Indie Auto
header-advert
  • Home
  • About
    • Introduction
    • Editor’s Notes
    • Story Ideas Bank
    • Why All The Data?
    • Fake Stuff
    • About Those Photos
    • Talk Legal To Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • All Our Features
    • Ad Nauseam
    • Bird Chatter
    • Calendar
    • Current Events
    • Data Dives
    • Design Notes
    • Drive-By Musings
    • Fake Designs
    • Gallery
    • Histories
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Links
    • Literature
    • Media Analysis
    • Multimedia
    • Our Sponsors
    • Photo Essays
    • Quotes
    • Random Shots
    • Satire
  • Look It Up
    • In Auto Paedia
    • By author
    • By automaker or brand
    • By time period
    • By topic
    • By vehicle type
  • Readings
    • General Reference
    • Specific Brands & Automakers
    • Auto Culture, Policy & Business Strategy
    • Bibliography
    • Where To Buy Your Books
    • Recently-Posted Readings
  • Links
    • Bibliography of Links
  • Contact
    • Emails & Newsletter
    • Rejected Comments
  • Donate
HomeDesign Notes

Design Notes

Porsche 914
Design Notes

Porsche 914 reflected an interesting theory that didn’t work as well in practice

December 27, 2023 Steve 6

Mid-engine sports cars were trendy in the late-1960s, so in theory it made sense that Porsche would come out with one given its background with rear engines. It also made sense that the maker of […]

1954 Hudson Hornet Hollywood hardtop
Design Notes

One of Hudson’s fatal mistakes was the 1951-54 Hollywood hardtop

December 20, 2023 Steve 9

(EXPANDED FROM 5/31/2021) A few years ago I stumbled across the Hudson Motor Car Fan Club. Its Facebook page didn’t offer much historical analysis but did have some cool photographs. I was particularly taken by […]

2023 Tesla Cybertruck
Design Notes

Is Tesla Cybertruck a brilliant breakthrough or a gimmick?

December 6, 2023 Steve 7

(EXPANDED FROM 3/12/2021) When Tesla’s Cybertruck was unveiled a few years ago, Electrek commentator Benjamin Winters (2021) dismissed the design as “objectively bad.” When he received pushback, Winters countered by arguing that “I’m an industrial […]

1961 Imperials
Design Notes

1961-63 Imperial: Ode to Virgil Exner’s neo-classical excesses

November 22, 2023 Steve 3

(EXPANDED FROM 3/19/2021) Virgil Exner was a champion of neo-classical styling throughout his career. His best designs were arguably a handful of 1950s Chrysler show cars but his most influential work didn’t come until later. […]

2011 Chrysler 300C front quarter
Design Notes

2011 Chrysler 300C: The adults finally showed up

November 14, 2023 Steve 4

(EXPANDED FROM 9/18/2020) The Chrysler 300C’s styling received high praise when the car first came out in 2004. “Bold. Brash. . . . Ballsy,” gushed Motor Trend writer Arthur St. Antoine (2005) in explaining why the […]

2019 Acura RDX
Design Notes

2019 Acura RDX inspired by Wavy Gravy

October 12, 2023 Steve 2

(EXPANDED FROM 11/1/2018) When I came upon a 2019 Acura RDX, I was reminded of Wavy Gravy. That’s the name of a Woodstock-era citizen activist who still uses silly performance art to generate visibility for […]

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5
Design Notes

Is the Hyundai Ioniq 5’s design admirably unique looking or just-plain strange?

September 26, 2023 Steve 8

I have been going back and forth on the above question. The 2022-23 Hyundai Ioniq 5’s design strikes me as one of the more unique approaches to an electric vehicle. However, it also has an […]

1951 Packard 300
Design Notes

1951 Packard 300: The double-edged sword of an anonymous design

September 18, 2023 Steve 6

(EXPANDED FROM 2/26/2021) The above-pictured car is a 1951 Packard 300 in front of an auto shop in Northern California. The faded paint and spray-painted “For Sale” sign are good metaphors for the new-for-1951 design, […]

Design Notes

1968-69 Oldsmobile Cutlass: Was this a peak moment for GM styling?

August 4, 2023 Steve 7

(EXPANDED FROM 7/16/2021) The Oldsmobile Cutlass tends to receive less attention than General Motors’ other three 1968-69 mid-sized cars. This is unfortunate because the Cutlass was arguably the cleanest of the bunch. Let’s go a step […]

Jaguar XK-E
Design Notes

1961-68 Jaguar XK-E has never been topped in two ways

July 3, 2023 Steve 7

(EXPANDED FROM 7/1/2021) The Jaguar XK-E was a remarkable car for a variety of reasons, but I would like to point out two qualities that have always been particularly appealing to me. For starters, the […]

Posts pagination

« 1 … 6 7 8 9 »
  • Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
    October 8, 2026 21
  • AMC Pacer clay model
    Why does Joe Ligo’s PBS series sanewash AMC’s mid-70s recklessness?
    October 6, 2026 20
  • 2026 Ram pickups
    A pyrrhic regulatory rollback and how poorly the 1978 Matador coupe sold
    October 2, 2026 12
  • 1962 Chrysler 300
    Did the 1962-65 Chrysler 300 ‘dilute’ the letter series?
    September 29, 2026 7
  • 1968 Ford Mustang
    Three rules led to a stultifying level of conformity in 1960s U.S. car design
    September 24, 2026 12
  • 1976ish Toyota Corolla
    Data on imports sheds light on their dramatic gains from 1964-80
    September 18, 2026 5
  • 1974 Chrysler New Yorker
    1974 Chrysler New Yorker was a tragedy that played out on four levels
    September 16, 2026 16
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
Society of Automotive Historian award to Indie Auto

Recent Comments

  • Steve on U.S. cars often suffered from weak styling continuity and boxy shapes in 1970-80s
  • Gary S on U.S. cars often suffered from weak styling continuity and boxy shapes in 1970-80s
  • kim in lanark on Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
  • Scampman on 1974 Chrysler New Yorker was a tragedy that played out on four levels
  • Scampman on 1974 Chrysler New Yorker was a tragedy that played out on four levels
  • Scampman on 1974 Chrysler New Yorker was a tragedy that played out on four levels
  • Steve on Was the ‘Ford blitz’ to blame for the collapse of independent automakers?
  • Scampman on Was the ‘Ford blitz’ to blame for the collapse of independent automakers?
  • Scampman on Was the ‘Ford blitz’ to blame for the collapse of independent automakers?
  • Scampman on Was the ‘Ford blitz’ to blame for the collapse of independent automakers?
  • Philco Ford on Was the ‘Ford blitz’ to blame for the collapse of independent automakers?
  • Philco Ford on Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
  • Philco Ford on Did the 1962-65 Chrysler 300 ‘dilute’ the letter series?
  • JohnH on Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
  • Lynn Newport on Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?

Archives

Categories

Tags

1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s American Motors Auto culture Auto history media Auto media Automotive News Automotive Views Business strategies Chevrolet Compact cars Curbside Classic Design Design excesses Dodge Electric vehicles Engineering Fake advertising Ford Ford Motor Co. Full-sized cars General Motors Journalism standards Luxury cars Management culture Marketing Mid-sized cars Parody Patrick R. Foster Plymouth Premium-priced cars Public policies Rambler Reader comments Richard M. Langworth Stellantis Studebaker
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
Search
Archives
Categories
Help keep the lights on
Quinault at night

Copyright © 2022 Olympia, Earth Media, LLC | All rights reserved