Do my eyes deceive me?
I’m constantly disappointed by how little your reviews mention aesthetics when comparing models. I realise taste is a very personal thing but it’s also a very important factor for many of us when it comes to choosing one car over another. Personally I could never bring myself to buy a car that wasn’t offered in an attractive colour or had nice wheels, no matter how well it drove.
For example the frontal abominations BMW seem hell-bent on inflicting on their recent models would completely rule out my ever buying one, no matter how well they performed. For a long time Audi too seemed to be fixated on spoiling their designs with ugly, over-exaggerated front grilles but now appears to be stepping back from this and concentrating on turning out some really interesting and unusual colours, such as that of the RS e-Tron GT tested in your July edition.
I’m a great fan of these hues and the VW Group seem to be setting the trend here. My last two Volkswagens were in very ‘Marmite’ colours of Java Metallic and Limestone Grey (both discontinued, presumably due to a lack of sales) and I was encouraged in my choice when Clarkson and friends derided the Limestone Grey, given their usual lack of taste and sensibility.
In contrast, your reviewers spend hundreds of words comparing the wealth of gadgets and technology available, most of which I suspect is seldom used after the novelty has worn off. I realise this is probably a generational thing and I’m just slipping into becoming an old fogey, but I still know how to spec a pretty car when I buy one, even if it does mean waiting several months for my car to be manufactured and shipped in the colour I wanted. ⊲
Please also try and remember that many of your readers passed through the stage of strapping child seats into cars and stowing kids’ bikes many years ago, and whilst I remember how exciting that stage of life was, it’s no longer very interesting for me. A little more balance in your reviews would be much appreciated, or maybe just employ a few more vintage scribes. John Rushton
CAR has a long tradition of analysing and critiquing design, which can reveal so much about the car, the manufacturer and indeed the driver. Careful what you wish for. CO