Cars that have "aged gracefully"

[onfire]

Its going to kill me to say this.. the CE Lancers up until the mid 00s shape.

[WASP]

I have to say the 'old' Mk2 BA GT's have held up well. In fact I like them more now than I did when they were first released, but I maybe biased

Other cars I think have aged extremely well would be the Toyota Supra's(especially the RZ's), The Ferrari 355's, Porsche 928S, Ford EL series, in particular the XR’s and the Fairlanes, plus the Tickford AU series. Holden wise the VX model HSV’s would get my vote on the outside anyway along with any of the late model Monaro’s.

Colville

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by onfire

Its going to kill me to say this.. the CE Lancers up until the mid 00s shape.

I'm with you on that one too. Nice, clean lines and overall shape on them CE coupes. The CE Mirage Hatch was and is a good looker, low and wide stance. Pity that Mitsubishi only ever engineered the Mirage to be nothing more than a shopping trolley..

[onfire]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

I'm with you on that one too. Nice, clean lines and overall shape on them CE coupes. The CE Mirage Hatch was and is a good looker, low and wide stance. Pity that Mitsubishi only ever engineered the Mirage to be nothing more than a shopping trolley..

Plus the endless amount of GSR and Evo kits floating around, they hold up even better. I even through around the idea of buying a cheap CE and driving it straight into a bodyshop and booking it in for a GSR kit.

[BlackLS]

LR Ford Focus - 1998-2004

Originally released in Europe in 1998! thats 11 years ago!

IMO the shape and overall styling of the LR Focus is still so fresh that it could be released today and still look on par with other nice hatches in the market.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by onfire

Plus the endless amount of GSR and Evo kits floating around, they hold up even better. I even through around the idea of buying a cheap CE and driving it straight into a bodyshop and booking it in for a GSR kit.

Haha, yeh. They are a 'ricers' dream in terms of styling options. But for serious performance there doesnt seem to be many 'easy' options. I once thought of putting EVO V drivetrain (200kw awd) into Mirage CE hatch (they weigh around 900kg~), but the amount of fabrication work, engineering, compliance etc, etc. made it look not very worthwhile..

[Windsor220]

Laser Lynx. For a car that was releasd in 94 they look way ahead of their time. Sister has one and was asked if it was a new car a couple of years ago.

[dreadly]

Au T3's, XR range, the au ute especially havnt aged. All series 2+ really,
The ba/bf range has aged quite dramatically.
I like the eb s with full kit.
The xb coupe is timeless.
07 mustangs look nice too.
With the holdens i fing the vu ute the best and they havnt quite matched it since.
And the best ute the pursuit 250!

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by dreadly

The ba/bf range has aged quite dramatically.

You mean the BA/BF looks old even though they were only phased out barely 2 years ago? IMO only the exclusive fpv models (typhoon/gt) and the last of the BF2 Ghias look relatively modern, while the BA/BF xt/futura/fairmont/fairlane have been ruined by the taxi industry with their many examples in pitiful states.

My kitted up 2002 XT with BA GT/Typhoon kit and xr6t running gear never ceases to get compliments wherever it goes, sometimes hear 'did you just buy a new one?' from random people. Not bad for a 7 yr old car ey :

[onfire]

To me the BA/F XT is alot like the VR/S Execs. A nice design, yet quiet & conservative. Doesnt stand out all that much, and anything that follows will make it look old. Take the VT for example, and now the FG.

[Iggypoppin']

R32 skyline GTR. Definetly deserves a mention. A ledgend from day one and never losing popularity, everytime I see one it doesn't make me think of late 80's styling. To think GTR's where made at the same time as VN and EA, you'd never know if you weren't already enlightened with that information.

[blownba]

One of the all time greats.

The E30 BMW.

They held that shape for so long cause it was good back then and I reckon looks better now.
And now they have a almost cult following.
And I love E30 racing.
Fantastic car for circuit duties. stiff and responsive and self correcting.
A very forgiving car to drive hard. even inexperienced drivers can throw them around and drive like a pro. Get them crossed up and practically let go of the wheel and back they come.

And the lines of the E30's will forever hold a special place in my heart.
I think a clean example turns heads more nowadays then it ever did.
And there are certainly some damn fine examples getting around, but not so many that they are boring. there is just enough hot looking E30's that they stand out a hell of alot now.
They certainly grab my attention more now than when they were new.
Love them i can't think of a better car who's design has aged more gracefully.

[SLO AU XR8]

AU, Boxcar's (EA-D), VX/U, XA-C (especially Hardtops)

[mrghia]

Here are a few of my favourites.
ED Sprint

XD Range

VT Senitor Signature

WH Grange

Charger

Those VT Senitors I think is the best looking HSV built.

[schnoods]

The last of the Hyundai Excels

Late 90's GLX Landcruisers

The modern Holden Monaros, front end was the best from VT - VE

The curvy shape of the supra, not many cars look better from factory.

