Nuvolari vs. BMW Z9

[Erik]

Very nice concept cars. Like them a lot!

For some reason I think they resemble in some angles and details.







Lights 'inverted' :hmm:

[McBurn4ever]

Call me a patriot, but I think that the Nuvolari is absolutely gorgeous.
Despite the resemblance I don't think that the Z9 is anything like the beauty from Ingolstadt...



:s4addict:

[Aragorn]

I find the rear three-quarter view of the Nuvolari the most elegant, looking like a larger, more refined TT, in particular with that sloping roof-line, high waist, flared wheel-arches, and trademark Audi sleekness. The front, however, looks to brutal and disproportioned to me to blend in with the elegance of the rest of the car (and no, I'm not sold on the new grille). With some polishing, though, I'm sure it'll be a stunner!

The BMW, on the other hand, while featuring a similar high and broad waist-line, flared wheel-arches, geometric rear-end collage, and classic roadster proportions, and, admittedly, looking sporty and fun, does not strike me as particularly beautiful. In my eyes, it simply lacks that fleeting play of line, cachet, and gracefulness of a true sports car. I would say that its predecessor, the Z8, although retro-quirky, fits that ad hoc definition of mine ().

Maybe I'd find the car better-looking if it weren't for that big, sweeping wing. It makes the car look a lot cheaper (I'm assuming this car won't be nearly as affordable as, say, the Nissan 350Z, which the designers seem to have glanced at while designing that rear-end). Furthermore, the wing is a departure from traditional BMW styling (although that seems to be their only ideology these days).

And maybe if it weren't for that front: the kidneys seem a bit too big, and those round lights just don't make sense to me in the overall design.

Now, this turned into a BMW-bashing, but I really do find that the design needs a lot of work. A lot has been said about BMW's new design approach, but you have to wonder what their intentions are. Yes, honing and perfecting that classic Bimmer shape forever might not have been desirable, but still--why throw tradition completely aside? It's like BMW goes modern art--in your face and controversial (for the sake of what). It reminds me of this one saying I heard of from a fellow who studied with a Berkeley professor in the 70's. The professor said: "If you want to be different, try to be good!"

BMW might just be different (7-series, Z4) and might be shaping up (the new 5-series is definitely on the way), but I'm hoping they will soon be good again.

Long-windedly,

Aragorn