The Automobiliac Proposes Vol. # 7: Maserati Quattroporte

New photos have come out of the new generation Quattroporte today, and it's a step in the wrong direction.  I fear they took what I felt was a very special car --the last true Italian GT sedan-- and turned it into a mix of Mercedes and Hyundai styling dreck.  Now the Gen 1 Quattroporte always had a headlight cluster that I found unappealing, but the rest of the car was just sublime enough to forgive that one flaw.  With the new generation, the boring, conventional headlights really kill the design.  The rear end is even worse, basically using warmed over cues from the Gran Turismo that don't work well on a sleek sedan.  The Gen 1 rear end was one of the all-time cleanest, most timeless ass-ends ever.  Why did they mess with perfection?

As retaliation, please enjoy my own proposal for the headlight cluster I would like to see on the Quattroporte.  First, they reference the compelling "cat eye" shape of the original 1960's Quattroporte's lights.  Second, they tie in much more closely with the well executed, and crisp grill treatment going on.  I felt that this nicely creased form language should carry into the headlights and front fenders.  Right now there is a disconnect between the flush-mounted Hyundai lights and the super crisp grille and hood treatment.  Last, I decided to outline the headlight opening in an LED ring so that when the headlights are off, you just see a nice clean ring profile that accentuates the shape of the opening. I think you'll agree the resulting shape is far more exotic, more consistent, and more differentiated than what they actually did.

Click HERE for more photos of the new Quattroporte.  Try not to wince when you see the back end!

The Toyota GT 86/Subaru BRZ: The RWD coupe Alfa should be building

By now the hype regarding the new RWD bargain exotic co-developed between Toyota and Subaru is all over the internet. In particular, the most recent Chris Harris video (below) makes it clear that this car will really be something special for all those who love RWD sports cars with soul.

Watching Harris powerslide the GT 86 through the corners of Jarama grinning ear to ear, I couldn't help but ask myself why the hell Alfa isn't making a car like this anymore. Sure there is the 8C, but it's a limited edition toy for the few, not a volume fun machine for the many, as the GTV6 and Giulia Sprint/GTV were.  Instead, Alfa is planning the inexplicable mid-engined 4C to be their entry-level sports car. And I just have to ask why they can't just go back to a winning formula of making great-sounding, great handling RWD cars that look sensational, at prices that compete with Infiniti rather than Aston Martin.  As an Alfista, I feel this new Japanese offering is the closest thing to what an Alfa is supposed to be like, but it lacks two crucial components: The sound and the looks.  My quick 15 minute photoshop job up top is not meant as a suggestion of what the car should look like, (it's still pretty ugly) but rather how much I long to see the Alfa Grille on anything approaching an affordable front-engine, RWD sports coupe again. I do hope the production 4C will exceed my expectations, but until then, I will keep dreaming of the day when Alfa finally gets back to the cuore sportivo.

The Automobiliac Proposes Vol. # 6: Alfa 4C

Normally I wouldn't waste my energy trying to fix the 4C. I think the car is an aesthetic travesty. But given that Alfa plans to launch their return to North America with a production version of the show car, I thought I would do my best to polish a turd. Is the result something I love? No. But I tried my best to improve the proportions and form where it really bothered me.  I made the headlight clusters lower and smaller, and reprofiled the "jaw-line" of the car to make the front end more vertical and have less of a jutting "chin."  Since the car is mid-engined, I kept the air intake in the rear fender, but made it much less dramatic. Hopefully, the eye will be more drawn to the clean fender side surfacing than the flashy, overdone detailing they had.  The last big change I made was the the C pillar. I feel like the current car's pillar is way too thick and is like a mashup of an Enzo and a Lotus.  I tried to give it more of a Cayman or 458 Italia feel.  I don't think the result of my efforts is a beautiful car, but I hope it's a little more refined and understated than what Alfa did. Please Alfa, if you are launching with the 4C, please redesign it!

The Automobiliac Proposes Vol. # 5: Ferrari FF

The newest addition to Ferrari's illustrious stable was announced today, along with the requisite press images. First, the good stuff!  They totally NAILED the proportions! The car has a low, sleek profile that befits a Ferrari Grand Tourer, and the surfacing is more restrained compared to the California, which is its closest styling relative.  I really like the shooting brake format (some have compared it to the famous Le Mans "Breadvan" but I think it looks more like a Z4 coupe.)  I also like that Ferrari is going with a 4WD concept for the first time. However, when you get the front of the car, you realize we're dealing with a "butterface" here (Does FF stand for Fugly Face?).  The traditional "egg crate" grill is overscaled, and the central air intake is way too large, recalling Peugeot concept cars of the last 10 years. There is no subtlety or grace to the grill and it comes off like a frog with a stupid grin and braces. The sculpting on the hood is nice, and although the designers referenced the headlight clusters of the 458 Italia, they only went halfway. The lights on the Italia are for more successful.

In my proposal, I did away with the toothy egg crate grill (not every Ferrari has to have one--see also F40) and changed the opening to be smaller and more aggressive, with a slight lip around the opening.  I also subtly modified the headlights, adding "tear ducts" more akin to the 458, and I think this tweak alone makes an enormous difference in balancing the composition.  I still think many other grill opening shapes could be successful, but I definitely like mine more than what they did.  You be the judge!

The Automobiliac Proposes Vol. #4 - Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

When the new Alfa 8C came out, many Alfisti praised it as some sort of "return to form" for Alfa. Return to what form? Under Walter De Silva, Alfa was arguably making their prettiest cars since WW2, and his departure for Audi left shoes that his successor has, in my opinion, utterly failed to fill. While I was excited to see Alfa produce a world class small volume sports coupe, I never have found the styling to my taste, either in photos or in person. People continually compare it to the TZ2 or to the 33 Stradale, but to me, that is like comparing Scarlett Johanson to Grace Kelly. One might be young and hot, but the other is incomparably beautiful. It's no contest. The biggest problem I have with the 8C is how stubby and pudgy it looks. It really needs to have longer, more lithe proportions to make the surfacing work. Like many modern sports cars, it is too short for the size of its wheels, and the entire design suffers as a result. For my proposal, I have lengthened the wheelbase, and reduced the amount of space between the top of the wheels and the top of the fender, which Alfa made so thick! The windshield rake has been redone, and the C pillar is less massive. It is a subtle effect, I'll admit. When you look at the original now, doesn't it look like a Pontiac Solstice?