10 Mid-Sized 2013 Sedans: Styling Analysis

Americans looking for a mid-sized Sedan have many, many choices, and the sweet spot of the $20,900-$22,500 range is particularly rich in diversity and style.

Since we are primarily concerned with exterior styling, we're going to focus on that, although all of these models feature engines that are highly evolved from those just a decade ago, as well as far better fuel economy. And almost all of these come in slightly different wrappings with higher mileage "Eco" or Hybrid options, which add about $8,000-$10,000 in cost to the prices below.

Let us begin.

Toyota Camry $22,235 - MOST YAWN-INSPIRING

The Camry is a reliable, solid, dependable car. And it looks like it, too. The styling of the Camry is definitely not out-of-date, but it always has a way of looking like it is. The revised front fascia is an improvement over the immediate previous model, which looked too plastic-y.

The fog lamps add visual interest, but just somewhat, and not enough to boost it into the "wow" range. And it's not supposed to be that kind of car, anyway. The rear of the car is well put-together, but again, yawn.


Chevy Malibu $21,995 - MOST GENERAL MOTORS-Y

The Malibu is a steadily evolving body style that isn't at all unpleasant to look at, and I've generally been a fan of the direction this model has been going. But it's also not anything special to look at, and that's a problem. For a car at the higher end in the sedan market's price point, you'd expect a lot more style, but it just isn't there.

The front end is pleasant enough, and it's clearly identifiable as a Chevy on your first glance. The head lamps are a bit over-large, but so is the grille area and the hood itself. The overall look is one of molded plastic, which is not a good look. The sides are free from the creases or other visual cues that would make it more distinctive and add at least SOME visual interest. As it stands, it has nearly none. The rear is a departure, featuring four square tail lamps that are very attractive and are historic throw-backs to earlier models. This, oddly, makes this car more interesting from behind than up front. GM needs to keep working on this car's styling to hit the right notes.

Ford Fusion $21,900 - BEST OVERALL!

The Fusion is in the middle of the pack in pricing but at the top of the heap in styling. This is Ford's Wunderkind, and is absolutely gorgeous. Its grille, which instantly brings to mind Aston Martin (a brand which used to reside in Ford's stable of vehicles) is gorgeous, well-proportioned and the culmination of sleek creases in the softly bulging hood.

The head lamps are squinting works of art, which I bet in the next version will be a bit wider, but are nonetheless nicely done here and properly proportioned to the hood. The sides feature a crease mark high on the door panels, cleverly bisecting the door handles and slightly curving downward to give the rear some visual heft. The tail lights are smart hexagons framing another hexagon between them, all of which is as nicely executed as the front. Overall, this is Ford's masterpiece.

Nissan Altima $21,760 - MOST COHESIVE STYLING

This Altima is all-new, and is one sharp car. The grille features a unique "pinched" look that's nicely framed in aluminum and sets off the stunning head lamps which mimic the subtle "kink" in the grille. The sides are rather muted (with a subtle BMW-style "Hoffmeister kink" for the rear window) but the rear features a perhaps over-large aluminum strip setting off - or one could say, holding IN - tail lamps that look, from a certain angle, as if they're going to fall right off the sides! Still, a repeat of the "kink" in both the head and rear lamps shows a cohesiveness in style, though it may not be to everyone's liking.


Honda Accord $21,680 - MOST COMPETENT DESIGN

One look at the Accord shows that there are definitely some nice elements here, although a second or third look will give one the sense that these are rather derivative of previous models and are kind of bland. The grille is nice, but not over-done, the head lamps are a bit large but are quite nice, too. There's some good creasing on the sides, but not overpowering. The rear tail lamps are perhaps over-large, but well put-together with a subtle aluminum device. Again, there's nothing exciting here, but also nothing offensive. And that's just as they wanted it, I'm sure.