[cob115]

it has to be xa xb xc ford coupes with out dought the ultimate winner
out in 1972 took australia buy storm was king of the muscle cars of the 70s became known world wide through movies like mad max then out of flavor in the 80s 90s then came back to be an australain icon

[duaned]

Originally Posted by stevepet

What about the unloved EA. If you manage to see one in good nick especially a Spack or Ghia they are a fine looking car. And yes I did have one and did 3 head gaskets.

No way, even ones in good nick are driving around with gaffa tape holding up the front and rear bumpers!

I reckon the 92 onwards Telstar TX5 has aged well. Certainly was a car designed and implemented well before it's time...

[rocket67]

There can only be one winner. Ford Mustang.

At over forty years old these cars still turn heads and put smiles on faces wherever you go. From young boys to old women. No other car has this affect on people.

Then there are CL/CM Chargers, Ford XW/XY GT`S.

My father once owned a dark green XA Falcon. That was the ugliest car i have ever seen.

Here is a 67 Mustang that we have just restored -



And then a 66 GT


And a 66 Fastback currently being restored



Rocket.

[Trek]

Originally Posted by rocket67

There can only be one winner. Ford Mustang.

At over forty years old these cars still turn heads and put smiles on faces wherever you go. From young boys to old women. No other car has this affect on people.

And then a 66 GT

Rocket.

They're very distinguishable, I'll give you that Much like the XA-XC, they're distinguishable, but not timeless, IMO. Not trying to ruffle feathers, however, I think people have confused the two words here. They look like something from that era and not something fresh from the factory, as if it could have been made today. There lies the difference.

And yep, when I got out of a 66 GT 'stang after being taken for a ride in one I couldn't help but smile a long time after getting out of it.

For me it's pretty much the general consensus of EF/EL and VT/VX. The two things that let the VR/VS down are the square mirrors and door handles. Doesn't 'run with the shape' so to speak. Other than that, everything else about their body makes sense. They've held up against the ever-evolving designs and still look the goods.

[mcflux]

The AU is a timeless design, even 10 years from now, some people will still have no taste in aesthetics and will still drive them.

[SLO AU XR8]

Originally Posted by Ghia5L

The AU is a timeless design, even 10 years from now, some people will still have no taste in aesthetics and will still drive them.

why the have Dave? Nothing wrong with the AU

[mcflux]

Nyoh.

[Wally]

How could anyone go past this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHMPVu6Zfgg&NR=1

[onfire]

The AU S-Pac, to me looks like asking someone in 1982 to design a car for the future.

[Mr Hardware]

Some people in this thread are obviously having quite a deal of difficulty differentiating between a good looking car and a car that's aged gracefully.
It's absolute fact that the AU has aged gracefully whether you like its styling or not. And it's absolute fact that the EL looks every bit of it's 11+ years old despite the fact its a nice looking car.

[mcflux]

We're throwing opinions against opinions here though Mr Hardware.

For the record I <3 E-Gas AU wagons, aesthetics opinions aside they're one of the most practical/well-thought-out large cars ever produced. They're still ugly though :P

[xtreme]

i also have to disagree that the AU has aged gracefully. it always has been, and always will be possibly the ugliest falcon ford produced. (IMO). I dont know how they evolved from the EF/EL to the AU. Flame me, but i know a lot of people share my opinion.

I also think the VT commodore hasnt aged well. starting to look very old. the VX-VY has aged well though.

EA/EB's in good nick still look good.

I think a nice clean VL still looks good

90' Pulsar Q still has some style


am i the first to make mention of the XR-XT's??? they have the "classic muscle" look, compared to the raw muscle of the XW-XY's and XA-XC's

[The Yeti]

to me all cars nomater what make model etc built before 1960 is pretty cool

since then I start gettign fussy but here we go

10/ LJ Torrana

9/ VT Commodore

8/ Jaguar XJ 6 Series II

7/ VK Commodore

6/ XW Falcon (Apliying flame retardent gell here) but I think XY's are just done to deth now but I still really like a tidy NON GT mock up XY

5/ XR - XT Falcon

4/ EJ / EH Holdens

3/ FB / EK holden

2/ ZC / ZD Fairlane

1/ XK - XP Falcon

[NudgE^SIKBRO]

They still all look old to me... especially XA-XC, EA-EL hang on... anything in this list with the exception of the Series one Mazda MX-5 20 years old and still a wicked looking little car, hasn't aged there's not much different between the new and old ones.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by NudgE^SIKBRO

... anything in this list with the exception of the Series one Mazda MX-5 20 years old and still a wicked looking little car, hasn't aged there's not much different between the new and old ones.

In fact I think the First series MX-5 looks better than all the newer ones, with its better proportions and popup headlights.