for 1956. Moreover, a redesign wasn't scheduled until the 1958 model year, so there had to be a facelift styled for 1957 as well.
Gallery
A front three-quarter view of a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air via Auctions America.
Publicity photo showing the side. The car looks better without the two-tone paint over the trunk and rear fenders. Basically, a nice, trim design.
Rear view of a Bel Air convertible. It seems plain by today's standards, but fancy rear ends were still in the near-term future.
1956 Chevrolets got new side trim and a more conventional grille. That grill still slanted forward, but it was more heavily chromed. Its ensemble took in the width of the car, unlike the narrow '55 version. All much more conventional ... and not very distinctive.
Rear styling took a small backwards step with the cut-out tail light assemblies replacing the sensible '55 version.
The 1957 facelift was more extensive. Another new grille design appeared, following the industry trend to integrating grilles and bumpers. headlight housings got longer hoods and odd, fake air intakes were added to the hood. Side two-tone paint and trim were replaced by another trim design with space for either paint or a textured metal panel.
This rear 3/4 view of a four-door hardtop shows how the rear fender tops were converted into thin blades hinting at the tail fins that Chrysler Corporation began promoting in 1956. Tail light assemblies took on a jet fighter or sci-fi space ship look with the red lenses at the top, white backup lights at the tips of the bumper guards, and a fake exhaust pipe opening at the bottom. (Actual exhaust pipes ended beneath the bumper.) If memory serves, I think it was Bob Cumberford who revealed that the 1957 Chevrolet facelift was something of a casual effort creating change for change's sake. And it shows. Ironically, I read that '57s are more highly valued these days than the truly important 1955 models.
An extremely important excitement factor was its new V-8 motor that supplemented its long-standing "stove-bolt six." Then there was the new styling -- General Motors' A-body version of its B and C body themes launched for 1954. Differences from 1954 Chevys included slab fenders (with a flowing top line), the trunk lid at about the level of the fender tops, a lower hood not much above the fender line and, most important, a wraparound or panoramic windshield.
Another departure for Chevrolet was its grille. Heavy, chromed sculpted bars were replaced by something that looked like a tipped up storm sewer grid ... or perhaps a grille inspired by Ferrari (take your pick). Because it slanted forward and its vertical grid bars were set ahead of the horizontal ones, the grill opening usually looked like a dark, rectangular hole aside from the chromed frame. This was at odds with GM styling supremo Harley Earl's preference for sky-reflecting chrome trim. All-in-all, a curious feature that also was oddly likable.
Regardless, '55 Chevys sold very well. But even as they were being announced to the buying public, stylists were working on the obligatory (in those days) facelift for 1956. Moreover, a redesign wasn't scheduled until the 1958 model year, so there had to be a facelift styled for 1957 as well.
Nov 7, 2016
BMC 1100s: Bigger, Cleaner Minis
I suspect that even semi-casual observers of the automotive scene are aware that BMW's Mini line has been getting a bit less mini as the years pass. This sort of thing is fairly common, as I noted here with regard to Honda's Civic.
This also happened to the original Minis in the form of a new, larger car based on the Mini's platform concept. That concept was the work of Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE (1906-1988), biographical information here.
The original Mini (produced 1959-1967), was known internally at British Motor Corporation as ADO15 -- Amalgamated Drawing Office project number 15. The Wikipedia entry is here. It was followed by ADO16, produced 1962-1974, and like the Mini was badge-engineered and sold by several BMC brands. More information can be found here.
An early ADO16 was the Morris 1100, subject of this post. These cars were larger, higher priced, and more "styled" than Minis. The Mini design gives the appearance of being more an engineering exercise than a styling one: only the grille looks like it passed under a stylist's pencil. The Wikipedia entry on the ADO16 mentions that the Pininfarina firm was involved in its styling.
Gallery
The web site I grabbed this image from states that this is a 1962 Morris Mini Super. Regardless, its appearance is typical Mini -- mostly a passenger compartment atop tiny wheels.
