Do Today's Cars All Look Alike?
You will find distinct improvements in the 1939 cars. The new cars are generally more functionally streamlined than ever before. Many wind-resisting gadgets have either been completely eliminated or made integral parts of the bodies. Headlights, in most models, have been set in the front fenders both to give wider light range and to reduce wind resistance. Trunk bulges have tended to disappear, but without loss of luggage space. Windshields are generally wider and higher, and corner posts are smaller to improve vision. Interiors are wider and seats designed for greater comfort. Upholstery is more luxurious. Door and window handles are improved to avoid catching clothes. Motors are generally more powerful without any sacrifice in economy. Hydraulic brakes have been improved, and frames and bodies strengthened for safety.
– Collier’s Magazine November 19, 1938
Discuss amongst yourselves.
Ronnie Schreiber edits Cars In Depth, a realistic perspective on cars & car culture and the original 3D car site. If you found this post worthwhile, you can get a parallax view at Cars In Depth. If the 3D thing freaks you out, don’t worry, all the photo and video players in use at the site have mono options. Thanks for reading – RJS
Ronnie Schreiber edits Cars In Depth, the original 3D car site.
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I saw a Kia Rio and Subaru Impreza next to each other and I had to do a double take. The headlights are too similar. I notice that a lot of today's cars are too similar to each other. What gives? Is it to maximize volume and profit? Or are consumers really that bland?
Especially amazing once you look against 3-4 years earlier. The twenties styled car essentially died with the 1933 model year, the 1934′s were the beginning of streamlining. By 1937, an innate conservatism had started to take over (the Ford line was radically different, except for the senior Lincoln, from everybody else), and by 1939 someone who wasn’t a car junkie couldn’t tell the difference between one make or another. Just like today. 1939, with the introduction of sealed beam headlights, the ’3-on-the-tree’ taking over from the floor shift, and a general standardization of the four door sedan body style heralded the oncoming homogenization of the automobile, which would last until about the mid-50′s. It also wasn’t helped by the last of the ‘classic’ independents (Auburn, Cord) were dead by 1938, and the most radical design of the time remaining was the 1938 ‘Sharknose’ Graham. Which was just an overdone normal car of the day.
I think it's generational. My dad graduated HS is 1951, and he knew 1940s to 50's cars. But to him, the 60's cars were all 'chromed boxes', while I can ID 1955 to 1980 [mostly GM] cars. To me, new Korean cars look like imitations of Hondas,
Man, those Spirit of Motion Grahams were gorgeous.