cars that did or didn't morph very well

[Noel Tidybeard]

....you know the sort of thing:

 

did

ford sierra begat the saphire and it looks ok

 

didnt

astra 3 becomes belmont- oh dear

 

you get the idea

[17-Coffees]

90% of hatchbacks that are sold as saloon...

 

Astra saloon

Clio Saloon...

 

Fiesta Saloon...

This one I never though it was to0 bad, but after seeing one in the metal today...

[chodweaver]

That Renault that they couldn't call the 19 'cos the 19 already existed, so they gave it the name Chamade or somesuch... I thought that actually looked better than the 19

 

The first Orion in lowly trim always looked exactly like an Escort with a large steamer trunk unkindly glued to its arse, though I liked them later when Ford tried to camouflage this with white over black paint jobs

 

Most of them are laughably bad though. I notice that many of these ill-conceived alternative-body-configuration models either don't get brought to the UK, or sell in such tiny numbers that you could remain blissfully unaware they exist. Like the Clio and Fiesta saloons. Never seen either of them in the UK. Thank God.

[spike60]

Focus with a boot. Someone at work had one years ago and I still see the ugly bugger bout now and again.

 

Think it is this one, I'm not sure but it's the only image I can find and post at this time of the morning.

 

[Richard]

I like the original Focus saloon. I briefly considered breaking my "No Fords" rule for one but I soon sobered up.

 

2002 Ford Focus saloon by APB Photographyâ„¢, on Flickr

 

Estate cars usually look better than the saloon/hatchback versions but there are exceptions.

 

1999 Renault Laguna 1.9 RT DTI by Alan Gold, on Flickr

 

2000 Honda Civic Aerodeck 1.8 VTi by Alan Gold, on Flickr

[twosmoke300]

The civic aerodeck is a lovely car ! Not quite as nice as the previous shape rover router tho

[Asimo]

Class

 

 

Crass

[chaseracer]

AAAARGH!!  Those bloody door handles!

 

And breathe...

 

[Supernaut]

2000 Honda Civic Aerodeck 1.8 VTi by Alan Gold, on Flickr

You take that back!

[dave21478]

Saloon > Hatchback.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dave21478]

 

[mercrocker]

I always thought that spate of mid to late 80s saloon grafts looked lumpy at the back, I am thinking later Jettas, aforementioned Sapphire and it also explains why I never found the Orion satisfactory.    Front three quarter views are OK but the rear is like a toddler with a wet nappy.   

 

Also thought the Sierra didn't morph into Estate version very well either, maybe it was destined to remain a Probe-shaped hatchback....

 

 

 

 

 

I always thought the Japs managed coupes pretty well, though, from fairly dull saloons.

 

Take the Montrose for instance. 

 

Saloon, meh....

 

 

Coupe, phwoarrr....

[Richard]

The civic aerodeck is a lovely car ! Not quite as nice as the previous shape rover router tho

You take that back!

The back doesn't match the front.

[Lacquer Peel]

Civic Aerodeck and Mk1 Laguna estate are both good looking to me.

[Lacquer Peel]

Not a direct comparison, but Peugeot's move from conservative but elegant styling in the 1980s and 1990s to the bloated gargoyles of the 2000s.

 

[overrun]

In P11 GT to P11-144 Sport+ guise epsecially, the Primera had one of the best facelifts (as in looked a very different cars) I have ever seen.

 

 

[richardthestag]

Class image.jpeg

 

 

Crass image.jpeg

 

sort of agree but the bottom pic should be an L322 Range Rover

[Dirk Diggler]

Booted saloons have always sold far far better than hatchbacks or estates in Ireland for some strange reason; it's as common to see a mk1 Fabia saloon as hatch; now there's an ugly car

[Tamworthbay]

I think a lot depends on the original design. Sometimes they look far better, like the Orion in my opinion and others are horrific, such as pretty much anything French it seems.

[Negative Creep]

Booted saloons have always sold far far better than hatchbacks or estates in Ireland for some strange reason; it's as common to see a mk1 Fabia saloon as hatch; now there's an ugly car

 

 

The UK seems to be one of the few countries that doesn't like saloons

[John F]

Understated:

 

 

 

Overweight:

 

 

 

Vile:

 

[mercrocker]

I don't think there's anything really questionable about that.

 

The rear doors have been designed specifically for the car (looking at you, Volvo 240), the curve inward between the coachline and the windows follows through down the side and the rear, the roof line is correct for an estate (P6 Tourer) and disguised in the shape of the rear side windows.

 

As an integrated design it works, I just remember thinking how bulbous it appeared at the time (hard to think that's now 35 years ago) before everything else went on the bloat. 

[NorfolkNWeigh]

70s Opels were much the same. The saloons and estates were a bit plain generally although I liked them, but Opel knew how to do good looking 70s coupes - Kadett, Manta, Commodore, Monza.

The HC Magnum coupe with the 4 headlamps was also a far better looking car than the plain 4 door Viva.

Then there was the silver droopsnoot Firenza . . .

Ive always thought the HC looked best as an estate, these days they'd call them all even the 1159 ones Sports Tourer or something pretentious.

[Richard]

I don't think there's anything really questionable about that.

 

The rear doors have been designed specifically for the car (looking at you, Volvo 240), the curve inward between the coachline and the windows follows through down the side and the rear, the roof line is correct for an estate (P6 Tourer) and disguised in the shape of the rear side windows.

That's the issue I have with the Laguna and Civic, the estate versions just look like an afterthought. There are worse offenders but I can't bring them to mind just now. The 306 estate is a bit of a lash up too.

 

In general estate>saloon>hatchback, but not in the above cases.

[Richard]

Ive always thought the HC looked best as an estate, these days they'd call them all even the 1159 ones Sports Tourer or something pretentious.image.jpegimage.jpeg

There was a print advert for the 70s Vauxhall estates along the lines of 'They're pretty, if you want to carry stuff buy a Bedford van'.

[rantingYoof]

On a phone but the Volvo 780? coupe is downright gorgeous. Never thought something as boxy as the 760 could be turned into that.

 

I may be in the minority but the newest shape V40 is quite attractive; not 'pretty' of course but it's a cut above the ultra conservative styling that a lot of other hatches are following.

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Check out the lovely headlamps here.

Note, a left hand drive Vauxhall Magnum. Didn't know the HC series was sold elsewhere, except Canada I think.

I think Holland and some Scandanvian countries had a few. Vauxpedia will undoubtedly tell you. But only go on there if you can afford to lose the rest of your day!

[Zantimisfit]

Evidence - ScandiViva

 

[Zantimisfit]

Shame this never got released...

 

[JeeExEll]

I think Holland and some Scandanvian countries had a few. Vauxpedia will undoubtedly tell you. But only go on there if you can afford to lose the rest of your day!

Sometimes go there on holiday. I mean Vauxpedia, not Scandinavia.

Can just disappear for a whole fortnight. Fantastic site.