Odd Design Inspirations - Part 5

This is a good one. Unfortunately I can't take credit for it. (If you're reading this, claim it my friend!)

Which came first? The Nissan GTR or the Chevy Cobalt?:

Who Said It First?

Here's a recent long term blog entry on the Evo X by Edmunds.

It appears that after all the "legit" automotive sources finished drooling over the Evo X, they have finally come around to admitting what we knew all along.

So pick up your Evo IX's before more parachute kids grind the gears of these precious cars to a pulp.

Oh boy...

...or girl! How's that for an excuse? This is going to change everything...well, maybe not everything...

I know, I know...

Yes, it's been a long time since the last post. I won't bore all 5 of you dedicated readers with excuses. (5 is just an approximation by the way. Who knows? By, now, it could be 6, or even 7. There's just no telling how quickly sites can pick up speed these days). I will say, however, that I have a pretty damn good one to be revealed soon.

Odd Design Inspirations - Part 4

-It's a fairly well known fact that Jay Leno is a big time car collector and enthusiast. So perhaps it's fitting that in the last few years Japanese automakers have been secretly honoring him in preparation for his impending loss of the driver's seat at the Tonight Show:

Odd Design Inspirations - Part 3

While we're on the Star Wars theme...

I saw this and instantly heard James Earl Jones talking to me through a respirator: “(breathing)…Luke...(breathing)…I am your father…(breathing)…and you should have bought an Evo IX”

I'm usually opposed to giving credit to anyone other than us for literary wit concerning automobiles, but I must give credit where credit is due, and for once the ultimate credit belongs not to us but to the dude at Edmunds.com who saw the Evo X and wrote, "Looks like Darth Vader ate a subcompact."

Odd Design Inspirations - Part 2

I always felt that the Acura RDX

and the BMW 3 Series sedan

looked ironically futuristic and dated at the same time, but for the life of me I could not figure out why. Then the other day, while sitting on the can (where I do my most brilliant thinking), it suddenly dawned on me…

Odd Design Inspirations - Part 1

Personally, I find many automotive designs to be simply...well...baffling. So with continued bewilderment (at both designer genius and stupidity), I shall now begin a series of posts dedicated to exploring some of the more unexpected inspirations behind automotive design...

Case #1: If I were to design a new supercar and wanted to model it after an animal, I think I would choose something like a cheetah, a road runner, a greyhound, a thoroughbred racing horse...you get the idea. Audi instead decided that the animal most symbolic of pure unadulterated speed and supercar intimidation was a penguin:

And yet, I must admit that this one worked...who knew penguins could be so sexy? Apparently someone at Audi has been spending a little too much time watching those boring but visually seductive "nature in HD" shows.

Next Up In The Main Street Parade...The Subaru WRX!

Since Subaru has clearly tried to make the 2008 WRX more family friendly than its predecessors, I suggest that they call up Disney and try to get it showcased on an episode of Rolie Polie Olie.

Seriously, can you imagine a more perfect car for this cartoon? If you can, well...you're wrong, so let me explain. In a previous post on the 2008 WRX STi, I discussed its tendencies to roll over like a well trained Maltese during numerically impressive but visually appalling slalom runs. I then alluded to its lesser brother as being even less aesthetically respectable in the slalom, but never backed up my criticism of the WRX (non-STi) with video evidence. Sure, you took my word for it as would be prudent, but as a thank you of sorts for continuing to read this blog that makes up for its lack of a fan base with its persistent self-proclamations of genius, here's a link to a video that will prove itself unnecessary given the utter objectivity of my subjective opinion.

(Warning: You are about to listen to the most annoying show host of all time. If I were you, I'd skip to the slalom footage that begins roughly 3:10 into the video.)

A Sexy Hyundai? Really?!

The Genesis of Korean Sexiness?

Hyundai is hours away from debuting their new Genesis Coupe at the NY Auto Show, but the marketing execs in the Korean homeland, like overexcited virgins, have prematurely released photos of their new sexy coupe all over the internet in the past couple of days. The impact of waiting until NYAIS to reveal the Genesis would have really been something as it would have been a definite show stopper, but it appears the marketing strategy behind the early photo release has been effective after all as it has tempted even the most respected of auto blogs, Chyo & Joe's to name one, to take the bait and generate some pre-buzz before the official reveal.

