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Remember when these were big cars


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20 hours ago, Spiny Norman said:

...plenty of the modern small-ish SUV things nowadays are closing in on two tons with a bit of fuel and two people on board

 

21 hours ago, MorrisItalSLX said:

...thick pillars with tiny heavily tinted windows...

Basically, I reckon manufacturers should just cut to the chase and put the Alvis Saracen and Humber Pig back into production - because that seems to be where car design is ultimately heading, with huge wheels, ugly angular styling, weighing umpteen tons, and the driver and passengers peering out through a slit with fuck all visibility...

1111454077_AlvisSaracenAPC.jpg.3fd94dce1eabc5fa0a6f67d3c754dea9.jpg

629224754_HumberPig.jpg.26f15b3afa753c7054e25dc82ee75f14.jpg

Add some easily-dinged alloys, pearlescent white paint and a bit of carbon fibre-effect trim to the above, and I reckon we'd have the next-gen Range Rover Sport pretty much in the bag...

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On 9/20/2019 at 12:39 PM, MiniMort said:

I'd play the ol' cars are bigger as they're safer card here but look at  Japanese kei cars. They're tiny and remain pretty safe - they'd really declutter the streets, certainly make them more interesting. Anyway, theres me rambling on about a modern solution to the problem. As a classic one lets all drive automotive Jerry cans (aka: Isettas and Meserschmitts)

This.  If city mayors were serious about reducing congestion, they’d allow Kei cars in for free.  

Instantly their tiny proportions would significantly reduce the length of traffic jams (I know, same number of cars, just shorter) and I would see Suzuki Lapins when walking to the Tube. Much easier to park as well. 

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In terms of interior size our big cars of yesteryear are still huge, bigger in some cases than their successors. It's the huge bloating of exterior dimensions in order to cram in more stuff and increase safety that bugs me. The Bini seemed to be one of the first offenders in this respect as the interior space versus exterior bigness is quite ridiculous but nowadays I'd consider it a miracle of packaging. 

I know people want to be safer in an accident but there's part of me thinks the crap standard of driving round here is in some way related to the amount of safety people are buying in their cars. If they were trundling around in MK3 Escorts I'd imagine folk would be paying far more attention due to the very real danger of being obliterated by a Transit rather than mildly inconvenienced. 

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Looking up the dimensions, a 2019 Mondeo hatch is 8 inches longer than a Mk3 Zephyr, and 3 inches wider.

The Zephyr width is approximately the same as the height of a man, as demonstrated here.

(Height of dead man  ~=  width of Zephyr), according to period data published by Ford of Dagenham, 1964.

 

5HeBZCu.jpg

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Thing is with modern safety tech & airbags etc small cars can be made quite safe. Look at something like a Hyundai i10, VW Up or Kia Picanto they're small but all pretty safe.

Smart-cars are also pretty safe but tiny, so cars don't have to be bloated to be good in a crash.

I do think when you look at congestion & reducing the effect of vehicles on the environment this size issue maybe needs to also to be looked at.  I know you'll get some knob in a huge hybrid claiming his carbon footprint is reduced but how about the physical footprint of the huge barge in town !

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5 hours ago, rml2345 said:

In terms of interior size our big cars of yesteryear are still huge, bigger in some cases than their successors. It's the huge bloating of exterior dimensions in order to cram in more stuff and increase safety that bugs me.

 

It's mind-boggling how cramped inside some bloated moderns feel compared to older stuff.
A mate recently had a Poxhall Insignificant and it was a truly awful car in almost every way, especially where comfort was concerned but I couldn't believe how tight it felt inside  both in the front and back for such a huge car, so I looked up the dimensions and compared them to an old family saloon.

The Insignia is two feet longer and a foot wider than a Austin 1800 Land Crab, which feels huge inside by comparison, rides better and is FAR easier to see out of.
Frankly if that's the price of NCAP safety I'll take my chances.

 

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On 9/20/2019 at 4:51 PM, Datsuncog said:

 

Basically, I reckon manufacturers should just cut to the chase and put the Alvis Saracen and Humber Pig back into production - because that seems to be where car design is ultimately heading, with huge wheels, ugly angular styling, weighing umpteen tons, and the driver and passengers peering out through a slit with fuck all visibility...

1111454077_AlvisSaracenAPC.jpg.3fd94dce1eabc5fa0a6f67d3c754dea9.jpg

629224754_HumberPig.jpg.26f15b3afa753c7054e25dc82ee75f14.jpg

Add some easily-dinged alloys, pearlescent white paint and a bit of carbon fibre-effect trim to the above, and I reckon we'd have the next-gen Range Rover Sport pretty much in the bag...

I drove these in NI in the early seventies. The 'Pig' not only looked like one it

also drove like one. The 'Sarry' on the other hand you could drive over triple

diagonal sleeping plods flat out. Which I admit was only about 35mph. Independent 

sussies all round. Same running gear as my all time fave the ALVIS STALWART. Hnnng !!!

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  • 3 weeks later...

I think that the presumption these days is that you will crash and that every

nun and kitten in the land will be killed. The press sensationalise any crash

and the manufacturers sell cars on safety  because everything these days is

about safe, safe safe.  It's the first thing to be mentioned by any company when

 something comes up.  "The safety and security of our customers is a priority"

is the first thing they say. Mostly when it was eff all to do with the original question.

 I've never owned anything newer than 1990 and I've had one crash in 40 years which

didn't involve anyone else. Bloody hell ! I'd better get my ass in gear and get a bloated

Mr blobby car because my luck, or driving awareness, will now run out tomorrow.

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