sti_eric

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1071415.php

CN: Car buyers are gravitating towards aggressive, menacing, even "angry" looking cars and away from cute, pretty cars.

NomisR

That's how I feel everyday when I find a Toyota driver in front of me.. I get angry and want to blow them up. Same with majority of the Minivan drivers that camps out in the passing lane.. But Toyotas are the worst!

Spin9k

Yup, that's what's happening..."My ride is meaner than your ride dude - get used to it!"

I saw an ad for the Caliber yesterday where a cute little female hotie aka 'fairy' was going around making things cute and happy (I guess) with her wand.... then she tried it on the Caliber it 'bounced off' and threw her splat against a brick wall where she was knocked out... some *** walked up and made a snide remark to her laying there...then the voice over w/'Anything but cute' solgan started.

I thought to myself - What a nasty ad..mean spirted for no reason .. I mean it's a freakin sub-mini-suv neon replacement...

rotarygod

What's wrong with Toyota's? My girlfriend just bought a new Camry. It's a nice car and it'll probably keep running forever. I get mad a Prius's but not Toyota's in general.

Feras

iTrader: (1)

man ive always thought BMWs were angry and serious looking. They don't take ****, and they are focused on performance. I've always like that in their design.

khtm

I guess cars mimic their owners.

Japan8

Other than that they are underpowered, boring design, boring to drive, uninspiring, and overpriced...

I'm of two minds about Toyota... my family has had nothing but excellent experiences with Toyota... '87 p/u, '87 Tercel, '89 Celica, '89 Camry, '91 4 Runner, '95 Camry, '03 Tacoma... the '87 p/u was just recently traded for the Tacoma... with over 250,000 miles on it and still running. But... I'd likely never buy a Toyota (Lexus included), because Toyota can't figure out (or doesn't care) how to build a car I like.

mike1324a

I bet you will change your mind if the new supra and LF-A are as mind blowing as the rumors/ concepts. We can all hope that they are.

Japan8

^^ saw the LF-A at the Tokyo Motorshow... And will probably come in SMG or auto only... blech!

New Supra? THe lines I've seen don't do much for me, neither has the supra been a "favorite" either.

DOMINION

Nothing and your right... I like Toyota's better than Honda

Japan8

^^ I agree with THAT statement 100%

DOMINION

Yup thats why I'm waiting for the Supra not the GT-R. But only time will tell.

Revlis

I'm feeling ya here... Used to be Toyota made some cars I wanted to drive, Supra, Celica AWD, MR2 before it got uglified. NOW? I find their designs PUG Fugly to the point of my disliking the owner of said Prius OR WORSE the ECHO because I cannot imagine a person of any reasonable intelligence owning a car that tragically ugly. (I got over it) Skinny, Top heavy Designs with NO inspiration, no power, no soul, Hell they make Volvo's look Sexy... Just ghastly.

I can dig Lexus, they have a few that are nice if somewhat derivative, and the Toyota trucks are still solid. But the Cars went the way of the Aztec and the Avalanche, both natural disasters and Just Fugly...

No offense folks, I don't hate anyone... Just those damned ugly Eggmobiles.

Revlis

Back on topic, I don't consider these new designs "Angry" just passive aggressive like most of the Soccer Mom's and other horrible driver's out there. Not paying attention, their crap is more important, they have "things" to do, yadda yadda... The one's who hide behind their huge wallowing SUV's and feel "tough" because of the vehicles they are driving. (Hummers Anyone) They flip you off as they Turn down a side street kinda tough. In a toe to toe confrontation they would have nothing but kind things to say and apologies. Put em' behind the wheel and they become tough... So Lets design to this and make Americans look even more insane than we are...

He he he... Think about all the "tough Guys" in the Dodge Magnum... "IT'S STILL A STATION WAGON YOU TOOLS"

I know I stepped on some toes prolly, it's just me going off... Really, I'm only half the ******* in real life that I play here on the boards.

DOMINION

Yup so true. Hey whats that guys name that GM and all them car co.'s pay millions to? Hes like a sociologist. I cant remember his name.

sti_eric

So, when the guys who actually design the cars say that they are designing cars to be angrier and meaner looking, you don't believe them?

Whatever reason you want to give, it still doesn't change the fact that car designers are making cars look meaner because that is what the car-buying public wants. They don't want cute, prissy cars like the Miata and RX-8, they want mean, angry, tough looking cars like the STi and Evo.

BaronVonBigmeat

ahahahah what are you talking about, the STi and Evo are not mean, or angry, or tough looking. Unless you think a fartcanned Civic with a park bench wing is mean/angry/tough. They look like cheap windup toys, like something you'd find in the Kmart toy bin.

rotarygod

^Be careful. Those guys will come in here to try to convince you that they aren't existing cars with body work done but rather entirely new purpose built performance machines that look nothing like any so called base car.

I don't want a happy or mean or tough looking car. I want one that looks confused like it doesn't know what is going on. Wait a second that's called a Prius. Don't want that. How about a red headed stepchild of a car. No wait, that was the Aztec. Maybe a nerdy looking pale skinny kid of a car that looks like it got beat up on in school? Damn it had that one too. That was the Echo. Yeah maybe angry, mean, and happy looking do sell better.

Revlis

I'm sorry What? I was too busy getting my pedicure to hear you.

But I think you may have a point, many Americans are so insecure, and have such tiny little penises and E-penises that they need a tough "Looking" car or truck to feel "tough". Thus we have the WRX STi, which as you know is a gussied up Econobox Impreza...

Either way, sell the STi you claim to have, you're damaging what was otherwise a perfectly good brand Image. Hell I like Subaru, just not yours.

rotarygod

If I wanted a tough looking car, I'd buy a new full sized truck. It wouldn't be a Japanese car. That's like comparing a mad toddler with a temper tamtrum to a psychotic bodybuilding madman wielding a bloody axe at you in a dark alleyway. I just don't see the fear or intimidation in them.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

the 'angry guppy' look of the RX-8 isn't tough 'n angry 'n mean enough????

rotarygod

Maybe if I slapped on a body kit, suspension and did a little bit of forced induction/engine work and made it into an entirely new purpose built performance machine. That's what it takes you know.

DOMINION

Hey I think the 8 looks "mean". I caught this guy in a Z06 checking out my 8. He was doing a real slow roll up on me at the light. I looked over and started busting up. He looked away real quick.