# The Automobile As A Work Of Art



## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

Earl of Ormonde's recent threads on cars got me thinking; the automobile has at times been as much a work of art than a simple utilitarian machine. In many cases this remains so.

I thought it would be fun to post some pics of cars we consider just as much art as simple, mechanized carriages.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

^ Oddly enough it is quite elegant. If Mies were an automobile designer, this is certainly something he would have come up with.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

It is *very* elegant. Modern cars are utterly 'blah'.

Another favourite of mine, the Hillman minx.


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

I was parked next to a DBS on Friday. I thought that particular car was very elegant....







not this one, obviously, but a similar one.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

Since we seem to be on an anglophile trend:


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## Gurdon (Feb 7, 2005)

XKE

Gurdon


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

SG_67 said:


> Since we seem to be on an anglophile trend:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

Chouan said:


> SG_67 said:
> 
> 
> > Since we seem to be on an anglophile trend:
> ...


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

SG_67 said:


> Chouan said:
> 
> 
> > It's a Healy.
> ...


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

This is a Jowett, the Jowett Jupiter, a similar shape to your Healey.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

Time to break the anglo-vibe. Now THIS is a car.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

^ Is that a Citroen? Every time I see one I think of "Day of the Jackal". The Edward Fox version of course!

I know the Gull Wing version is the go to Mercedes when considering the classics, but I've always have a thing for the cabrio:


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

Yes, Citroen. Citroen historically aimed for "art" and innovation and could be counted upon to build something forward leaning, design wise.

Recently they became nothing more than a division of Peugeot, although they do occasionally do something quirky, like the Picasso:


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Forgive me, but I am failing to see in some of these choices any qualitative difference with a Pacer (and I am not dissing Pacers--I rather like the design):


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

Here's another Citroen beauty, the SM.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

32rollandrock said:


> Forgive me, but I am failing to see in some of these choices any qualitative difference with a Pacer (and I am not dissing Pacers--I rather like the design):


My family owned a Pacer wagon. It was a wonderful car; I never understood why it was the butt of so many jokes. The design was great.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

tocqueville said:


> My family owned a Pacer wagon. It was a wonderful car; I never understood why it was the butt of so many jokes. The design was great.


We owned a Pinto. The design was great. Everything else--the engine, transmission, radio, windshield wipers--not so good.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

32rollandrock said:


> We owned a Pinto. The design was great. Everything else--the engine, transmission, radio, windshield wipers--not so good.


The Pinto was a notoriously bad car. Mechanically speaking. The Pacer was fine, at least by the standards of the day. We found ours to be very reliable.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

I always wanted a 1966 Lincoln convertible:


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

These things are obviously quite subjective, but among modern cars I personally find the Jaguar XF sedan and pretty much all modern Mercedes-Benz models to be among the most beautiful -- especially the new AMG GT-S. It's near perfect to my eye.



Among older vehicles I don't know that the Dusenberg Model J was ever beaten, and pretty much every Packard model throughout the history of the marque was a design winner.

Finally, I have a real soft spot in my heart for the Facel-Vega. Gorgeous.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Someone has to say it--I think they're cool:


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## Donnie (Nov 14, 2014)

Nothing from Allard yet? I'll offer the 1951 K-2:


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

I've no idea how good they really were, but I always fancied one of these:


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

^ Very droll. :rolleyes2:


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

Chouan said:


> I've no idea how good they really were, but I always fancied one of these:
> View attachment 14479
> 
> View attachment 14480


What are they?


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

tocqueville said:


> What are they?


Jensen Interceptor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jensen_Interceptor


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

Chouan said:


> I've no idea how good they really were, but I always fancied one of these:
> View attachment 14479
> 
> View attachment 14480


We're talking about the car, right?


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## sbdivemaster (Nov 13, 2011)

A mechanical piece of crap, but aesthetically pleasing, IMO:



I saw one in person recently... quality was not high on the list for the short time these were manufactured.


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## immanuelrx (Dec 7, 2013)

I am sure to receive crap for this, but this 1959 caddy was my dream car growing up. I don't know what it was, but I loved this car in pink.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
...as did the "King of Rock's" Mama!


