Make America Ugly Again

[eddyramrod]

I was just about to say the same!  Here's the 1973 front end for comparison...

New grille and bumper, and the turn signals have been enlarged.  This is the last year of this layout, as for 74 the headlights were grouped together, with the turn signal outboard.

[PaykanHunter]

For some reason the US spec bumpers on the E21s or even E12s doesn't bother me as much as these poor little bastards. 

 

[bunglebus]

The 911 lost its classic sloping headlights for the US, and got these ugly things - don't actually mind the impact bumpers

 

 

But I do mind the pillows stuck to the rear bumper

 

[bunglebus]

On 8/20/2020 at 4:40 AM, Madman Of The People said:

Citroen Ami 6

 

Some of the twin headlights work, quite like them on the XJS for example. However a special award has to go to this one, who knew you could make an Ami uglier?

 

I always wondered about the Fiat 600 mentioned earlier, as to why some have those comedy lamps at the front. Now I know.

[bunglebus]

Talking of ugly cars, I'm going to guess the VW 411 went from these

 

 

To these in compliance with US laws

 

 

(I really like the Ami and 411, ugly is often a positive thing to me)

[MorrisItalSLX]

Let’s not forget what the Canadians did to the poor Mini.

Also, am I the only one who thinks the twin headlamp XJS looks terrible? Their only saving grace (along with the XJ SIII) is the US big bumpers don’t look out of place as they are the same as the standard ones, just a tad longer.

[warren t claim]

Sadly I'm old enough to remember when adding twin headlights to a poor XJS was common practice here in the UK.

While we're on the subject of quirky US regulations, can someone please explain the logic and reasoning behind the federal 85mph speedo?

[PhilA]

2 hours ago, warren t claim said:

While we're on the subject of quirky US regulations, can someone please explain the logic and reasoning behind the federal 85mph speedo?

For a while, the maximum legal speed in the USA was 55 mph; reasons cited as fuel economy and Cuba etc. 

The Feds then said that being as the maximum speed is 55, there's no point knowing if you're going past 85 because there ain't nowhere you gonna go that fast, ever.

 

Times then passed. New York clung on to 55. Montana rejected it outright and 1987 saw the end of that frivolity.

So, reasoning? Government meddling. 

[New POD]

3 hours ago, PhilA said:

For a while, the maximum legal speed in the USA was 55 mph; reasons cited as fuel economy and Cuba etc. 

The Feds then said that being as the maximum speed is 55, there's no point knowing if you're going past 85 because there ain't nowhere you gonna go that fast, ever.

 

Times then passed. New York clung on to 55. Montana rejected it outright and 1987 saw the end of that frivolity.

So, reasoning? Government meddling. 

My sister had a Ford 3.2 V6 station wagon, in the 90s with an 85 mph Speedo, whilst living in Stuttgart. (She was married to an Colonel in the US army).

Oh how I took the piss when she drove me to the Black forest and never went over 50 mph on the unrestricted bits of the autobautobaurn.  

[Split_Pin]

Interesting thread.

My Uncle Sam brought me a copy of 'Auto Mart' from Canada in 1989 and I think I got a flavour of the full range of Federalised European cars there. 

I always liked the Volvo 200 and 700 treatment together with Peugeots and some Mercedes.

What bothered me more was the huge bumpers they out on otherwise pretty cars such as early 3 series and 6 series cars.

There are a few American members on the Audi 80 B3/4 Facebook pages and the regulations really, really ruined the otherwise slippery shape of these cars

[Rocket88]

Many years ago I use to have one of these, with aforementioned 85 mph speedo. It used to boing when you exceeded 55, or it did until I wound it up to 80 one day, the boinging became ever more frenetic until it made a sound like an exploding cuckoo clock, and boinged no more..............

[Tadhg Tiogar]

4 hours ago, PhilA said:

..Montana rejected it outright ....

For a while, Montana had no speed limits on some highways. This may or may not have led to an increase in high-speed accidents.....

[dozeydustman]

I don’t mind the twin round headlamps on some of the european cars. The twin square/rectangular headlamps don’t do much for me, though they do work pretty well on the Volvos.

[Madman Of The People]

A little history of the US 85 MPH speedometers.

US-spec cars produced for the 1980-82 model years were fitted with 85 MPH speedometers.  These were known in enthusiast circles as the "Joan Claybrook Speedometer", named after the then head of NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).  In September 1979, NHTSA passed a bill which stated that all car, truck and motorcycle speedometers were to display a maximum of 85 MPH.

The new Federal regulation also required speedometers to have a special emphasis on the number 55, as that was the national speed limit at the time.

Here's an example of that "special emphasis" on 55.  Another option was to have the 55 printed in red, instead of white.

 

 

My theory is this was done to make 55 MPH "look fast" by putting it well past the halfway point of the sweep on the dial.  The 85 MPH speedometer mandate ended in 1982 after little proof it did anything to change motorist's habits.  Even though the 85 MPH speedo law went away after 1982, many cars were still fitted with 85 MPH speedometers for several years afterwards until they were redesigned. 

[Madman Of The People]

In an effort to placate enthusiasts and buyers of their performance-oriented cars, Ford found a loophole in the law.  This speedo keeps the markings but eliminated the numbers over 85.

Also, note the red mark at 55 MPH.  "Special Emphasis", again.