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アウトランダーPHEV「プレミアムデザイン・走り」篇 30秒

C8, C'ya | It is shocking. Literally. (designer POW)

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty, — that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know”

Keats: Ode on a Grecian Urn

Times are changing. 

We may like it or not, but times are changing. As times are changing, also people and their values, and their perception about society, about society values, attitude and ultimately beauty. 
And style.

Look at Corvette for example. The ultimate example. In the beginning it was like a very well tailored suit. Perfectly done tuxedo. Something special, a brilliant descendant of the Jaguar-inspired elegant original C1 from 1953. And yes, the key-word here was elegance. 

Hell, even the name of the black color was tuxedo black. It was the time when having a Corvette didn't mean showing what you have. Everyone knew instantly what it was. It was the Corvette. The perfect sportscar that was dressing its owner. With good taste and style. It was art, and as such it was meant to be something for eternity. As it does. This key word lasted through its 10 years and three facelifts. Yet time seems to make it even more desirable. 

The second generation had that signature “pressed trouser” look, that "Mitchell-pinch" line. Again something for eternity. Again something you may want to have. Something very elegant. 

The third one had so incredibly sensual lines that everything looked instantly out-dated. 
Not the Miura though. 
Maybe this was the defining moment when Corvette started to play with the ME architecture. There was something about beauty and therefore something about eternity that fueled designers of those times. Although the ME layout reached the green light, it remained a promise yet to be kept. 


Elegance

The (Jerry) Palmer-styled fourth generation again was simple, gorgeous and elegant showing the quality of being graceful and stylish in appearance. Every detail was just perfect in a matchingly balanced harmonious way. Maybe this was the last time elegance could be used in the same sentence as the name Corvette. 

Some say every empire has its moments. Just like every empire has a pattern-rule, so times have theirs. Rise, peak and decline. These are defining the times as being regarded as guiding points of references. In the times of the perhaps most underrated generation, the C4, the Corvette was on the peak of its elegance. This worked as a point of reference in terms of visual balance. 

The visual balance of the C5 was more towards sportiness. Let's just say that. It was more flashy, showy. More rounded. More 90's. This was the moment where sportiness was more accentuated, thus underlining the true performance car status the Corvette has been for quite some time now. It was an important generation though. The 1958-planned, advanced rear-transaxle chassis finally achieved production only with the 1997 C5.        

Frank Sinatra used to say, "You buy a Ferrari when you want to be somebody. You buy a Lamborghini when you are somebody." Until the C5 having a Corvette you were somebody. Somebody who had fine taste, and wasn't to shy to show it. 

The entire FE architecture seems to be changed to a ME architecture. Ferocious, fast and phenomenal performance. Almost making you speechless, running out of words. Technologically speaking. 

Things are evolving. The tech introduced in the new Stingray is again, nothing less than phenomenal. Aimed for perfection. Could be a thing of science fiction 30 years ago when there was the CERV III.
Oh, not to forget the glorious CERV III, derived from the amazing Indy, also a thing what sci-fis are made of. Beautiful, flawless exterior, flowing lines, saucer-like ultra gorgeus shape and matching capabilities. Also technologically speaking. For those times. And the design language was out of this world. Meticulously perfect. Like a Grecian Urn. A piece of art that celebrates speed, the freedom of movement. Something for eternity. 
It was way ahead of its time. Literally. Maybe a bit too far ahead to be destined for production. Maybe 'cuz it was too beautiful. For its time. Then. Even for this time. Now. Yes, art is timeless. The reason We, the People didn't get it, was very simple. It was too good to get the Corvette name, and would be too expensive. And mostly because people settled with less.
But hey, we got the C5, C6 and the C7 instead. Essentially upgrades. But that's okay. 
In a FE era.

Later on We, the People, learned that the C7 supposed to be ME to begin with. That's Right. The right direction. After GM showing us a 2019(!) Cadillac Cien, we thought another sci-fi, another dream and perhaps a better, more beautiful future. And then in the Windy City the Stingray Concept was introduced. In another movie, the Transformers, reminding us, that times are transforming, things are changing. Again into a better, more beautiful future. The key-word here was beauty.
In other words Corvette. 

