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Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

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Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

#181

Post by [deleted] »

simonbarker87 wrote: post #68
ricardobeat wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this still true nowadays with almost entirely automated manufacturing? If you look at modern car models, even the cheapest ones have way more "shapes at odd angles" than sports cars.

Nowhere near as much of automotive manufacturing is as automated as people think. Fitting panels etc is often a robot assisted job but not 100% machine. During production trials for new cars ALOT of time is spent trying to get the panels to fit together correctly, even getting the doors to seal correctly and be water proof isn't a given to begin with.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

#182

Post by sndean »

ScottBurson wrote: post #174

As others have mentioned, there are some. My 1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo [0] bears some resemblance to a Ferrari F355 [1]. As far as models currently on sale go, I think the prize for the best-looking economy car easily goes to the Honda CR-Z [2]. Alas, as they say, its performance can't cover the checks its styling writes, which is probably why sales have been extremely poor. (You can get it with a performance package inc…

> As far as models currently on sale go, I think the prize for the best-looking economy car easily goes to the Honda CR-Z

That and the Toyota/Subaru FRS/GT86/BRZ. At least a few times my heart rate has increased a bit seeing those cars at a distance (from the front). Nice to have Honda and Toyota making such good-looking cars

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

#183

Post by jgalt212 »

TylerE wrote: post #69
vidanay wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This, this, this. In simpler terms: You can't build a "Ferarri shaped car" at the same price as an Chevy Impala because the shape is a part of the cost.

I'm not sure I really agree. It's been done. Mid-engined layouts are just a pain to do maintenance on, generally offer reduced cargo space and interior room. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/19... https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Fe...

actually, that in an of itself, is a good question. Name all the moderately price mid-engine sports cars on the market.

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

#184

Post by euyyn »

rabboRubble wrote: post #179

A Ferrari is not a terribly comfortable car to drive. Tuned well, it's got a hard suspension and you feel the road in order to drive it properly. It can be unforgiving if you make a mistake. It's got no room for the crap a mother or a father needs to haul around. Difficult to put a car seat in there. Middle class cars don't look like a Ferrari because the Ferrari body and look enforces some decisions on the designers…

Nit picking: "voila". Viola is the string instrument bigger than a violin.

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

#185

Post by sarreph »

euyyn wrote: post #184
rabboRubble wrote: post #179

A Ferrari is not a terribly comfortable car to drive. Tuned well, it's got a hard suspension and you feel the road in order to drive it properly. It can be unforgiving if you make a mistake. It's got no room for the crap a mother or a father needs to haul around. Difficult to put a car seat in there. Middle class cars don't look like a Ferrari because the Ferrari body and look enforces some decisions on the designers…

Nit picking: "voila". Viola is the string instrument bigger than a violin.

I prefer octobass.

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

#186

Post by mailslot »

jgalt212 wrote: post #183
TylerE wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure I really agree. It's been done. Mid-engined layouts are just a pain to do maintenance on, generally offer reduced cargo space and interior room. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/19... https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Fe...

actually, that in an of itself, is a good question. Name all the moderately price mid-engine sports cars on the market.

The Toyota MR2 & Pontiac Fiero were midengine and low priced.

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

#187

Post by tbrock »

giarc wrote: post #38

I can offer an opinion not yet seen in this thread. It comes down to tolerances. My father works for GM as a tool and die maker. He says that GM is obsessed with tolerances in their panels. This means that the gap between the hood and front quarter panel is the same near the windshield as it is near the headlights. Same goes for all other areas of the car. It's hard to get right. If you start to get more complex desi…

Except Fiat, which owns Ferrari, also makes Fiats, so they have the expertise, the design chops, and the machines yet still do not use it for their lowest end cars.

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

#188

Post by nickpsecurity »

tbrock wrote: post #187
giarc wrote: post #38

I can offer an opinion not yet seen in this thread. It comes down to tolerances. My father works for GM as a tool and die maker. He says that GM is obsessed with tolerances in their panels. This means that the gap between the hood and front quarter panel is the same near the windshield as it is near the headlights. Same goes for all other areas of the car. It's hard to get right. If you start to get more complex desi…

Except Fiat, which owns Ferrari, also makes Fiats, so they have the expertise, the design chops, and the machines yet still do not use it for their lowest end cars.

Do they use the same equipment and plants that make Ferrari's to make Fiats? If not, then that wouldn't be true as they'd have to use more expensive equipment for Fiats than what they need.

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

#189

Post by tbrock »

nickpsecurity wrote: post #188
tbrock wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except Fiat, which owns Ferrari, also makes Fiats, so they have the expertise, the design chops, and the machines yet still do not use it for their lowest end cars.

Do they use the same equipment and plants that make Ferrari's to make Fiats? If not, then that wouldn't be true as they'd have to use more expensive equipment for Fiats than what they need.

See: Maserati

They use the same design chops, technology and factory to make the similar looking cars with less performance than Ferrari.

Also owned by Fiat.

Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?

#190

Post by jakebaker »

durandal1 wrote: post #113

In the documentary Objectified (recommended!), a BMW designer brings up the point that a car design should express what the car is . If there's a mismatch between the look, and how it feels to drive, it will be rejected by customers.

The counterpoint to this is the "Aston Martin" Ford [1a and 1b] which I think most people would agree looks much better than the Ford design it replaced [2]. It literally steals the design cues from a $100k+ sports car and adapts them to an economy car and it seems to work quite well as a design (admittedly a bit of design plagiarism).

[1a] http://autoguide.com.vsassets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/20...

[1b] http://www.autotribute.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Aston-...

[2] http://st.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/10/2015/11/2012-ford-...

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