Precast: Audis on Parade, VIP Vs. Bling
For many years, US President Abraham Lincoln thought that deporting slaves was the only workable solution to an intractable political issue. In 1861, a “colony” was established off the coast of Haiti for this purpose. Black families with no common language suddenly found themselves living together. The former slaves created their own language, complete with unwritten (but rigid) rules of grammar, tense, appellation, the lot. Semanticists have used this example to suggest that our brains are hard-wired to create shared linguistic constructs. I would suggest that the same genetic predisposition applies to tuner cars. Something new and wacky appears on the automotive scene, like low-riders, donks or VIP style. The next thing you know, a growing number of participants exert their collective unconscious on the movement, creating unwritten (but rigid) rules for what’s acceptable, what unacceptable and what’s da bomb. Strangely enough, the same process applies to vehicles that haven’t been tuned. After all, who decided what makes a Merc a Merc? Maybe that’s why I like my cars bone stock: I figure it’s the purest expression of the manufacturer’s aesthetic. Either that or I’m boring. But then I have owned Ferraris. As discerning rappers will agree, why would you want to mess with that?
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In reply to the German VIP, according to the VIP aesthetic, the rims on that car can be considered somewhat small, not flashy enough and not deeply dished enough. that's a very nice A8 I must say. an example of tucking via camber and tire-sizing: http://www.k-break.com/event/07justice/10.jpg And the more extreme example: http://www.k-break.com/event/07justice/08.jpg
It's the purest expression of what the manufacturer can do, given all the compromises involved.
I see... well then by risking a slightly higher rate of likely failure to involved components one can improve upon the purest expression the manufacturer was able to achieve. I'm not big on the eurotrash wheel/tire look, but I am all about understatement. I can respect the VIP effort, hey at least there aren't any stickers or gaudy paint schemes.
Robert, the driving force behind customization is the fact that a car is compromised for buyers other than yourself. I don't think the engineers all wanted the car to look the way it does, they had to make it acceptable to as many people in its target market as possible. The wider that market, the less 'pure' the manufacturer can make its cars out of fear of alienating someone... so yeah, something special like a Ferrari probably IS just as its designer envisioned. For example, I don't think a Civic with a moderately different exhaust and lower, stiffer suspension is a worse car. It just wouldn't sell to as many people, so it doesn't come that way stock.