Kia Optima $21,350- MOST SAAB-LIKE

The Optima is an attractive car, and it's moderate price tag comes with a lot of style. That much of its style is derivative of other cars is almost immaterial. Its head lamps resemble the Accord's, though they're connected by way of a uniquely Kia grille that is easily recognizable. The LED lights in the fog lamp assembly are clever, but are becoming ubiquitous, and look a bit like aftermarket add-ons here. Its Buick-style side ports are cliches, but seem to add a bit of flourish to the otherwise flat side panel. The rear trunk is slickly sloping and reminds you of the late SAAB brand, and in fact, when one squints and looks at the front and rear from the view above, the whole car does! The tail lamps are beautifully wrought, and thankfully lack the near-standard aluminum bar connecting them. The half-curve at the bottom of the tail lamps is quite attractive, since they're indented.

Hyundai Sonata $21,195 - MOST ATTRACTIVE

The Sonata is stunningly beautiful, the most curvacious of this entire class, and the revamped, sixth-generation model of this old standard is probably responsible for the good looks of many of the other models in this class. We've always been appreciative of its impact on this entire class of cars. The nicely notched grille, with creases flowing down from the hood, is framed (or "hugged") by two elongated and quite stunning head lamps. The large, pronounced crease juts out on the side and door panels are  unique to this car, but have again been imitated (somewhat) by other models like the Accord and others outside this class. They continue onto the back of the trunk, gently caressing the tail lamps. And those elongated tail lamps are stunning, connected by an aluminum bar that looks as if its holding them together and doing so elegantly in one of the most pleasant rear panels of the class.

Mazda 6 $20,880 - MOST IMPROVED

The prow of the 2013 and 2014 Mazda 6 is stunningly beautiful and instantly recognizable. It's also a 500% improvement over the last iteration, which was wan and weak and had almost no visual appeal. The grille seems pulled out onto the far edge of a curvaceous hood, which makes a quick drop towards a nicely-proportioned grille featuring a large but not overly large) Mazda emblem, bisected by an aluminum line that sits just right in the upper quadrant. This front end is a work of art, and the art continues with aggressive head lamps that seem to flow into the grille work. The underside features a balanced grille and sharply pointed fog lamps that complement the lights. The rest of the car curves gently upwards and then down towards tail lamps that resemble the heads, with rounded LEDs inside, connected with the ubiquitous aluminum connectors that seem to just sit there, though comfortably, between them.

VW Passat $20,845 - MOST READY FOR THE CHINESE MARKET

Let's not waste much time on the Volkswagen Passat, because it's just about the most bland and derivative car in its class when styling alone is considered. The previous version had far more visual interest when it wasn't trying to morph into a Honda. The grille and lamp fixtures are bland and poorly executed, and if you took away the large-ish VW logo in the center, we would be hard-pressed to identify this car's brand. In fact, it looks like a mid-2000s KIA or Honda, which is damning in today's competitive market. VW can do better, and they must, especially if they want to ask over $20K for this vehicle.


Chrysler 200 $20,795 - UGLIEST FRONT FASCIA/MOST FIXABLE

The poor Chrysler 200 has been fully dissected here before and the 2013 model is not improved from the 2011 model which bowed with a new name. This car is the child of the Sebring, which had a poor reputation as rental fleet fodder but at least had head lamps that were well-proportioned. These look blind, with odd "eyebrows" above them and they seem stranded on the sides of the hood, with a too-small grille lonely in the center. The sides look exactly like the Sebring, which I believe is a good thing. The upward slanting crease is nice, as is the roof's curvature above the rear window, which ends in a black triangle rather than a "kink" or a too-small window. The rear is done nicely, with tail lamps that lap gently onto the sides of the raised trunk area and reach out to "grab" an aluminum bar that pulls it together nicely under the graceful Chrysler logo. If they can re-work the front fascia for 2014 (or perhaps give us the concept car design that was promised) this car DOES have a chance. But as it stands, it's hardly worth the nearly $21K base price, and competes better with the $16K Chevy Cruze, which it resembles.

BMW and Pininfarina Create the Beautiful The Gran Lusso Coupé Concept

BMW has teamed up with Pininfarina, the legendary Italian design house, to produce the gorgeous BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé concept, which may or not preview styling cues for the new BMW 8 Series.

