The MW Automotive Thread Quattro SpecV

[reddsun1]

This vid is just too damn short...

Hot Dayum! what a sweet effin' sound.

"She's meanness put to music, and the bitch is born to run!"

You know it's the sound of pure brutality; such intensity that it'd make your head throb after an hour behind the wheel. But it'd be SO worth it! Making the skoot-jockeys piss themselves!

Edited December 3, 2010 by reddsun1

[areaseven]

Chrysler takes its best-selling car (or otherwise the only car that made money for them) and gives it a makeover. The result is a design as exciting as a refrigerator.

2011 Chrysler 300 Preview

[anime52k8]

Chrysler takes its best-selling car (or otherwise the only car that made money for them) and gives it a makeover. The result is a design as exciting as a refrigerator.

2011 Chrysler 300 Preview

Now that's not nice, I've Seen refrigerators that are way better looking than this thing.

[mikeszekely]

Dear Nissan,

Your performance cars deliver amazing performance at half the price of cars that perform equally (Both the GTR and 370). You should really hire others to handle the aesthetics however. Your cars are unattractive, and borderline annoying to look at, which is why until you fix this problem, I won't be buying one.

Thank you,

A1

I don't think that the GTR looks bad per se, just not great. It certainly doesn't look as exciting as other cars with similar performance.

As for the 370Z, at least it's an improvement from the 350Z. The lines are less Audi, more Porsche.

Chrysler takes its best-selling car (or otherwise the only car that made money for them) and gives it a makeover. The result is a design as exciting as a refrigerator.

The Daimler-Chrysler group should do the automotive world a favor and kill off the Chrysler van. I think the last time Chrysler had a car that wasn't flat-out boring was the PT Cruiser. And even then, the PT Cruiser might not have been boring, but it was kind of stupid.

Edited December 6, 2010 by mikeszekely

[Agent ONE]

Now that's not nice, I've Seen refrigerators that are way better looking than this thing.

I like it.

[areaseven]

The Daimler-Chrysler group should do the automotive world a favor and kill off the Chrysler van. I think the last time Chrysler had a car that wasn't flat-out boring was the PT Cruiser. And even then, the PT Cruiser might not have been boring, but it was kind of stupid.

Uhhh...

1. It's no longer DaimlerChrysler, as Daimler AG abandoned Chrysler a couple of years ago. Chrysler is now mostly owned by Fiat.

2. Did you read the link? It's about the 300 sedan, not the Town & Country van.

[mikeszekely]

Uhhh...

1. It's no longer DaimlerChrysler, as Daimler AG abandoned Chrysler a couple of years ago. Chrysler is now mostly owned by Fiat.

I do kind of remember hearing something about that, now that you mentioned it. So who's still in Daimler's portfolio? I'm assuming Dodge went with Chrysler, since this new 300 has a Hemi.

2. Did you read the link? It's about the 300 sedan, not the Town & Country van.

Yeah, I read the link. I realize it's about a sedan. It's just that I'd have to try REALLY hard to come up with a more generic-looking sedan. The thing looks custom made for a government motor pool. If you really want a Hemi, there's gotta be better rides than that (though I freely admit that you're unlikely to find that much horsepower in another Dodge/Chrysler sedan, probably have to go with the Challenger).

[David Hingtgen]

I think they're going for the "I think the large Buicks are too sleek and modern-looking now" market segment...

[mikeszekely]

I think they're going for the "I think the large Buicks are too sleek and modern-looking now" market segment...

Hey, old guys with hats have to drive too.

[areaseven]

For your viewing pleasure, the New Stratos.

2010 New Stratos

[David Hingtgen]

I like. Don't love, but I like.

[dizman]

Cool,it looks almost exactly like the original just a bit more aerodynamic. So is it going to see an actual release or is it just a prototype with no future?

[mikeszekely]

For your viewing pleasure, the New Stratos.

I'm digging it. It's got some interesting lines.

[anime52k8]

I like. Don't love, but I like.

same here, it looks good in all the areas where it's copying the original, but the original still looks better.

Also I hate when they try and stick conventional head lights on cars designed to have pop up headlights. sure they're less aerodynamic and more complex and blahblahblah but dammit pop ups look better.

Edited December 11, 2010 by anime52k8

[areaseven]

Also I hate when they try and stick conventional head lights on cars designed to have pop up headlights. sure they're less aerodynamic and more complex and blahblahblah but dammit pop ups look better.

Blame it on pedestrian safety laws.

[reddsun1]

Cool,it looks almost exactly like the original just a bit more aerodynamic. So is it going to see an actual release or is it just a prototype with no future?

"...Currently, the New Stratos is one of a kind. Whether or not an exclusive, limited run will be manufactured, depends upon demand."

Appears this is arguably the ultimate kit-car; a chopped, shortened and otherwise heavily modified custom based on an F430 chassis, built for a father/son duo of wealthy collectors.

Who knows? maybe some more enthusiasts with deep pockets will step up, chequebooks in hand?

Edited December 11, 2010 by reddsun1

[reddsun1]

Also I hate when they try and stick conventional head lights on cars designed to have pop up headlights. sure they're less aerodynamic and more complex and blahblahblah but dammit pop ups look better.

I always liked the conversions like those on the early Corvettes, before pop-ups were eliminated from the design.

I used to wonder why no Corvette owners ever seemed to go for the conversion for a street-going car; but apparently, the headlight frames/etc are bloody expensive.