Here we are now. In 2019. The predicted future. The exact beautiful future (design-wise and technologically speaking) the Cien promised. With a ME car. Fear not, the C8 Stingray is b e a utiful. Is still a Corvette.
Inside. Under the clothes.    
The interior might quite possibly be the best supercar interior. Period. Especially if someone knows Corvette design heritage. 

Exterior
Forget about art. Forget about the Grecian Urn. Forget about eternity. Live for the moment. Enjoy the trends. Looks like style and design is a thing of past. And not because it is mid-engined. That's the good part. 

Things have changed. Quite a lot. Just like people. They like it. It is beyond comprehenshion with one having fine taste, after seeing an 'old-school' Grecian Urn, - but they like it. Just like nowadays they like many other things, too. In the past this would never get away, would not pass the design studio recylce bin. Why? Because it is below mediocre. Not even ugly, simpy unfinished. Careless, messy, uninspiring, 'new-school'. Lines are chaotic. Like the society it belongs to. The whole thing is a chaos. No imagination - like today's people. No harmony - like today's civilization. Live for now, forget about the future. In other words, 2020 Corvette Stingray

Times are changing. Look around and you will understand instantly. In the past having a Corvette was a thing of style and classy, fine taste. Now in the time of post modernistic art, where even a stain is considered art, a throw up might be a masterpiece. In these times Corvette is more about something else. More about something generic, more about something indistinguishable from the many horizontal and lackluster, varied unimaginative devices, more about people with no clue about design, style or elegance whatsoever.
And art. In the past beauty was something that needed no explanation. And it was art. In other words Beauty was truth, truth was beauty. 

Now you need explanation. Because all this needs to be explained somehow. Some way. Some scientific sci-fi NASA way. Hence the well put together NASA-advertising commercialized consumerism-filled show. What a show that was. And you wonder, where is the truth? When did we go that low? And more importantly where is the Corvette?

Wasn't this supposed to be a Corvette-show? Oh, there was a car there. Something mediocre. Some Ferrari. Or even less. A Ferrari wannabe thing. Not a Lamborghini. We have a fine interior. Indeed, the one of the best - and that makes you wonder - did they just finish the interior only for the next Vette? No. We also seem to have world-class performance dressed in the highest possible level of technology. That's true. That is a Corvette.

But it all stops here. And then you wonder again. Is this that thing what people were swearing to look so good that you won't believe your eyes? Is this the one that Ed Welburn saw before he retired from GM? Was this the design already locked before Mike Simcoe came aboard? Has this thing really got the green light from the same company that designed the C7 Stingray? Or from NASA?

They said the truth. You won't believe your eyes. It was that typical dream. Only it turned out to be a nightmare. They could have presented this in Houston as well.

Where should we begin with?
Inversely curved surfaces resulting from imposed surface breaks, one on the hood, one between fender peak and the headlamp. The trapezoidal grille opening is partially filled with blocking plates, the center portion of which continues the vee-shaped central hood form.
Now wait a minute. Grille opening? In the 21st century? Do we need a grille on a ME Corvette when the C4 (FE) has already been without it? Maybe a modest one would be better. Not to mention it would make the car look wider. But this is not the biggest design flaw. Unfortunately.
As if it wasn't ugly enough already there is a black bar that crosses the outer air intakes, well forward of the textured grille work farther back in those intakes.

Then there are the headlamps. Oh boy. Could have been a simple but perfect shape. But then if would be a masterpiece. Instead there are almost-triangular headlamps, sharply pointed toward the center, which are quite okay. Not too inspired, but it goes. Of course not without a huge design-failure. But it goes. Except the side-view. It is breaking the overall integrity of the design. Not like it had any. Not like it has a harmonious, well proportioned design, but an all too complicated one. Simplicity would be more suitable. You know sometimes less means more. Then it continues with two sharp kinks in the surface which derive from the inner and outer points of the headlamps.

What about those nominal quarter windows transparencies anyway? Did the designers deliberately put on that Fiero feeling? Nothing wrong with it, it just doesn't really say Corvette. Not to mention its shape. Not angular, not parallel, just randomly busy. Like the designers had no clue how to finish it. Or GM pulled a trick and showed an unfinished prototype? 