Despite being Korean-American, I do not hold a patriotic bias towards the car company of my people. I for the most part lean toward the efforts of Japan and Germany. Until recently, Hyundai's, and Kia's especially, have been second rate automobiles. As of late though, Hyundai has made strong strides towards breaking out of its decades old image of making cheap, underwhelming economy cars. The latest Sonata and Azera have shown that Hyundai can produce cars that arguably meet or surpass the offerings from the Big 3. Not a lofty achievement, but one that has definitely raised some eyebrows.

Now Hyundai is stepping up its game another notch with their upcoming luxury offering - the Genesis Sedan with available V8 power. On Wednesday, Hyundai plans to complete a 1-2 combination with the official debut of the Genesis Coupe. These two new offerings are groundbreaking cars for the South Korean automaker.

What is immediately striking about the Genesis Coupe is its exterior design. It is a bold attempt at infusing their product line with some much needed sexiness. This coupe has curves that most Korean women would die for. It is such an unexpected break from the traditionally conservative and vanilla designs of the past that it is almost difficult to take this car seriously knowing that it is a Hyundai. But here it is, hips and all. Large wheels with low profile rubber are pushed to the corners of this long wheelbase chassis, filling the large wheel wells. This ain't no under-tired Honda Accord. At first glance, you get a hint of Infiniti's G37 or the Altima Coupe, definite design influences. But, there are some defining character lines that give this car its own personality such as the haunches that start from the tail and plunge down the side panels through the doors giving the Genesis Coupe an unmistakably aggressive stance. Tasteful design elements such as the bottom edge of the glass behind the B-piller that unexpectedly drops down below the straight path of the door window further distinguishes its design. The side profile of the coupe is its obvious strength. The proportions are clean and aggressive. It's hard to believe this is a Hyundai.

But, all is not perfect. Turn your eyes towards the front of the car and you find that you don't swallow the design here as easily as the side profile.

The front is a commendable effort, but not quite a home run. The front end just doesn't fully come together. It has hints of the Lexus IS and G Coupe...but that small grill leaves the Genesis a bit pug-nosed and you end up wanting a little more brutish masculineness. Nevertheless, the sharp creased hood and squinting headlights give the Genesis a modern and sporty look. The shot above is probably the best angle of the front. However, the photo below better reveals my uneasiness with front end proportions not being quite right.

Having all the curves and creases terminate at the snout really accentuates the "slantiness" of the headlights. Definitely a stereotypical Asian look. Furthermore, for a car that has such an athletic overall feel, that small grill gives you a sense of restriction, as though the V6 motor has to breathe through a deviated septum of sorts. Ok, enough about the grill. It really is a decent front end the longer you look at it.

Finally, the rear.


At first glance, the taillights are very reminiscent of the Tiburon. Not necessarily a family member you want to affiliate yourself with, but in this case I guess blood is actually thicker than water. The designers did a good job blacking out the bottom end of the rear bumper. Otherwise, that bum (as the Brits say) would appear quite excessive. The large, flush mounted dual exhaust pipes give the car a nice finished look. Overall, it's a clean, inoffensive rear end, perhaps the most conservatively designed part of the car. Again, there is a lot of the Infiniti G Coupe's design DNA in this car which is not a bad thing.


This is a definite eye-catcher and an impressive design effort by Hyundai that will get people talking. The most important question now is how will it drive? A RWD layout paired to a 3.8l V6 rumored to output 300+ horsepower is a good starting place. Will Hyundai be able to tune the suspension, steering and brakes to keep up with its aggressive looks and give the Infiniti G37 a run for its money? I have my doubts, but at the same time I'm pulling for my Seoul brothers. To build a car from scratch that will match the sophistication and pedigree of the G37 on your first attempt is a near impossible feat. I anticipate the disappointment of reading the first road test reviews. I can see the critiques now: "overboosted steering, soggy brakes, vague shifter, coarse engine note, sloppy handling, excessive NVH."

Hyundai, prove me wrong. If you do, you have a hands-down winner on your hands and you'll be well on your way to finally solidifying your image as a formidable contender in the automotive industry.