(1) Volvo concept shiz (2) Sporty estate cars in general

[Guest Breadvan72]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that ORL MODAN CARZ R RUBIHS, but check this Mofo out:-

 

Fugly at the front, and blingin' rimz way too big, but actually not bad as modern toss goes?
 

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/geneva-motor-show/volvo-concept-estate-previews-radical-new-interior-style

 

Sporty Estate Cars in general, me likee.  Pref 3 door ones, as if you want to get in the back, you can bloody well duck yer head and climb in.  

 

Scimitar GTE, bodged Lotuis Elan Estate, Some Jaaaaaaaaag Estates, Lancia HPE, Alfa Sportwagons, etc.   Who says that an Estate car actually has to be any use?  

[Luckythirteen]

I have a sudden irrational hatred of the word 'infotainment'.

 

The ergonomics look okay, and it's not too bad outside. But then the bar's been set quite low with some of its rivals anyway. Are they trying to make it less tank-like than the current XC90? As long as it'll tow a horse box, and not be seen as too crass among the neighbours, it'll sell.

All purpose estates are fine, I suppose, but practical experience tends to say that unless you need an actual four by, a Legacy or something like that will do fine. Practical, and fun to drive!

[bub2006]

Front end has an air of BMW to it i think.

[fordperv]

At least the colour points towards shite.

[Junkman]

What has been seen cannot be unseen.

Holy shit is that fugly.

How is it humanly possible to deliberately make something this hideous? On purpose!

I might consider it shite in 40 years hence.

[DeeJay]

Modern cars are alright until something goes wrong, then it seems to be a world of pain.

[Split_Pin]

It looks like the wooden toy car my son has from IKEA that has inordinately large wheels for maximum zoomability on the floor.

 

Wait, there's a spurious connection....

[KruJoe]

 

Look at the size of that door! I hope it has Avantime-esque double hinges.

[cms206]

[drum]

I like it.

 

'Tis true though that the future secondhand car market will be quite different from what we know what with all the electrogizmo failures that are bound to prevail.

[drum]

[skattrd]

I quite like ir, it's certainly less hateful than most moderns.

I also (unsurprisingly) like the 3dr sports estate, shooting break or whatever. I want a jensen healey one next.... After borrowing my brothers Scimitar for a bit

[inconsistant]

Ovlov should stop pissing about with a 'volvo aesthetic' and just re release the p1800es.

[inconsistant]

...or this:

 

[dome]

Isn't that Amazon Guy Martins?

[Skizzer]

The interesting thing for me is the possibility of the revival of the 3-door estate, a genre I thought had more or less died out completely.

 

Mrs S and I have no kids and try to discourage people from wanting a lift anywhere, so we only need two side doors.  We do have a medium-sized dog and an occasional need to carry big things in the boot, like bags of garden waste and big tools for fetching old cars out of sheds, so a big boxy boot and a hatch is handy.  

 

Up until the 80s we'd have had bags of choice of 3 door wagon. Escorts up to Mk3/4, Astras up to Mk2 and the Chevette and Vivas HB and HC before them, ADO16 and Allegro, Fiat 128, Simca 1100 and the Opel Rekord E all came in that form, just off the top of my head.  For something a bit more entertaining there were the Scimitar GTE, Lancia Beta HPE, Volvo P1800E and 480, BMW 2002 Touring, Toyota Celica Liftback and I'm sure you can think of others.

 

Nowadays, I'm stuck with a 4x4, giving me lousy aerodynamics, extra width I don't want or need and in most cases a lot of fuck-you aggressive styling gimmicks (my Yeti being the least bad on this front).  Oh, or a BINI Clubman - er, no thanks.

 

Next daily driver then?  The shortlist is:

• Get an Alfa 159 and weld up the back doors
• Win lottery, buy Lynx Eventer
• Find a really tidy 1987 Honda Accord Aerodeck 2.0iEX
• Mug Breadvan72 for the keys to his new HPE

 

Other suggestions?

[eddyramrod]

What has been seen cannot be unseen.

Holy shit is that fugly.

How is it humanly possible to deliberately make something this hideous? On purpose!

I might consider it shite in 40 years hence.

 

It's bloody vile.  Stop mincing your words, man.

 

 

Look at the size of that door! I hope it has Avantime-esque double hinges.

 

I'd bet far more money on someone getting lovely* brown vertical streaks on their doors at Tesco...