This seems to be a publicity photo of a Morris 1100 from 1962 or shortly later. The 1100 is large enough to have four doors, though the hood and wheels remain proportionally small.
Side view. The body panels are not as crude or basic as those on the Mini. There's even a subtle character line crease along the side and stamped, raised wheelhouse surrounds, unlike the tacked-on chrome surrounds on the Mini.
Publicity photo of an Australian 1100 showing the more refined body shaping as viewed from the front.
A for sale photo of a 1966 1100 showing the rear. Again, cleaner and more refined than the original Mini. Reminds me of the MGB.
Due to its small size and proportions, the Morris 1100 is not a beautiful car, and most likely never could be. What we see here are really two designs spliced together. One is the above-the-beltline greenhouse that seems more appropriate for a large, more standard size vehicle. The other is the lower body that is in synch with the size of the wheels, thereby creating a sensible composition for that half of the car.
This also happened to the original Minis in the form of a new, larger car based on the Mini's platform concept. That concept was the work of Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE (1906-1988), biographical information here.
The original Mini (produced 1959-1967), was known internally at British Motor Corporation as ADO15 -- Amalgamated Drawing Office project number 15. The Wikipedia entry is here. It was followed by ADO16, produced 1962-1974, and like the Mini was badge-engineered and sold by several BMC brands. More information can be found here.
An early ADO16 was the Morris 1100, subject of this post. These cars were larger, higher priced, and more "styled" than Minis. The Mini design gives the appearance of being more an engineering exercise than a styling one: only the grille looks like it passed under a stylist's pencil. The Wikipedia entry on the ADO16 mentions that the Pininfarina firm was involved in its styling.
Due to its small size and proportions, the Morris 1100 is not a beautiful car, and most likely never could be. What we see here are really two designs spliced together. One is the above-the-beltline greenhouse that seems more appropriate for a large, more standard size vehicle. The other is the lower body that is in synch with the size of the wheels, thereby creating a sensible composition for that half of the car.
Nov 3, 2016
What Were They Thinking?: Buick's 1985 Wildcat Concept Car
General Motors' Buick Division has made considerable use of the name Wildcat over the year, as this link attests. There were three Motorama dream car Wildcats in the mid-1950s, production Buicks with the Wildcat name in the 1960s, and finally another concept car in 1985 that is the subject of this post.
The General Motors web site has this to say about the '85 Wildcat that was developed while Irv Rybicki was in charge of GM styling. Rybicki's production designs tended to be cautious, but this concept car was quite the opposite. Perhaps that was because it was a pure show car and not the type of concept car intended to preview production styling features.
The '85 Wildcat was odd looking -- poorly proportioned, and its front and rear designs looked like they belonged on the opposite ends, as will be shown below. This was largely due to its mid-engine layout. I saw this Wildcat at Expo 86 in Vancouver, and it did not impress me.
The Wildcat's puffy fenders and aerodynamic pretensions strike me as being characteristic of GM styling studio thinking in those days.
Gallery
The front is strongly cabover. The curve that's not interrupted by a cowling looks like a mid-1940s fastback (if the glass is disregarded).
The rear looks more like a front: pretend the backlight is actually a 1950s style wraparound windshield.
In the best hot rod tradition, the "mill" is exposed.
This is the car's "door." Not practical in a rainstorm.
Side view when everything is buttoned down. I just can't help thinking that the front is at the left.
The General Motors web site has this to say about the '85 Wildcat that was developed while Irv Rybicki was in charge of GM styling. Rybicki's production designs tended to be cautious, but this concept car was quite the opposite. Perhaps that was because it was a pure show car and not the type of concept car intended to preview production styling features.
The '85 Wildcat was odd looking -- poorly proportioned, and its front and rear designs looked like they belonged on the opposite ends, as will be shown below. This was largely due to its mid-engine layout. I saw this Wildcat at Expo 86 in Vancouver, and it did not impress me.
The Wildcat's puffy fenders and aerodynamic pretensions strike me as being characteristic of GM styling studio thinking in those days.