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

SG_67 said:


> We're talking about the car, right?


Of course! What else would I be commenting on ......


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)




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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

Chouan said:


> I've no idea how good they really were, but I always fancied one of these:
> View attachment 14479
> 
> View attachment 14480


Very cool, especially the Series I, but you'd really need a heavily subsidised fuel supply.


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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

Any of the pre-war Tatras are very cool, and form does follow function. Ferdinand Porsche was an assistant to Hans Ledwinka and years later Volkswagen had to admit that several of the VW engineering ideas were basically stolen from Tatra. The VW had a flat four instead of an air-cooled V8 in the back.

Despite the communists thwarting the whole operation, Tatra did lumber on and made some fine cars.
One particularly nice one is the T600 Tatraplan, from the early 50's.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

Chouan said:


> Of course! What else would I be commenting on ......


Just checking...:evil:


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

immanuelrx said:


> I am sure to receive crap for this, but this 1959 caddy was my dream car growing up. I don't know what it was, but I loved this car in pink.


Speaking of dream cars, old Gerry Anderson churned out a few:


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

^ I loved that show as a child and had quite a few of the toys!

I never had Lady Penelope's car, however.


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

This one was a favourite of mine. I'm inclined to think that a person who possesses, or possessed, a car like this is a man of real style.....


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

^ Forgive my ignorance but is that a Triumph?


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

SG_67 said:


> ^ Forgive my ignorance but is that a Triumph?


It is an MGB. And a very fine car, shades of Terry Thomas.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Shaver said:


> It is an MGB. And a very fine car, shades of Terry Thomas.


Really? I've heard that they're mechanical nightmares.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

32rollandrock said:


> Really? I've heard that they're mechanical nightmares.


Oh. I had believed we were evaluating on appearances.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Shaver said:


> Oh. I had believed we were evaluating on appearances.


I think you're right. Just checking.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

^ We are. Strictly based on styling.


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

In any case, it wasn't a mechanical nightmare, indeed, I could do most, if not all, of the servicing myself, and did. It was also a very stylish car, and an absolute joy to drive.


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## Langham (Nov 7, 2012)

Chouan said:


> This one was a favourite of mine. I'm inclined to think that a person who possesses, or possessed, a car like this is a man of real style.....
> View attachment 14486


I had one too - possibly you are right but.... I had mine long long ago, abused it horribly then sold it for a modest profit. A strange quirk of nostalgia a few years ago led me to arrange a drive in one, and I was shocked at what awfully bad cars they were to drive. Wouldn't go fast, but when it did, quite impossible to stop with any certainty.

If I had to choose the car of my dreams, it would be a 1950s Bentley Continental, with a fastback body.


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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

Langham said:


> If I had to choose the car of my dreams, it would be a 1950s Bentley Continental, with a fastback body.


There is one of those often seen around Henley in the summertime, in a lovely shade of dark blue. Beautiful.


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## Langham (Nov 7, 2012)

Odradek said:


> There is one of those often seen around Henley in the summertime, in a lovely shade of dark blue. Beautiful.


You live in an affluent area. The other car I've always liked is the Alvis, sadly no longer available:


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

OK, this is the best one yet, I think.



Langham said:


> You live in an affluent area. The other car I've always liked is the Alvis, sadly no longer available:


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## jsbrugg (Nov 16, 2011)

Chouan said:


> This one was a favourite of mine. I'm inclined to think that a person who possesses, or possessed, a car like this is a man of real style.....
> View attachment 14486


I possessed a car like that, but it was unfortunately of the rubber bumper design. While my B had some quirks, it was not a mechanical nightmare.

While the B is nice looking, I find the MGA (foreground) is better.


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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

Langham said:


> You live in an affluent area.


Guilty as charged, but in a very small and draughty rented house, and these days my automotive life is limited to a Ford S-Max.
I do know a guy who owns a LaFerrari though, and several other Ferraris to keep it company.

This is an area where more than one Aston Martin in the Tesco car park is not unusual, and cars with six figure price tags are a daily sight.
Few of them would be on the works of art list.