 

 

 

Please tell me that's currently racing in a series I might be able to get to...!

[catsinthewelder]

As moderns go that's quite nice,  I really like the interior but that touchscreen bollocks can FRO.

 

I would run one but the dealer would have to set the radio and heater up to my liking first then screw a bit of wood over the screen.

[Sudsprint]

Looks great to my eyes. Good colour too.

 

I like it.

[alf892]

Another like it..........

[cort1977]

Got to say i quite like it too.   Agree that it looks a bit BMW like, is that a bit of the Bangle 'flame surfacing' bullshit going on along the sides.

 

 

I like it.

'Tis true though that the future secondhand car market will be quite different from what we know what with all the electrogizmo failures that are bound to prevail.

 

Agree with this but i think it is interesting that as the speed of progress in electronics is greatly outpacing vehicle life we may start to see aftermarket electronics that you can retrofit in to your 5 year old modern.   Like a new stereo.   Obviously not what manufacturers want and will do their best to frustrate such efforts with proprietary software but might be something that gets developed.

 

Not going to help with useless 'progress' like electric handbrakes, keyless systems with start buttons or all the other bollocks that they keep coming out with.

[DeeJay]

Those wheel arches remind me of a Triumph Vitesse/herald I've seen somewhere.

Ugly bugger.

[mercrocker]

Pooty.....not for me.   I'll have a 2300 Magnum estate instead.   Same shite brown but with slightly too-touchy-feely velour and scattered 70s analogue dials, switches and windy miller windows.    'S'all I need.... 

[eddyramrod]

Offer that Magnum in the lush maroon they did and I'll join you.  Make mine a proper gearbox though, I've only got the two feet, both of them left...

[Guest Breadvan72]

The interesting thing for me is the possibility of the revival of the 3-door estate, a genre I thought had more or less died out completely.

 

Mrs S and I have no kids and try to discourage people from wanting a lift anywhere, so we only need two side doors.  We do have a medium-sized dog and an occasional need to carry big things in the boot, like bags of garden waste and big tools for fetching old cars out of sheds, so a big boxy boot and a hatch is handy.  

 

Up until the 80s we'd have had bags of choice of 3 door wagon. Escorts up to Mk3/4, Astras up to Mk2 and the Chevette and Vivas HB and HC before them, ADO16 and Allegro, Fiat 128, Simca 1100 and the Opel Rekord E all came in that form, just off the top of my head.  For something a bit more entertaining there were the Scimitar GTE, Lancia Beta HPE, Volvo P1800E and 480, BMW 2002 Touring, Toyota Celica Liftback and I'm sure you can think of others.

 

Nowadays, I'm stuck with a 4x4, giving me lousy aerodynamics, extra width I don't want or need and in most cases a lot of fuck-you aggressive styling gimmicks (my Yeti being the least bad on this front).  Oh, or a BINI Clubman - er, no thanks.

 

Next daily driver then?  The shortlist is:

 

• Get an Alfa 159 and weld up the back doors
• Win lottery, buy Lynx Eventer
• Find a really tidy 1987 Honda Accord Aerodeck 2.0iEX
• Mug Breadvan72 for the keys to his new HPE

 

Other suggestions?

 

Buy me 156 yer fugga.

 

Otherwise, I agree with all you say and have nothing to add.

[320touring]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but BMW did this with the z3m over a decade ago?

 

Fuck all point to an estate you can't fit owt in (even my e30 has useful space)!

 

Basically what they need to build is a 240 with some more crash protection and a t5 lump

 

And call it the Volvo "giffer torslander ftw"

 

Market domination assured

[philsford]

Isn't that Amazon Guy Martins?

 

I belive it does belong to Guy Martin now.

[Tayne]

I do like that new Volvo.

 

But also...

 

[Sloth in a bowl]

I think that this may be the real inspiration for the new Volvo

 

 

A never went into production Volvo 263.

[Ratdat]

The problem is, as with so many other slick modern concepts and even production models... it's so forgettable. There's nothing there that is particularly interesting or distinctive. It's acceptable. As inoffensive to all as it could be made. The true art in car styling has been largely lost never to be found because they are created by designers now, not stylists. Nobody does elegant, or delicate, or even simply pretty any more.... and nobody is brave enough to allow beauty or at least an icon shape simply come from a natural functionality. Designers seem to now work purely on forms that are sleek, aggressive and cool only, or utterly dull as dishwater anonymous and safe.