The two time-honored companies unveiled the outcome of their first collaboration at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2013 earlier this week. Hopefully, it will be the start of a long collaboration.

“The appeal of this collaboration with Pininfarina is that you get another, very different and special angle on facets like luxury and exclusivity,” says Karim Habib, Head of BMW Design. “The Italian company, after all, has always been a byword for these criteria in particular, demonstrating time and again its keen sensitivity and exceptional finesse in these areas. In Pininfarina we have found the ideal partner to lend shape to this vehicle concept.”

“The result of this cooperative venture is far greater than the sum of its parts,” says Fabio Filippini, Head of Design at Pininfarina. “When two such tradition-rich and experienced brands join forces to turn a vision into reality, something utterly new and exciting emerges. From start to finish, this project was defined by a mutual respect for the identity of the other company.”

EXTERIOR REVIEW:

As swoopy and slippery as an Italian supermodel, this gorgeous vehicle has several readily apparent and highly distinctive features, starting with an over-sized BMW-standard kidney-shaped grille. On some cars this would be controversial (think of the latest Lexus models or every recent Audi) but this has a certain elegance and it's balanced by the large hood and the wide stance of the vehicle.

Next are the headlamps, which look razor sharp, thin and aggressive as hell. The lower bumpers and flat air-intake tend to give it a grimacing and fierce look, as they wrap into a KIA-like bow-tie, though like everything on this car, they are overlarge, so the comparison is perhaps unfair, and is only a passing resemblance.

The side is described by the companies as "a powerfully present silhouette" on which the convex taperings on the side, "add a dynamic elegance and give the body a tautly athletic shape." One cannot argue with this description.

The side mirrors look as though they are being held by the outstretched arms of a metallic being, or aluminum mailboxes, if one wishes to be unkind, but we don't, because they are entirely consistent with the design, and add to the elegance.

The "matt-sheen embellishment" behind the wheels feature the Pininfarina name, and the V12 labeling behind the trademark Hoffmeister Kink towards the rear of the vehicle shows that the car does, in fact, have an awesome engine (or one is planned, at any rate. Again, we'll see if this sees production.)

The rear tail lamps sweep across the trunk like a snake, the head of which curves downward like it's about to strike the rear wheel, or curl up in the wheel well, at least. They are entirely consistent with current design, but taken to the next level, and given the Italian panache one would expect.

Overall, this design study is worthy of both companies, and is consistent with historical BMW styling - enough so that it, if it is influential enough within the company, should lead designers towards something quite beautiful if it does indeed presage the new 8-Series when it finally bows sometime in the next 2-5 years. Let's hope we don't have to wait too long to see something like this on the road.

Photos: BMW Group

Pinterest contest picks Buick Encore colors

Mashable highlights a contest by Buick to pick the interior and exterior colors for its newly redesigned 2013 Encore luxury car:

Following a call from nine influential design, fashion and food bloggers to create Pinterest boards speaking to their personal style and passions, the company unveiled the winning pinner on Wednesday night at the New York Auto Show.

The "Pinterest to Dashboard" contest is a part of an effort to connect with a younger audience and show a different, more playful side of the brand.

The top collection came from a Pennsylvania-based bed and breakfast owner Michael Wurm Jr. — who has nearly four million followers on Pinterest. His boards, which featured sea foam-colored tones and beach scenes, were picked as the inspiration for new color palates, textures and design features in the existing car.

Perhaps coincidentally, the colors fall within the family history of Buick, reminiscent of the sea foam blue/green shades prevalent in the late 1950s and early 1960s (and even later eras) especially the sea foam blue interior. (see examples below.) It's even possible that this color was even original to Buicks of a bygone era, and they pulled out the color sticks to match it.

While ostensibly the contest sought to reconnect (or connect for the first time) with younger drivers, this may actually help reconnect with OLDER drivers, especially former Buick owners who want to recapture that '60s look and feel that Buick somehow lost over the past few decades.

