Do you remember when you couldn’t leave the table– or have desert– without finishing your vegetables? Personally speaking, the parental requirement didn’t make me any more likely to eat or enjoy vegetables. The same holds true when it comes to green cars. I’m as sensitive about saving the planet as the next guy, if not more. But ever since “planet friendly” jumped to the top of the list of PR-friendly attributes– above performance and styling– I’ve been turning back into a child that hates his greens.
Take this year’s Geneva show. Please. Yes, there were some stunning cars. But apart from the flacks, hacks and enthusiasts who visited the Swiss city on the lake, the rest of us will never see these machines in flesh. O.K., maybe you live in a neighborhood where the guy next door rocks-up in a Maserati Granturismo S looking for some Grey Poupon. And Maser man may wave at a passing a Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe driver as he exits your mile-long drive.
Me? I’m left hoping for an early sighting of the new VW Scirocco. Unless my spam blocker was secretly set for new metal, the new Portuguese VeeDub was the biggest launch from a mainstream manufacturer at Geneva this year.
And there I was, all excited with VW’s press release days before the show. Wolfsburg promised to “take [Geneva] by storm with four new models.” And then I found out that, Scirocco aside, the psychological tempest in question involved a TDI hybrid Golf, a natural gas version of a TSI Passat estate and a diesel Sharan with longer gear ratios.
Again, I can appreciate new technology. Despite my pistonhead passion for lateral and horizontal G-forces, there’s still an engineer inside me that loves to pop the hood and see what’s what. And again, I’m all for saving polar bears by driving cleaner cars. But no matter how green it may be, I just can’t get excited by a new kind of oil burning VW Golf. Not with ten million units already out the factory door.
As for the Passat wagon, that model wasn’t exactly what I’d call thrilling on the day it was launched in Geneva. Time has not added to its emotional appeal. And don’t even try to get me down memory lane to remember when the Volkswagen Sharan minivan went on sale for the first time. Or the last time I saw one.
Of course, VW’s sister-under-the-skin was also on board for the “green is beautiful” shtick. Audi actually tried to convince people the TDI ΤΤ is a new car. Even someone as starved for diesels as I am (oil burners are not allowed in Athens) can’t see any more beauty in the new old Bauhaus design– even it has tree-pulling torque and a 50mpg sticker.
At least Audi had a new model launch, although the new A4 Avant looks exactly the same as the old one which you couldn’t tell from the one before that or the very first one (for that matter).
BMW fans were also starved of new car love. The Bavarian automaker’s Geneva stand offered no new Bangle shapes to offend the faithful. In fact, that dreamy look in their eyes was probably down to the effects of reading the support materials for Bimmer’s EfficientDynamics powertrain; a tome filled with so many technical details you get college credit just for cracking the binding.
And hello, Mr Fioravanti (call me Pininfarina). No matter how sleek and futuristic you make it, a faceless hatchback with nanotechnology windscreen (and no wipers!) is about as interesting as three black beach balls taped together trying to pass themselves off as Mickey Mouse.
Where did all the drop-dead gorgeous concept cars go? I remember when designers debuted show cars made of exquisitely shaped foam, with no more mechanicals than four wheels. Aside from Cadillac’s engineless Provoq concept, it’s now the other way around. Automakers “debut” cars they’ve been making for years with an exotic engine.
I understand car manufacturers have to satisfy new, highly stringent CO2 regulations or, more likely, pay the fines and whack-up prices. I understand that we’re [supposedly] in a time of transition, when various [over-complicated] powerplants are vying for future domination. I know that the press is infatuated with the pursuit, as it beats beating-up the people who pay the advertising that pays their salaries. But c’mon. Cars are about emotion, not reason.
Why can’t carmakers pay R&D and styling studios? Let’s face it: if a car manufacturer wants consumers to “eat” green cars, they have to be beautiful. Would the Chevy Volt get as much attention if it looked like a Malibu? (Will it?) Like the vegetables of my childhood era, shoving green cars down my throat just because they’re good for me won’t make me want to buy them.
So, here’s a question for the group: what kind of green concepts would you find interesting and exciting? I concur that a new TDI Golf is pretty blah, but what would get your juices flowing?
Cars are about emotion, not reason.
They’re about both. The reason side is getting appealed to now, after years of the emotional part being satiated. The Solstice’s sensuous curves, the LF-As adventurous take on L-Finesse with a massive V-10, untold concepts from Jaguar. We still get them with the 1-Series tii, Demon and the continuing evolution of Mazda design. The pendulum is just swinging in the other direction for the time being. And if the future includes cars like the VW up! series and the Fiesta hatches, I don’t see much to complain about.
A Ford Crown Vic with a straight six diesel engine. Or a V8 diesel. Either would be good.
Or a Toyota Prius with a straight six diesel. That’d be cool!
