Look at this concept car from Chrystler (I think). Can anyone guess where they took the styling ques from? (Think RX-8)

What a rip-off...

http://www.roadandtrack.com/features/ArticleDisplay.asp?ArticleID=443

EDIT: It's a Chevy... the SSR maybe?

i suppose when some other car manufacturer starts using the wankel engine, you'll call that a rip-off as well eh? get over it. it's only a concept.

To some the RX8 looks just like an S2000 with a hardtop also. Ripoff?

Old news.. and the rear doors are NOT suicide type, they open normally.

hehe.. funy.. by the same standards.. the RX-8 is ripping off the Saturn SC2, but i never hear anyone saying that.. :D

Doesn't the Saturn have a B-pillar though?

no, but the Evolv (which was the concept of the RX-8) predates that Saturn by years...

years? are you sure... the Evolv concept made its debut in 1999 at the Tokyo Auto Show and soon after was shown at the 2000 NAIAS show.

The Saturn already had the doors in production models by the beginning of 1999, with early production models dating back to November of 1998.

At the time it was largely applauded that Saturn was able to take an idea from design to concept to production in only 24 months, a feat astounding considering at the time Saturn still did most of it's own in-house design and research.

This pre-dates the launch date for the SC1/2 and takes the car back to November of 1996 (as a concept study)... which would have meant that the RX-01 that was touring the world and being shown as the next -thing was really a decoy for the Eolv/RX-8....

does that make any sense to you ?


:D

Originally posted by wakeech
no, but the Evolv (which was the concept of the RX-8) predates that Saturn by years... I'd have to agree with Dr.KillJoy. I remember seeing the ORIGINAL rear suicide pillarless door verision years before on another GM concept: the PONTIAC SUNBIRD. This had to be in 1989 or earlier.

Originally posted by DrKillJoY
hehe.. funy.. by the same standards.. the RX-8 is ripping off the Saturn SC2, but i never hear anyone saying that.. :D

Originally posted by nk_Rx8
To some the RX8 looks just like an S2000 with a hardtop also. Ripoff?

Please... don't think for a second that the Saturn was the first car to have suicide door(s); and like Toadman correctly noted, it has a B-pillar. I am sure that suicide door date back at least to the 40's! That being said, I can never remember seeing any car with suicide doors and no B-pillar.

And what's that crap about the Mazda ripping off the Honda's S2000 styling. Take a good look at the ass end of the S2K and try and tell me that they did not rip that from the Miata.

PLEASE!!!

to quote myself from another thread that devolved into this same conversation just 2-3 days ago

cars from the '30's look like other cars from the '30's cars from the 40's look like other cars from the 40's. 50's, 60's, 70's 80's etc all the way 'til now. styling (fashion) changes with the times. designers move from house to house and they take cues from what came before and tweak things to their liking or to the buyers liking hopefully. why is everone acting suprised by todays cars having similar styling?

i begin to wonder if this topic keeps coming up because someone is trying to sew discontent(i.e. trolls):confused:

To be brutally honest, I think it looks better than the RX-8.

Originally posted by ZoomZoom

That being said, I can never remember seeing any car with suicide doors and no B-pillar.


Actually, I am pretty certain that there were cars with suicide doors and no B-pillars...in fact I just saw one on TV last week. I don't remember what it was, however.

Although, I am sure that this latest incarnation is A LOT safer and more rigid than those old designs.

Does anyone remember the 1991 Pontiac Protosport??

http://www.conceptcarz.com/folder/photo.asp?car_id=5634&picID=21054&printAllPictures=&whichPage=&pagesize=&autoShowID=&vehicleTypeID=

Hmm.. Are you guys sure about the older Saturns having a B pillar? Wouldn't that make it very hard to get into the back seat? Neway the new Ion coupe/sedan doesn't have B pillars.. and like was stated earlier, I don't think there is a car outhere that can't be accused of using styling cues from other cars..

Originally posted by WankelWannabe


Actually, I am pretty certain that there were cars with suicide doors and no B-pillars...in fact I just saw one on TV last week. I don't remember what it was, however.

...

The Honda Element is one of those ... but it is very different - no RX-8!

:D

I gotta say guys,

The Chevy SS concept you're talking about has styling cues from 70's vettes, if you don't believe me look at a picture of the back. I've seen that car in real life and it looks nothing like an RX8. But that's just my opinion.

ohhno, I completely agree- it looks NOTHING like the RX-8, no matter how many magazines compare them side-by-side. It was huge, for one thing, and the lines just didn't even come close to looking alike. Maybe it's just the red color that's confusing people or something.

yes, google it and do some research...

Saturn SC1 and Satrun SC2 coupes first year they came with 3rd door standard was the 1999 year model.

here is something if found within seconds of searching for info : http://www.saturnofalexandria.com/3door.htm

and sure it wasn't the first "suicide" type of door system....but it leads the latest run of "production" cars with rear-ward opening doors...

I hope that clarifies my position...

MY fav 4 door car of the old school is easily the 631/2 Lincoln Convertible :P




Originally posted by Quick_lude
Hmm.. Are you guys sure about the older Saturns having a B pillar? Wouldn't that make it very hard to get into the back seat? Neway the new Ion coupe/sedan doesn't have B pillars.. and like was stated earlier, I don't think there is a car outhere that can't be accused of using styling cues from other cars..

Elara,

I agree, It was way longer, with 4-doors and the back two were not suicide. Also, the tail lights are circles like 70's vettes. I don't even think the car resembles an RX8, especially in real life.