by Pedkop Bumbera
Jumping ahead 30 years, we find that the reality of current automotive design is schizoid. You've got your cars, and you've got your SUVs. Which by the way are not cars, they're trucks. SUVs are almost all built on standard pickup truck chassis, with a bit of added sound-deadening and suspension softening added. Visually, this is where we are now. On the one hand, we have the massive, ungainly, ill-designed freeway tank:
On the other hand, we have the smooth, mostly ovoid (in spite of Ford's attempt to add edges) space capsule on wheels:
The would-be king of the road, ruling by size alone (might makes right), versus fleet-footed, caressable youth. Of course there are all kinds of variations and mixes. The Lexus SUV is a true truck-car hybrid, while Subaru keeps on its own bizarre path of doing car-truck hybrids that look like a car (mostly) but can do things no car can do. Still, the split is there, and quite clear. Half of car-buyers want bulk, half want sleek. What does it all mean, Alfie? |