Or a Hummer with a V8 diesel hybrid powertrain. That’s be cool too!
Come to think of it, any North American car with a new diesel would be good.
I’m more interested in cars I would consider owning. I’m eagerly awaiting the “hot hatch” wars part 2 in the US. It has to be coming, doesn’t it? I want to see the Fiesta, the Mazda 2, whatever comes of VW’s Up! concepts and I’d absolutely love for the Fiat 500 to make it here.
Lets see green house glass in place of gas! Give me some wedge! How about ItalDesigns Maserati Boomerang plug in, or Bertone Carabo synergy drive, Pininfarina Modulo TDI? Yes please.
All thats needed to bring wedge back are some simple explosive charges behind every body panel. In the event of collision the car would simply puff up to legal requirements.
re: “…c’mon. Cars are about emotion, not reason.”
agree with the sentiments expressed – up to a point. but these days, cars are also about fuel costs that are heading straight for the stratosphere and car lots full of lots-o-cars. existing, poor-mileage models that nobody’s buying.
case-in-point: just heard about an hour ago that chrysler’s shutting down everything for two weeks and forcing their employees to take manditory vacations – a tactic its employing to try and help reduce the glut of existing models.
i think more and more manufacturers are finally starting to catch on to the new realities confronting them – that, in order to sell em, they gotta go green and they gotta make em affordable.
I’m not excited about any ‘green’ car, unless it’s British Racing Green.
Style over substance. My CR-V is an ULEV(ultra low emission vehicle) which is the most important “green” aspect. Don’t pollute your local environment.
At the same time, when I need to merge to freeway traffic, my 4-cylinder has enough oomph to get the job done.
Or a Hummer with a V8 diesel hybrid powertrain. That’s be cool too!
The original hummer was a diesel, and a great ride as well. The civilian model was ridiculous to have a gasoline engine.
I can’t wait for the diesel Moller Skycar…
I think most green cars will always be toasters. Don’t hold you breath for pretty ones. At the leading edge of technology it will always be easiest and cheapest to design cars functionally foremost, with bicycle tires and tiny interiors. The PR hacks could have a blob of crap on the stage as long as it says xx mpg.
Most people are happy to buy ugly cars anyway.
argentla: So, here’s a question for the group: what kind of green concepts would you find interesting and exciting?
A small roadster (nothing big and bloated like a Miata or Elise), successor to cars like the Honda Beat, Suzuki Cappucino, and Daihatsu Copen.
quasimondo: I’m not excited about any ‘green’ car, unless it’s British Racing Green.
An MG Midget is fine too.
@kps
“A small roadster (nothing big and bloated like a Miata or Elise), successor to cars like the Honda Beat, Suzuki Cappucino, and Daihatsu Copen.”
Like the Smart Roadster? I had one as a rental again last week. Fun, fun, fun… If a Golf is parked next to you, it looks like a SUV. And we averaged 44 mpg driving it like we stole it.
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Honda FCX, anyone?
the concept of a “green car” is an oxymoron. cars, their manufacture, & the infrastructure they occupy (aka the autobahn) are all very bad for the planet. the grotesque hypocrisy of -say- general motors touting the green attributes of their latest gas-guzzling barge is enough to make one sick. my favourite was all the so-called greens, including the president of the sierra club, selecting a 6-litre tahoe as the green car of the year!
So, here’s a question for the group: what kind of green concepts would you find interesting and exciting? I concur that a new TDI Golf is pretty blah, but what would get your juices flowing?
Toyota A-BAT.
Fix the styling a bit, and I’ll buy it.
Part of the problem is that almost everything really interesting or beautiful has already been done. If you go into an auto show expecting to be knocked back on your heels by a really great idea you haven’t seen before it may not happen.
Why do you think so little really great rock and roll has been created in the past ten years? Well, that is because much of the possibility of that area has already been taken up by the efforts which have gone before.
Ditto classical music. Has anyone every outdone Bach, Wagner, Beethoven, Mozart et. al.?
Brand new fields of endeavor create vast blank canvasses on which the hordes of hard working creative people who flock to the field do their thing. Over time, the canvas become filled up and the best the new artist can do is to paint over some of what has gone before.
There simply isn’t much new to be said.
Some of the best concept cars are recent times are re-dos. The Lincoln concept of five or so years ago comes to mind.
I love internal combustion. But I would get very excited by an x-prize-winning car, even powered by electricity, or anything else that could assure me that driving isn’t going to get much more expensive in my lifetime.
# gsp :
March 13th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I think most green cars will always be toasters. Don’t hold you breath for pretty ones. At the leading edge of technology it will always be easiest and cheapest to design cars functionally foremost, with bicycle tires and tiny interiors. The PR hacks could have a blob of crap on the stage as long as it says xx mpg.
