It’s amazing how much a little tweak here and there can improve something. A subtle reshaping, the addition of new panels, a change in the glasshouse – the fine line between attractive and repugnant has never been so blurred before. Take the Mercedes-Benz CLA, for instance. The CLA was written about ad nauseam as being good looking. One editor I know wrote that it has “eye-pleasing aesthetics.” Really? To this writer’s eye, it’s always looked like a ridiculous caricature of the CLS, which is one of the most beautifully balanced cars ever designed. The CLA is just horrid. But Merc has redeemed itself. It tacked on a wagon rear end to the CLA, creating the CLA Shooting Brake. Suddenly the droopy rear has been lifted, the extra height at the back balancing out the proportions of the car. The small spoiler at the top of the tailgate gives the arched posterior some added lift, meaning the downswept taillights don’t make it look so sad anymore. Really, the difference isn’t much. A bit more metal here, a bit of extra glass there. But boy, it changes how the whole package comes together. Yet, the CLA isn’t the only car to have been given a lift with a nip and tuck. The last iteration of the Volvo C30 looked awesome with its more aggressive headlights and pinched nose. It was only cosmetic, but it was worlds apart from the plain original version. And quite a few Audis have benefited from a nose job, despite being very similar under the skin. But there are cars that don’t fare so well. It’s only a concept, but the new car that will appear in Spectre – the forthcoming James Bond film – looks a bit melted. It’s called the Aston Martin DB10, and it’s too tapered, too wedge-like at the front end. Unlike the stunning Vanquish, which still uses the Aston Martin grille to good effect, the DB10 has eschewed tradition and leaves the classic shape behind. Likewise the DBX concept, which sits too tall to be fully resolved. Yes, of course, it’s tall – it’s a crossover – but, seriously, it doesn’t have to look that awkward. Is it a case of “leave it for a while and come back to it?” Will we look back in a few years time and say that they’ve grown on us and we really like them? Time will tell, but methinks not. There are certain shapes that work and others that don’t. Just look at the horrid Bentley SUV concept from a few years ago. It was pulled off the stand, probably because they didn’t want it splattered with any more vomit. Sorry Bentley, it’s just a reflex I have... Let’s hope we’re not leaving a golden age of car design and entering an era where cars are being shaped just to be different and stand out. Aerodynamics may play a part, but there has to be a universal consensus on good taste. Designers need to get out into the real world and understand what motivates people to buy. Call on focus groups from different parts of the world, not just those in your own backyard, and see what the public really thinks. After all, they’re the ones who will be buying your product. Don’t try to revolutionise car design – where are Chris Bangle’s designs now? – but stick with classic lines. No wonder Ian Callum is so revered. He understands what people want.
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