Golden Age of automobile design...?

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

914Driver said:

 

Harley Earl.

 

Came
Here
To
Say
This

Here's the thing about Earl. He was more a force because he was the first head of the first design department at GM. His design motifs were extravagant, over indulgent, and beyond grand. When things toned down they were better, but he just couldn't help himself. Just look at all the damn chrome slathered on the cars in 58.

For my money, the crisp clean lines of Mitchell's design studios from the 60s were much better. Thanks in large part to guys like Shinoda and Brock.

Admitted fanboi post.

What other car has created so much 'want' upon it's introduction? And we can all agree it was based purely on it's styling.

Also in the 1960s we got  probably the most civilized (and popular) sports car that heavily influenced The Answer decades later.

Yes, we also got the XKE but that is more of an exotic and not something everyone could own. I also would say it was the pinnacle of motorcycle styling, because who doesn't think a Triumph twin is beautiful?

vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:

I will repeat what Strother MacMinn wrote me. "It costs no more money to make a good looking car than a bad looking one so why make a bad looking one?"

I thank some manufacturing people might beg to differ on that point, no way the panels for these two cars cost the same to produce. 

vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

914Driver said:

Harley Earl.

Came Here To Say This

Here's the thing about Earl. He was more a force because he was the first head of the first design department at GM. His design motifs were extravagant, over indulgent, and beyond grand. When things toned down they were better, but he just couldn't help himself. Just look at all the damn chrome slathered on the cars in 58.

For my money, the crisp clean lines of Mitchell's design studios from the 60s were much better. Thanks in large part to guys like Shinoda and Brock.

100% agreed.

I really like '55 Chevies.  I really really don't like '57s, despite being the same basic shape.  And while I can appreciate the '59-'61 Detroit Big 3 era, I will never say I like them.  It took styling until '63 to recover a bit from the fever, and it didn't really hit stride until '65.

1987-1988 world wide. There were dogs in every market segment, but generally this was it. Stand outs for me include the redesigned Fox front end, 3rd gen F body, FC rx7 and MK3 Supra, every Mercedes, Volvo 780 and oh so much more

In reply to Jesse Ransom :

Fingers crossed.

For aesthetic design I was inclined to say the common 1960s but I think the better answer is the muscle car Era, which I've generally seen described as 1964-1974. I think it's a shame to leave stuff like the 70-74 Chrysler E body's, 70 mustang, 70 split bumper camaro, and the early 70s firebird out to name a few.

Second place would be 50s just for the interior. 60 interiors were still nice but I've never seen such beautiful dashes as in 50s cars. Plus the C1 is up there pretty high for exteriors.

For overall design, which includes everything, Id have to say early 90s to early 00s. Lots of stuff that's pretty and timeless and is actually still fun to drive. Everyone was doing something cool, id have in my driveway during this time

I think 60ish to 72.

SO many beautiful cars from the worlds manfactuers.  After that, it's no longer purely up to the designers and engineers. 

In 73 the crash standards begin, at least in the US (how many nice designs did that ruin) which inflences how they engineer and sculpt it.  Late 80s early 90s aero comes in and shapes it more. 

Bumper heights, headlight heights, pedestrian crash standards. 

Not that there aren't handsome cars out there, the Miata (though I think you can tell where they made concessions), the frisbee twins, the RCF (excepting the hiddeous grill), and so on, but none are afforded a clean sheet.