Deep creases in both hood and roof break the transverse flow of surfaces with sharp negative indents. Strinkingly ugly shaped body-colored side mirrors sit on polished arms extending outward of the mirror housings themselves. The C4 had better mirrors. Maybe this was borrowed from the truck department?
Yet another negative surface runs around the front corner and then disappears before the front wheel opening. The flat band above the shrouded ‘black hole’ of the main frontal air intake bifurcates into two parts at about the headlamp’s innermost point, just above the painted strut in the grille. The door skin is itself an unnecessarily complicated surface. Why? Is this considered to be beautiful? By which standards? Was this considered by its designers in the end of the day something to be proud of? After hard examination there is something positive about the design. Examining for more than a day, trying hard to find good things (just one good line would be welcome), because they say this is a Corvette and Corvettes supposed to be beautiful, there was only one thing:
The nice surface break line in the center of the nose is a good Corvette design element, it has always been more or less a Corvette styling cue, but the multiple lines across the hood are fussy, messy, essentially excessive and mostly unnecessary.

The overall design is incomprehensible. Random lines everywhere, there are entirely too many busy surface changes on the basic form which is not about harmony, more like some cheap excuse to do all kinds of shapes, lines and colors. In the end of the day the verdict is that it looks like it was designed by amateurs, not by professional GM designers whatsoever. Are they now hiring amateurs only? Is that how they keep costs so effective and cheap? Because this is less than 60K. Frankly put, it doesn't look a cent more. The design of the Blazer has more logic to it and the much hated Camaro is by far less complicated or busy.
     
Maybe there is a ray of light though. There must be. The synonym for beauty can't end like this. The Grecian Urn can't brake as a shattered dream. A Grecian Urn can not be a nightmare. There must be something to hold on to, to cling on, to show some light in these times.

Maybe there is a chance for coachbuilders. It is highly possible this damage is beyond reparable by customisation. Without a shadow of a doubt chances are slim people will rush rebuilding their super Corvettes after purchasing. However it would help a lot. Think about the streetview of the future. And C3PO's eyes. 

There was a lot of Apollo, not much Corvette and even less Stingray on this show. The design vocabulary of this thing is closer to a rocket. They say We, the people need heroes. If People really need Apollos then call it Corvette Apollo, not a Corvette Stingray.
We need something. Something truly beautiful.
   
A new ME Cadillac maybe? With 'old-school ' styling? By old school we mean beautiful. Since the C8 Corvette is so accentuatedly disgusting. Of course only by common standards, that involve something like golden ratio, matching lines, harmony and such things that this fan club that likes this thing may have never heared of.

But hey, times are changing and judging by the styling (?) of the new Stingray, the next generation (C9) Corvette might be even worse. If that is only possible. But then again it is next to impossible to create something more hideous than this wrongfully called Corvette.

This might have been a home run. But the ball had to be dropped. (Again however the interior is really a masterpiece though. Something other manufacturers are only dreaming about.)   
Congratulations, now there are only two legendary names ruined. Yet.
Corvette and Stingray. Or perhaps this was the very mission from day one? You hated Zora that much? Or there is just classic incompetence involved?  

If this was the C7 originally (as some claim), then we are supposed to be grateful that GM got in dire straits in the first place and we received the C7 Stingray the way we did. Ironically there is no doubt the C7 will benefit from all this. Not to mention the competition. Well done GM. This will sell. And here we are at the most important feature of these times.  

Ladies and Gentlemen times are changing. Things that were shameful once, now are considered to be glorious. If it sells...
Shame to even call it a Corvette. It doesn't deserve this name. The name doesn't deserve this. Maybe Apollo would be better choice.

But it will sell.

After all it all comes down to this. This is the only thing that matters. And that is such a shame that not even a next generation can ever wash away.
What is next? To ruin the Manta Ray name?

Now that says everything about today's thinking. Black is white, white is black. Lies are true, truth are lies. Perfect match for these times. Create a good car, put a cutting edge interior in it and forget about its looks. Stick a good sounding badge on it. And it will still sell. Like hot cakes.
It is imminent. Because times are changing. And this mirrors its core values. And the people. And their core values and aspirations.
And the 2020 Stingray is one of the best in 2019. Go figure.    
Is the new Stingray design a sign of times to come?

Then buckle up for a bumpy ride. Only if you are a person who still apperiates beauty and is still able to recognize it. That may be the truth. 

Truth is Beauty, but Beauty and style is no longer that important now(adays).
And what about elegance? 

Well that is an anachronistic approach. 
Also.


Welcome the 2020 Corvette C8 Stingray! It is shocking. Literally.


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