And getting back to the subject at hand, I'll nominate the Jaguar XK120, (and the XK140), in all their guises.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)




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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

SG_67 said:


>


Ah yes, a coachbuilt Delahaye from France's golden age of cars. Post-war French governments deliberately killed off the luxury car business for idealogical reasons.

A company called was at the forefront of this style.










Maybe a tad overblown, but still imposing.


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)




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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

I'm surprised not to have seen any of these yet.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

Langham said:


> You live in an affluent area. The other car I've always liked is the Alvis, sadly no longer available:


I'm enjoying these UK posts. Many of these examples of British industry are completely unknown to me, and I suspect to my fellow Yanks as well. Gorgeous stuff.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

Bristol 405


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

The cars posted so far seem to fall into three categories:
1. Function be damned, this is pure art.
2. Form above all, but let's be pragmatic and at least mind function.
3. Wed form and function, making the functional beautiful.

I think the Citroens I posted earlier sort of fit the third category in that the designers were aiming for superior aerodynamics and then making an aesthetic virtue of the functionality. For similar reasons I've always admired early Porsche designs, not just for the aerodynamics but for the way Porsche was shooting for an aesthetic ideal that made function a priority. His sports cars, for example, were never about power but rather about simplicity, aerodynamics, and balance. I read that when designing the Kübelwagen, Porsche refused to adopt four-wheel drive because he disdained it and saw it as an inelegant mechanical substitute for good design, which he thought of in terms of simplicity and balance.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

Shaver said:


> Bristol 405


Lovely. The same people who made the Bristol aircraft?


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

^It was.

I find this vehicle oddly compelling, the Bond Bug:


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

tocqueville said:


> Lovely. The same people who made the Bristol aircraft?


Their last outing was called the Bristol Beaufighter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_412
Not a very attractive car though...


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

Fascinating looking car, but otherwise dreadful, is this one


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## Langham (Nov 7, 2012)

tocqueville said:


> I'm enjoying these UK posts. Many of these examples of British industry are completely unknown to me, and I suspect to my fellow Yanks as well. Gorgeous stuff.


You have to bear in mind that cars like this, and the Bentley I mentioned earlier, as well as Aston Martins and Shaver's Bristols, were all made in small numbers at a time when Britain had a fairly rigid class system, and there was still a worthwhile premium to be gained from showing oneself as a man of wealth and taste.


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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

Langham said:


> You have to bear in mind that cars like this, and the Bentley I mentioned earlier, as well as Aston Martins and Shaver's Bristols, were all made in small numbers at a time when Britain had a fairly rigid class system, and there was still a worthwhile premium to be gained from showing oneself as a man of wealth and taste.


These days wealth and taste are often poles apart on the automotive front.

Since Alvis has come up, this morning I spotted something very rare indeed, and I've only just found out what it is, and by pure chance.
Driving home after dropping my wife to the station, an electric blue car passed on the main road as I was waiting at a junction. Only saw it for a few seconds before it was round the bend.
From the grill and the dual headlights I thought it some kind of coachbuilt S3 Bentley, but after a Google image search I couldn't see anything like it.

12 hours later, while looking at Alvis photos I've just spotted the exact car. A 1967 Alvis Burns Special.
An interesting story, and there was only one built.


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## Langham (Nov 7, 2012)

Odradek said:


> These days wealth and taste are often poles apart on the automotive front.
> ...


Nor is basic intelligence always to the forefront, as I have discovered by viewing the various websites given over to collisions involving expensive cars. Here, for instance, is a scene (from Monte Carlo) that for some reason reminds me of the strange phenomenon of the 'rat king', whereby various rats become horribly entwined by their tails:


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

Shaver said:


> Bristol 405


That's incredible. :aportnoy:


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## phyrpowr (Aug 30, 2009)

The Austin Healey 3000 is hard to beat, IMHO.


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## Gurdon (Feb 7, 2005)

Chouan said:


> I'm surprised not to have seen any of these yet.
> View attachment 14496
> 
> View attachment 14497


Thanks for posting such good pictures. The XKE is my choice as the most beautiful production automobile. 
Gurdon


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