
Why don’t all cars look like Ferraris? - amitassaraf
https://medium.com/@amitassaraf/why-are-there-no-middle-class-cars-shaped-similar-to-ferraris-fff99dd8d285
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mcguire
" _As you can tell it is not so simple to point out why I can’t tell the
difference between a Civic and a Volkswagen in the streets of Ramat Hasharon
in Israel._ "

I beg to differ.

The reason Civics and Volkswagens look the same is that most vehicles are
designed under the same constraints, particularly maximizing interior space
while reducing drag. And most makers are using the same techniques to solve
those constraints.

Ferrari tosses out the interior space constraint and adds others.

Fieros and Solstices and such were actually pretty crappy. (The MR2 just
doesn't do anything for me.) S2000s are still reasonably popular, and the MX-5
is a periennial best seller.

~~~
protomyth
Also, safety systems and laws dictate some of the shape similarities. Its an
expensive game to come up with a new shape.

Plus, some of us find Ferrari to not look as good as a Jaguar E-Type or a
Porsche 356 speedster. I'm pretty sure there are people whose heart sings when
they see certain Chevy, Fords, Hondas, etc.

~~~
vvanders
This is an area where I get pretty excited about EVs. You don't have to hinge
a literal block of metal downwards so it doesn't end up in passenger's lap.
The sled design provides a ton of lateral rigidity that's hard to match.

It's no wonder that Tesla destroyed the competition on safety. There's also
probably still improvements to be made given how new EVs are yet.

~~~
madengr
Yes. My Nissan Leaf has great room. At 6’5”, I have several inches of head
room, and can put the seat all the way back with adults behind me.

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protomyth
Weirdly, the non-electric Smart Car can actually fit some big people, but it
does suffer a bit in the gas mileage department.

I am enjoying driving a hybrid for the weight distribution the batteries
provide. It does help winter driving to have some balance in weight on the
back wheels.

~~~
madengr
Compacts tend to be taller. For some reason, as they make cars longer, they
make them shorter. Though my Leaf is still several inches taller than a Volt,
with about the same length. The Volt is horrible for leg room.

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osrec
Kinda like asking why isn't there a single "best" brand of car. The answer is
fairly obvious in that "best" is hugely subjective and governed by many
variables including a particular individual's needs or preferences. This gives
rise to many "local maxima" in the subjective preference function, allowing a
variety of car types to exist.

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hprotagonist
because Ferraris and other supercars are built to go fast at the expense of
literally everything else.

The overwhelming focus on aerodynamics results in a sterotypical look, but
it's just one that happens to be horrible at carrying groceries or more than
two people.

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raitom
At least in the US they make good looking but affordable car like the mustang,
camaro, corvette,...

In europe it’s really rare to see a car that doesn’t look like a potatoe.

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thomas_howland
The other thing is that because of CAFE standards, there is convergent
evolution towards maximally aerodynamic blobs.

~~~
qbrass
Pedestrian safety standards make them converge towards aerodynamic blobs with
tall hoodlines.

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RickJWag
None so pretty as Crockett's Daytona. (Even though it was really a kit-car
based on a 70s Corvette.)

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bob_theslob646
What makes cars design look different is related to intellectual property.

Literally this month GM patented new designs for it's cars of the future.

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johnflan
The Toyota MR2 was a failure?

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muppetman
Yea I wondered that too. I mean I'm super biased, I owned a 2L Turbo 1994 MR2.
I loved that car, I was so sad when I sold it. But it was impractical (limited
space), somewhat uncomfortable and hard to repair (mid-mounted engines are
much harder to work on)

It certainly was a car appreciated by many, but I guess if you asked 100
people what an MR2 was, only ~20% of then would know, so I guess in that
regard it was a failure.

~~~
johnflan
When I see the occasional MR2 MK2 around today, I still consider looking to
buy one in decent state.

>It certainly was a car appreciated by many, but I guess if you asked 100
people what an MR2 was, only ~20% of then would know, so I guess in that
regard it was a failure.

I wouldn't regard that as failure, it was never intended to compete with a
Yaris for example - it wasn't exactly a mass market car, but I think used to
elevate the brand among enthusiasts.

