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Reply to "Automobiles/ Trucks 1/43-1/50 scale let’s see them"

lee drennen posted:

Mel 

the car these days have no style or  character they all mostly look the same. 

...

Lee, MELGAR, and Vincent, if I may offer another perspective on contemporary car designs.

I draw what I call "CARicatures".  I use car, van, and truck fronts and bodies and, when I can identify a distinct resemblance, I superimpose faces of cartoon characters, TV and movie characters, politicians, and so on onto the car model.

While some of the 1940s and 1950s cars and tucks are perfect (think Ford F100, VW, Divco), I am finding that contemporary auto and SUVs manufacturers are picking up classic chrome grill elements and updating them.  There are also more curves.  I suspect the trend started with the introduction of the PT Cruiser.

Aside:  Since I switched to O scale, I love using vehicle examples from my layout as drawing models.  There's good detail without the distortion that HO/Matchbox/Hot Wheels have.

Today I'll be working on a joke cartoon that maps frontal views of six different auto styles to different facial beard styles.  Unfortunately, I deleted the test photos from my iPad, but consider these 201N cars:

Toyota (Yaris, Camry), Lexis SUV, Ford Focus, and more.

imageimage

The Beemer above is for a planned cartoon showing how similar this design (and Prius Prime back ends) mimic elements of Tiki art.

Now compare these makes to, say, a 2007 Honda Accord.  (There's a reason model makers only produce a racing version .  It's bland and looks just like a Toyota of the same era.)

Bottom line:  I'm not arguing that the above named examples are great auto designs, only that I see a lot of car designs on the road now with "character".  The designers seem to be paying tribute to an earlier era -- no doubt in an appeal to baby boomers who remember the chrome and fin-laden originals.

I can't wait to see what the model builders do with these modern grill and fender details when the time comes to put them into production.

Tomlinson Run Railroad

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