Oct 31, 2016
The Fencer's Mask Grille Fad of 1936
Even when American automobile design was evolving from discrete collections of parts to unified, "envelope" bodies during the period 1929-1949, fad and fashion did not take a holiday.
One styling fad was that of the "fencer's mask" grille that started in the 1935 model year, peaked in 1936 and was largely done by 1937. These grilles were convex affairs that extended engine compartment ensembles about as far forward as the fronts of the fenders.
Which I think is why the fad collapsed so quickly. Even in fairly minor frontal collisions, fenders and grilles could suffer damage. The fenders could be pounded back into shape fairly easily in such events. But the grilles with all their decorative bars and other details were more expensive to fix or replace. So 1937 models featured grilles that were moved back a short ways and lost much or all of their convex shapes.
Roughly two-thirds of American brands took part in the fencer's mask fad. Those that essentially didn't included Cadillac, LaSalle, DeSoto, Ford, Lincoln-Zephyr, Packard and Studebaker. Those that did are shown below.
Gallery
1935 Oldsmobile
One the first fencer's mask grilles was on redesigned 1935 Oldsmobiles such as this one I photographed in Brussels a few years ago.
1935 Pontiac with actress Helen Twelvetrees
The other early "mask" was on the '35 Pontiac that shared the Olds' body. It also was the first year for the brand's famous (at the time) Silver Streaks.
1936 Buick - Barrett-Jackson photo
When Buicks were re-bodied for 1936, they too received a fencer's mask style grille.
1936 Chevrolet
The Chevrolet version's convexity was more restrained.
1936 Chrysler Airstream - for sale photo
Chrysler's fencer's mask fronts were extreme versions of the style.
1936 Dodge with movies star Ginger Rogers
Dodge shared Chrysler's body, but its grille is more restrained.
1936 Plymouth Mayflower - Mecum Auctions photo
Chrysler Corporation's entry-level Plymouth's grille thrusts about as far forward, but the painted central strip visually counteracts part of the convex effect.
1936 Hudson
Hudsons were redesigned for 1936 and received an especially fussy convex front.
1936 Nash Ambassador
The Nash fencer's mask version was clean-looking and raked back.
1936 Graham Cavalier - unsourced photo via Flicker
Like Plymouth, sheet metal diminishes the fencer's mask appearance on the Graham.
1936 Hupmobile - Streetside Classic photo
Hupp's grille is raked back in Nash's manner but nevertheless follows the fashion.
2015 Chrysler 200
This recent Chrysler 200 does not have a fencer's mask grille. But its above-the-bumper grille-plus-headlights ensemble illustrates a theme on current cars that strikes me as being just as fad- or fashion-like as those grilles of 80 years ago were.
One styling fad was that of the "fencer's mask" grille that started in the 1935 model year, peaked in 1936 and was largely done by 1937. These grilles were convex affairs that extended engine compartment ensembles about as far forward as the fronts of the fenders.
Which I think is why the fad collapsed so quickly. Even in fairly minor frontal collisions, fenders and grilles could suffer damage. The fenders could be pounded back into shape fairly easily in such events. But the grilles with all their decorative bars and other details were more expensive to fix or replace. So 1937 models featured grilles that were moved back a short ways and lost much or all of their convex shapes.
Roughly two-thirds of American brands took part in the fencer's mask fad. Those that essentially didn't included Cadillac, LaSalle, DeSoto, Ford, Lincoln-Zephyr, Packard and Studebaker. Those that did are shown below.
One the first fencer's mask grilles was on redesigned 1935 Oldsmobiles such as this one I photographed in Brussels a few years ago.
The other early "mask" was on the '35 Pontiac that shared the Olds' body. It also was the first year for the brand's famous (at the time) Silver Streaks.
When Buicks were re-bodied for 1936, they too received a fencer's mask style grille.
The Chevrolet version's convexity was more restrained.
Chrysler's fencer's mask fronts were extreme versions of the style.
Dodge shared Chrysler's body, but its grille is more restrained.