Most people are happy to buy ugly cars anyway.
How much do aesthetically nice cars cost? Any under $25K?
Part of the problem is that almost everything really interesting or beautiful has already been done.
That’s an interesting point of view. You really think there’s a finite amount of inspiration and at some point people just ran out? Be it music or autocars?
Well that’d be scary. I mean at which point do you actually accept that you reached the limit and stop trying to come up with something new?
I strongly disagree with that. I will go along with the idea that some things have their time after which for various reasons just run out of steam, but that’s different to saying that there’s nothing more to invent or create in this area.
I think jthorner is right. There is only one best aerodynamc design for a car. Using that as a start point, there are only so many variations you can use, and still maintain ‘maximum green’.
Imagine a return to some of the early designs for orginary cars. Long and low and wide, swoopy curves, long fenders, etc all with modern engineering to move it and steer it and stop it. Austin Healeys, Jags, 30’s Fords and Chevys, etc.
Here is another idea: move away from 450 hp drivetrains towards reasonable, smaller engines and concentrate more on style. That is what I think some of the retro cars have over the more ordinary cars.
Here is another – lengthen a model’s lifespan by several years. Do more of what VW was doing with the early Beetle and fix a long list of details while leaving the basic car alone. Make it last. Move to a business model of upgrades.
Whatever the case I think the old saying about driving a slow car fast being more fun than driving a fast car slow really applies. With fuel going up maybe we’ll have to adopt that attitude.
My buddy’s Miata is pretty green. 478whp in a car that light, he doesn’t even need to go beyond a quarter throttle to get up and moving to high way speeds, so he’s not on the throttle that much. And its painted green.
A corvette with the new 4.5L diesel. Or a corvette made with the lightest combination of parts currently used and sporting cylinder deactivation, GDI and VVT like the Vipers.
# Virtual Insanity :
March 14th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
My buddy’s Miata is pretty green. 478whp in a car that light, he doesn’t even need to go beyond a quarter throttle to get up and moving to high way speeds, so he’s not on the throttle that much. And its painted green.
The throttle body make gasoline engines inefficient at part throttle and light loads.
I think that the New Beetle, Mini (maybe not so much the interior) and Fiat 500 are great re-imaginings of their predecessors. They are tight, efficient and well styled. They are affordable by most people with the Mini at the top of that range.
Aside from the PT Cruiser (a vehicle Chrysler actually got “right”) and maybe the Mustang, which domestic “retro” offerings were aimed at everyday driving and affordable to a broad audience? The SSR? No. The Prowler? No. The Thunderbird? No again.
Why can they delve into their past and deliver a nicely re-imagined version of a well received car from the past (or even a pedestrian model) and modernize it with a well crafted interior and reliable and *efficient* drivetrain?
The Nomad concept that was to ride on the same platform as the Solstice would have been a coup if they built and delivered it for under $20k. It was a really nice looking concept IMO. Imagine the Dodge Dart redone today. How about a new Chevy Vega or a Ford Falcon?
The Venturi Astrolab is a pretty sweet green concept car!
korvetkeith, I think your missing the point…
I saw a new Mini parked beside an original. The new is larger in every dimension by nearly a foot. The new Beetle is a bloated parody of the original. I love the lines of 37- 40 US cars, the PT Cruiser comes close, but it really needs tear drop headlights to do it right.
Andy D :
I don’t believe they need to duplicate the original. I just think a well executed re-imagining of the original could be a hit. It’s hard to deny the success of the Mini despite its larger size. It’s a great handling, peppy and good looking car. The 500 is even better in that regard as they seem to have executed the interior better. The Beetle may be bloated, but it’s a solid car with a quality interior and with the TDI is really efficient.
I don’t mind if the new vehicles are larger to accommodate the required safety equipment. I don’t mind if a rear engined car must become front engined for pragmatic reasons.
Despite my flippant and cruel remarks toward the domestics I really think there are some great cars in their history that they could revive for “every man” to drive and make them a lot more efficient in the process. There are some nicely styled pre-’40 vehicles that could be reborn.
“That’s an interesting point of view. You really think there’s a finite amount of inspiration and at some point people just ran out? Be it music or autocars?”
I do think that there is a certain amount of possibility space created by new technologies which creates a big blank canvas for inspired people to create with and upon, but the space itself has some limits. The canvas never gets completely full, but the opportunities created by new wide-open vistas eventually fade.
The fusion of blues, gospel, jazz, etc. along with the arrival of electronic instruments of all kinds provided the great new playground upon which the great rock & rollers of the 1960s-1970s created some amazing new stuff. Now that field of endeveour has been largely consumed and a young person today with the same drive and talent as a 20 year old Roger Waters had in his day is faced with a much less interesting playing field upon which to do his thing.
It is the times, not just the person, which feed the possibility of genius.
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