Ugly cars from the 80s :: IMCDb Forum

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Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 00:03:27, By 02Silverado4x4

Quote From: G-MANN

Of course it's fair, it's not a concept car or prototype, Ford saw fit to release the car into the market in that form. The fact the Tempo had a facelift meant they realised the design wasn't perfect. Yes, I realise not all Tempos looked like that.

Hate to sound rude, but that statment only shows how little you know on the topic of Tempo. Ford could not make Tempo look the way it did in the 1986 face lift because the law would not allow it. Its why every other compact before 1986 had square headlamps instead of lights molded into the body. If anything, the 1986 face-lift slowed sales. In 1984 Tempo sold over 500,000 units and in 1985 it sold around 450,000. It would never see sales like that again. Why? Because after Tempo's success everyone jumped on board with aerodynamically styled FWD compacts, and even with the 1988 redesign there was much more competition. I don't have a problem with people who don't like Tempo or similar cars, but I do have a problem with people who bash them and know nothing about them.

Edit; another reason Ford restyled Tempo in 1986 is because they promised no two years of Tempo would be identical. Their promise was good, because every year with the exception of 1994 the Tempo saw visual modifications. Even if slight. In 1984 Tempo was introduced, in 1986 (two years later) it got new tail lights, grill and head lights, in 1988 (two more years ahead) it was redesigned. In 1989 it got a slight revise with the addition of more sporting body side molding. In 1992 (three years after the Sport intro) Tempo got another slight redesign.

Latest Edition: 26/11/2007 @ 00:21:18

ford_guy

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 00:06:40, By ford_guy

I have to give it to Explorer, he's right about it looking innovative back then. Just think, in 20 years we'll probably look back at vehicles such as the Chevrolet SSR in disgust.

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 00:23:37, By 02Silverado4x4

Quote From: ford_guy

I have to give it to Explorer, he's right about it looking innovative back then. Just think, in 20 years we'll probably look back at vehicles such as the Chevrolet SSR in disgust.

Exactly. Like Jeremy Clarkson said, by modern standards, the 1964/1965 Mustang is a terrible car. By todays standard the Citroen DS, Ford Tempo, Model T, and numerous other very innovative cars are not great in any way. But for their time they were great. I bet in a few decades people will mock the likes of the Jaguar XF and Aston Martin DB9 for being "boxy" and using fossil fuels to power their large, low output engines.

Latest Edition: 26/11/2007 @ 00:25:09

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 00:39:46, By bravada

We are not discussing technological advancement here. The Tempo was in many ways revolutionary and perhaps a very good car by Consumer Reports standards. It was also disgustingly ugly in all of its renditions and no amount of time will change that. Just like the 1929 Cord L-29 is still beautiful (its technological advancement notwithstanding), or the 1954 Roadmaster. While technology progresses, beauty and ugliness are timeless.

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 00:56:41, By G-MANN

Quote From: ford_guy

I have to give it to Explorer, he's right about it looking innovative back then. Just think, in 20 years we'll probably look back at vehicles such as the Chevrolet SSR in disgust.

But do we look at the true classic cars of the 50s, 60s and 70s in that way? There are things that are "of their time" and other things that are more "timeless". Nobody looks at the Spitfire or Hurricane and says, "well that would have no chance against a Eurofighter".

To call the Tempo ugly and boxy as not an "ignorant statement", it's an opinion. I admit I know very little about the car, but then it's simply not a car I'm interested in. Besides I didn't start this thread to talk about the Tempo. The reason at the start I said I'd leave out American cars is because originally I wanted to be a discussion between me and antp (but he didn't seem to be interested), and we are more familiar with European cars than American cars, I just wanted to keep things simple. Also American cars used to have a different design philosophy to European cars, you just can't compare a 80s Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham to a Jaguar XJ6. Both are luxury cars, but in different ways. I quite like the squareness of old Cadillacs and Lincolns, but I don't like the old Volvo 200 series much.

This thread is about the aesthetic value of cars, not the reliability or efficiency or innovative value of cars.

Latest Edition: 26/11/2007 @ 00:59:19

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 01:05:10, By 02Silverado4x4

Yet, it was not ugly for its time. In fact it was a very popular appearance that nearly all cars caught on to, especially with the 1988 revise. There is a reason the likes of the Fairmont, Caprice, LTD and so on were phased out to be replaced by the more popular look of cars like Tempo and Taurus. Your opinion is you don't like how it looks, buts its just that, an opinion. In 1984 more people liked the look of the Tempo then people of 2007 like the look of the Focus. I'll leave this discussion because its off topic at this point..

Edit; you don't have to like them. If you think they are ugly thats fine. However, your opinion does not make them ugly cars. A few million people thought they were good looking enough to buy them, which is more then can be said for Ford compacts around the world before and after Tempo.