[jenius]

I had a C4 and constantly fixing the flip around mechanisms on the headlights truly left a bad taste in my mouth for flip-up headlights in general. I'm glad this is something the auto industry has gotten away from.

[areaseven]

It's a sad week in the automotive world, as a racing legend has passed away. R.I.P. Tom Walkinshaw.

Tom Walkinshaw (1946-2010)

[anime52k8]

I had a C4 and constantly fixing the flip around mechanisms on the headlights truly left a bad taste in my mouth for flip-up headlights in general. I'm glad this is something the auto industry has gotten away from.

I drive a mk3 supra that my dad bought new in 1986 and it's never once had something go wrong with the headlights.

[ultimateone]

That 2011 300 is fugly.

Some random Jeeps to get the taste of that out of your mouths...

[ultimateone]

What do you all think of Ratrods? I really like the look of them. You think at first that it's just sh!t all thrown together, but there really is a style behind them, and it takes some effort (so it seems) to make it look like you put no effort into it.

That makes sense, right?

Anyhow, here's some more.

[Agent ONE]

I think those things are terrible. They find a nice old car and totally ruin it.

[mikeszekely]

I think those things are terrible. They find a nice old car and totally ruin it.

This. Except I'm not super huge on old cars, period. Aside from a collection of truly stand-out designs, I'm too in love with modern tech.

[ultimateone]

I think those things are terrible. They find a nice old car and totally ruin it.

I could see how one would have that opinion. Where do you draw the line on mods though? I like them because they seem like a poor mans rescue. An old car that you can't afford to make pretty, you make it ugly on purpose, so long as you have an eye for it and can weld.

[reddsun1]

I like rat rods. Wouldn't be my first choice to build/buy for a personal ride, but I definitely respect the effort and creativity that goes into them. I'm not too keen on the trend of "patina" though, i.e. painting a car to look like it's old and rusted. That's trying to give a car a sense of presence that really can only come from years of use/abuse/love with an owner(s), not from some high-end paint booth.

While not really a rat rod, this one's got a unique "Southern-fried at the circle-track" flavor to it. Owned by an older local couple--in their 60's, I think--it was pretty cool to see the guy helping his wife in and out of the car. LOL, it's got A/C too.

I love stuff that's race-inspired, pretty much regardless of which discipline. "Form Follows Function" is the dictum that tends to produce the most noteworthy and desirable high-performance cars.

With the ultra low CoG, late-model style powerplant, and huge meats all around, it'd be neat to see what kind of performance numbers this little beastie could produce.

[anime52k8]

This. Except I'm not super huge on old cars, period. Aside from a collection of truly stand-out designs, I'm too in love with modern tech.

I love old cars, the lines and ornamentation on old vehicles are just so much better than modern cars.

that said I don't really like most hot rods in general. some of them can look nice but for the most part they all tend to get so smoothed out and massaged that they end up looking incredibly generic.

I could see how one would have that opinion. Where do you draw the line on mods though? I like them because they seem like a poor mans rescue. An old car that you can't afford to make pretty, you make it ugly on purpose, so long as you have an eye for it and can weld.

Except they're not really a poor mans build. most of these things take as much or more time and money as some crazy custom car with fancy paint lots of custom body work. I just don't see the appeal of going through so much work to make your car look like a junker.

[mikeszekely]

Need a quick bit of advice. Winter is already getting pretty lousy here in western PA. I'm having a hard time getting around in my Lancer with the original tires. I live in a small apartment, so snow tires aren't really an option since I don't have anywhere to store the tires that aren't on my car. I want to get some all-weathers. My budget is pretty tight, too. I'm considering two tires, and I'd appreciate any insight you guys had on either. I'm between Yokohama Avid ENVigor and Continental ExtremeContact DWS.

I could see how one would have that opinion. Where do you draw the line on mods though? I like them because they seem like a poor mans rescue. An old car that you can't afford to make pretty, you make it ugly on purpose, so long as you have an eye for it and can weld.

I assume you mean visual mods? I think, if you have a nice car and you want to make it stand out, that's one thing. Or, if you have a car that was nice at one time, and it needs overhauled, that's one thing too. But I die a little when I see the kids around here who barely made it through high school putting chrome exhausts, low-profile tires and expensive rims onto early '90s Civics with two-tone paint jobs and rust spots. If you drive a beater, you don't spend more money tarting it up than you did on the car, you save that money and buy a better car. That's why I sold my stock Mirage and bought a Lancer GTS. And I see no reason to do anything with the Lancer, because I like the way it looks just fine.

Of course, performance mods are a different ball game.

Edited December 15, 2010 by mikeszekely

[areaseven]

It's coming...

[anime52k8]

It's coming...

Fast and Furious: modern warfare 2?

Edited December 19, 2010 by anime52k8

[Ghost Train]

Definitely see a lot less JP vehicles and more American muscle in the new movie... perhaps Toyota's auto-pilot mode, problem influenced that a bit? or Ford's absolute domination of the US automobile market.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Ghost Train

[Retracting Head Ter Ter]

I like the new Stratos. Retains the original look pretty well. And it doesn't suffer from too much 'model bloat'.

[areaseven]

The Five Greatest Mercedes-Benz Sports Cars of All-Time - I'd probably agree with the first three, but that's it.

[areaseven]

You gotta love Motor Trend and their sense of logic...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZEoMnS8u-s

[Beltane70]

The question is, what do they consider affordable?