Chrysler Corporation's entry-level Plymouth's grille thrusts about as far forward, but the painted central strip visually counteracts part of the convex effect.
Hudsons were redesigned for 1936 and received an especially fussy convex front.
The Nash fencer's mask version was clean-looking and raked back.
Like Plymouth, sheet metal diminishes the fencer's mask appearance on the Graham.
Hupp's grille is raked back in Nash's manner but nevertheless follows the fashion.
This recent Chrysler 200 does not have a fencer's mask grille. But its above-the-bumper grille-plus-headlights ensemble illustrates a theme on current cars that strikes me as being just as fad- or fashion-like as those grilles of 80 years ago were.
Oct 27, 2016
Volvo's Not-So-Italian P1800 Italian-Themed Sporty Car
Volvo's P1800 (1961-73) was a successful sporty addition to the firm's conservative passenger car line. According to this source, Volvo management wanted the car to have an Italian look, the very best when the project was launched in 1957. So Frua was hired to do the design.
This was around the time Pietro Frua sold his firm to Ghia. Moreover, it seems that Frua supervised the design, but most of the work was done by Pelle Petterson (b. 1932), a Swede who happened to be working for Frua. So the P1800 was more of a Swedish design than Volvo was willing to admit for many years.
P1800 styling is pleasing, which probably accounted for its market success. The most noticeable feature is how small the passenger greenhouse is compared to the rest of the body. Rear fender tops are in the form of what amounts to vertical blades, a mild kind of tail fin that was in vogue during the late 1950s when the car was styled. Subtle creases extended along the sides from near the headlights back to the tail light assemblies. Chromed spears on the front fender sides were placed immediately below the creases and then curved upwards towards the aft of the doors, echoing the lower curves of the rear quarter windows. At that point, atop the fender lines, thin chromed strips continued along the ridge of the rear fender blades, ending at the taillight assemblies. Early production front bumpers were in two segments with a gap between them for front license plate placement. Near the gap, the bumpers angled upwards at around 45 degrees, much in the manner of 1954-1957 Cadillacs, but without the Cadillac "Dagmar" bumper guards. Later the front bumper was redesigned as a one-piece, horizontal unit.
Gallery
This is a publicity photo of a 1961 Volvo P1800. It differs little from the prototypes shown below.
A poor-quality photo that shows what seems to be the first Frua prototype in an Italian setting.
Studio photo of a prototype P1800.
Rear view of what might be the prototype in the previous image. The kinked, segmented rear bumper was not a production item.
A Volvo studio photo of what is probably the gray P1800 shown in Italy, above.
Two photos of Pelle Petterson and an early production P1800.
Restored 1961 Volvo P1800, Hyman Ltd. photo.
Publicity photo, year unknown, showing the rear styling that has a few detail differences from the prototypes.
This was around the time Pietro Frua sold his firm to Ghia. Moreover, it seems that Frua supervised the design, but most of the work was done by Pelle Petterson (b. 1932), a Swede who happened to be working for Frua. So the P1800 was more of a Swedish design than Volvo was willing to admit for many years.
P1800 styling is pleasing, which probably accounted for its market success. The most noticeable feature is how small the passenger greenhouse is compared to the rest of the body. Rear fender tops are in the form of what amounts to vertical blades, a mild kind of tail fin that was in vogue during the late 1950s when the car was styled. Subtle creases extended along the sides from near the headlights back to the tail light assemblies. Chromed spears on the front fender sides were placed immediately below the creases and then curved upwards towards the aft of the doors, echoing the lower curves of the rear quarter windows. At that point, atop the fender lines, thin chromed strips continued along the ridge of the rear fender blades, ending at the taillight assemblies. Early production front bumpers were in two segments with a gap between them for front license plate placement. Near the gap, the bumpers angled upwards at around 45 degrees, much in the manner of 1954-1957 Cadillacs, but without the Cadillac "Dagmar" bumper guards. Later the front bumper was redesigned as a one-piece, horizontal unit.
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