The annual “Silvretta Classic Car Rally” which takes place every July in Vorarlberg, Austria, is a great opportunity to recall what was once common on our streets: sex-appeal in car design. Comparing these fabulously elegant, slick, simple and amazingly innovative designs with what is rolling around today, one can’t help thinking that something has gone terribly wrong in recent decades.

Until recently it was assumed that at least on the engineering front big things were happening … but as we learned, dirty secrets were unveiled. Driving in most metropolitan areas is a drag these days already and it’s also just plain boring and sometimes even revolting, when looking at modern vehicle design. Like many of their drivers, cars have gotten chubby and obese and look mostly rather clumsy and very much alike, no matter what brand you are looking at.

It’s almost impossible to spot design characteristics which among other things make up a car’s “personality”. Where have the typical seeming curves, hard corners, fine tuned colors and unique sounds gone, which you could once spot and hear from a distance already? Back in the days the rumble of the engine and handling of the car while driving, were vital parts of every car brand out there. Progress does not have to be ugly by default, it can very well be appealing. If there was at least some significant progress on the technical level  it would be excusable.

So don’t tell me that today’s car design failures which are happening on such a massive scale, are in any way related to safety, aerodynamics or energy-efficiency aspects. Where there is a will there is a way never gets old … and revisiting the works of old masters doesn’t either. [Part II]