Whats with the look??

Seriously, whats with the manufacturers anyway? Two wheels or four, what I don’t understand is why the manufacturers mess with a good design. It doesn’t matter how good or bad the car or motorcycle is, if it don’t look good, it isn’t selling. In some cases at least.

Take for example the Ducati 916. The iconic design, which was carried on in the 996/998, was not minimalist nor was it over the top. I want to know who was the idiot who approved the design on the 999. Now, I don’t know about the sales figures, but what I know is the thing won championships. I’m guessing it wasn’t a great seller, considering the 1098 has ‘gone back’ to try and look like the 916, and I still think it is nowhere as close to the original.

Another example of this goof up in design was the 996 Porsche Carrera. When a car which has been on sale for almost 30 years, and has become an icon, you just don’t go and make it look like something you do in the pot in the morning. What was with the idea of making the Carrera look like the Boxster. At least the 997 has gone back to the original.

Back home in India, take for example the CBZ. The motorcycle was almost like a cultural shock. There had been nothing in the country since the RD350 and RX100 stopped production. It took the country by storm and proved a great success for its manufacturers. Then they did the Xtreme. What the hell is that? Looks like a freak alien experiment. Don’t even get me started on the quality. It’s a good motorcycle no doubt, but is it selling? Now the Hunk. Hunk? Hero Honda would have done great by bringing this in the first place instead of the vomit the Xtreme is. And please get rid of the name.

Maruti Zen. One of my favorite cars of all times. After buying the 800 for so many years, people fell in love with the Zen. The rev hungry engine was a jewel. Every time I have had a chance to drive it, it has been close to impossible for me not to give it a stick. And now the Zen Estilo. It would have been great if Maruti had only called it the Estilo. But they did not, and have wasted such a great brand name.

My request to all the manufactures is, please for god sake, don’t mess with a good design. Improve on it, don’t kill it.