It would actually go beyond the "interesting" into "awesome" territory if each interior was to be completely customizable to each customer's taste. Of course all cars are, up to a point, but what if the palate was wide and extremely varied? A truly bespoke Buick like this would be a major boost for the Buick division - taking it from ho-hum luxury to bespoke luxury on a Bentley level. Imagine what that would do for the brand.

A quick note on the styling of the vehicle itself, the word "handsome" comes to mind. While surely a small vehicle, the front proportions seem well rounded and properly sized, although some will squint and see a larger version of the Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix.

1978 Buick Skylark:

 

 1962 Buick Invicta station wagon:

  1954 Buick Skylark:

Touching Subaru ad highlights 2013 BRZ styling

This touching ad is from Subaru for the 2013 BRZ, for the Japanese market. You don't really need a translation, the emotions are universal.

Making of the Pagani Huayra (video)

National Geographic's excellent documentary of the making of the Pagani Huayra, an amazing - and amazingly beautiful - supercar.

The fastest artwork ever - Bugatti Grand Sport Venet

French artist Bernar Venet was recently invited by Bugatti to adorn the Grand Sport with his unique visual idiom.

The stunning result - the one-off Bugatti Grand Sport Venet - draws upon the engineering studies and equations that created Bugatti's mythical performance - the text is seemingly being blown off by the car as it cuts through the wind.

A beautiful synthesis of Bugatti's sculptural beauty and Venet's passion for mathematics and scientific treatises. This unique sculptural work will be on view at the Rubell Family Collection in Miami during Art Basel Miami Beach.

Designed by French artist Bernar Venet, the bespoke model features a two-tone exterior with a dark brown rear end and orange mathematical formulas at the front.

The unique styling carries over to the interior as it has two-tone leather upholstery and special door pads with contrasting orange mathematics. There's also an embroidered Bernar Venet signature and a small metal sculpture between the seats.

Like the standard Grand Sport, the Venet is powered by a quad-turbocharged W16 engine that produces 1001 HP (736 kW) and 1250 Nm (922 lb-ft) of torque. It enables the model to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 407 km/h (252 mph).
Source: Bugatti

With the MKZ and New Lincoln Motor Co. Moniker, Ford Crosses its Fingers

Well, it's a brand new day over at Lincoln - or should I say "Lincoln Motor Company" (I'm calling it LiMoCo.) As the video above shows, the Ford subsidiary (since 1922) has just relaunched itself with this new moniker and with the new MKZ as a halo car, which, no question, is a pretty car, based on the Ford Fusion (itself a pretty car.) Hopefully it's one with enough differentiation to justify the higher price tag.

So far, the car, and the company, looks good, though with 90 years of badge engineering - simply changing the badge from "Ford" to "Lincoln" with a few cosmetic changes inside and out - it's a history that breeds skepticism.

The introduction video comes with a slick new website (www.lincoln.com) that's large on graphics and hype but not much else. A hybrid MKZ will be available that gets 45 MPG in both city and highway driving, that's something to crow about. The rest of the fleet getting as low as 17 MPG is not, however. No doubt it all balances out to meet Federal standards, though, just as the Ford fleet does with its hybrid(s) and electric Focuses (Foci?)

The MKZ itself has a lot to recommend it. It's exterior features a slim, tasteful windswept grille and a handsome, though seemingly Dodge Charger-inspired rear lamp assembly. The tiny rear window is attractive and not at all derivative of the BMW "Hofmeister Kink" as so many others have been.

The back window hints at great aerodynamics, and the squared-off dual tailpipes are sufficiently exotic.

The interior features an acceptable level of luxury, with all the right wood and leather in the right places. The placement of the shift buttons (yes, buttons) on the center console are at once eyebrow-lifting and interesting - perhaps even logical. The buttons on the Aston Martin-like center console are flush and polished nicely, and there's no question one is inside a luxury car.

Hopefully, this attractive and serviceably luxurious MKZ and the new re-branding can pull the brand out of the trash bin, where it has been tossed by many dismissive customers for decades now.