Latest Edition: 26/11/2007 @ 01:18:31

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 01:29:39, By G-MANN

Every time I say a particular 80s car looks ugly, someone usually says that it only looks dated in comparison to new cars and since there still some of them on the roads they haven't achieved rare classic status yet, and the ones that remain in use are mostly worn out, so people think of them as junk.

But I really think there's more to it than that, I believe that most ordinary cars from the 80s won't become "true classics" (aside from the "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" thing), because most of the designs weren't adventurous enough, eg. the Austin Montego, I look at that car and I see no imagination whatsoever. That's what I originally set out to explore with this thread (I kind of came up with the idea on the spur of the moment). The only thing is I'm starting to worry that some people might not like me criticizing certain cars, I don't want people to think that I'm just picking things apart for the sake it, but it amazes me how much some people care about ordinary, now obsolute, family and compact cars (as opposed to Porsches and stuff like that).

Latest Edition: 26/11/2007 @ 01:37:02

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 06:41:33, By 02Silverado4x4

Not all, but Tempo was a huge step away from the car it replaced. I don't know if it were become a classic car or not, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the original 1984 Tempo or 1986 Taurus become classic cars because of what they represented for their time. A complete revolution in the way cars were designed in America.

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 07:49:04, By bravada

I am sorry, but I really believe Americans bought the Tempo and the K-cars for a multitude of reasons, but not their looks. I sincerely believe if anybody was offered the choice between Tempo and Sierra (assuming they would have had the same mechanicals, more interior room than a Mercedes 300D and all), Sierra would've won hands down.

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 10:15:34, By antp

Quote From: ford_guy

Just think, in 20 years we'll probably look back at vehicles such as the Chevrolet SSR in disgust.

Not in 20 years, already now :ddr555:

Quote From: G-MANN

But I really think there's more to it than that, I believe that most ordinary cars from the 80s won't become "true classics" (aside from the "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" thing), because most of the designs weren't adventurous enough, eg. the Austin Montego, I look at that car and I see no imagination whatsoever.

I like the style of the Montego :grin:

About junk cars, a good example is the Citroën DS: in end of 70s / beginning of 80s it was just an old junk car, bought only by people who were looking for a cheap car. This was due to the fact that a lot were produced, and it was really too common. Now it became a classic. Indeed most of the cars of the 80s won't become a classic, but I still think that they will appear much more interesting within few years.

Latest Edition: 26/11/2007 @ 10:16:32

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 11:20:54, By bravada

I don't think, however, anybody ever thought of the DS as anything but a great design!

Montego is awful, even Roy Axe admitted that.

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 12:35:53, By G-MANN

Quote From: antp

I like the style of the Montego :grin:

You have GOT to be kidding :kiki:

Latest Edition: 26/11/2007 @ 12:55:04

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 13:04:03, By antp

I do not find it beautiful, but I think it is ok, i.e. as an average car. I prefer that style rather than the Mercedes W221 :ddr555:

(which I find ugly).

Latest Edition: 26/11/2007 @ 13:05:16

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 13:12:12, By G-MANN

When people use the word "like" they usually mean they actually have a fair amount of regard for something, rather than using the word as opposed to "dislike". When I saw Tomb Raider (the 2001 film), it wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be, it was watchable but very forgettable, but in a conversation about films I wouldn't say "I like Tomb Raider". Or celery, I can eat it (some people can't stand it), but I don't actually "like" celery.

Latest Edition: 26/11/2007 @ 13:15:38

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 13:22:50, By antp

In this case "I like" was more "I'd list it the group "I like" rather than "I dislike", but it is still not a beauty, as I also said. In French my message would be more precise but probably not for you :grin:

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 14:07:13, By bravada

I dunno about the Montego to be honest, but even celery would be better than the W221...

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 14:21:21, By G-MANN

With cars I have 3 groups, cars I really like or love, car I dislike or hate and cars I am indifferent to.

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 14:33:58, By antp

"like/love", "hate" and "dislike"? Interesting, I would rather have "love", "like/is ok", "dislike".
But that is probably because in general I do not really hate any car, and dislike not so many models.

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 15:20:52, By G-MANN

I think in life to know what you really like, you also need to know what you don't like. Some of my friends are real film buffs and they watch lots of films, including some bad or mediocre ones as well as "must-see" films. I've gotten to the stage where I usually avoid films I know will be bad (apart from notorious "so bad it's good" films like Flash Gordon, I loved that one), because I don't care to see them, but my friends say watching awful films like The Adventures of Pluto Nash and Gigli helps them to remember why the best films are so good.

Ugly cars from the 80s

Published 26/11/2007 @ 16:20:31, By antp

I did not find "Pluto Nash" bad, but for movies like for cars I find a lot of things "ok" where other will say that it is awful :grin:

(but I never wanted to watch "Gigli")