[quote]Originally posted by 993RS:
<strong>at my dealer on Tuesday. A silver S and a black turbo. Not impressed. They really looked out of place among the 996's... And (IMHO), man are they ugly...
http://216.40.249.192/mysmilies/otn/holiday/noel.gif</strong><hr></blockquote>


First off all which country did you see the Cayenne
Porsche only produced Cayennes in showroom specification colors
The showroom specification colors are
-Cayenne Turbo Silver with black leather
-Cayenne S Lapis blue with grey leather
-Cayenne S Lagoon green with Havana leather

So I highly doubt you have seen the Cayenne in real

I saw it in Lugano Switzerland in the colors I stated.

Ferrari based on Styling? I vote for exclusivity (sp). I can afford a $xxx,000 vehicle and you can't!

What I meant by "toads", I have never seen a good-looking SUV. They're all "TOADS." Every single SUV out there has a few ugly attributes!

For all of you interested the Cayenne will be at the LA auto show. I just received an invitation from Porsche to a "related" event.

I am looking forward to seeing it, and how it compares to the competition, and whether I will keep or cancel my order.

I know, then I'll want to drive it. Patience is a @#$%$.

I'm in a dither! I want it to be great, but just because it's a Porsche won't make it so. Of course, the converse is also true!

[quote]Originally posted by dawktah:
<strong>Ferrari based on Styling? I vote for exclusivity (sp). I can afford a $xxx,000 vehicle and you can't!</strong><hr></blockquote>

Ferraris are indeed exclusive, but they would not sell so well if they were not so beautifully styled.

BTW, one could easily argue that a $75 - 90K SUV is pretty exclusive as well. Food for thought.

I've been waiting and it finally happened "I can afford it and you can't" comment........

I hope it was in jest.......

[quote]Originally posted by 993RS:
<strong>at my dealer on Tuesday. A silver S and a black turbo. Not impressed. They really looked out of place among the 996's... And (IMHO), man are they ugly...
http://216.40.249.192/mysmilies/otn/holiday/noel.gif</strong><hr></blockquote>

The Cayenne may be ulgy,but at least its real and not a transformed car.

the good news is that v8 turbo can presumably be punched up to ?550 HP in the next TT, and maybe 600 in the next GT2....

mpm-

You're right, business HAS to pick up soon, doesn't it?

No, seriously, it will right? I'm mean no one's desperate yet, but it WILL pick up won't it???????

Oops, time to take a pill, gotta go...

M

[quote]Originally posted by dawktah:
<strong>What I meant by "toads", I have never seen a good-looking SUV. They're all "TOADS." Every single SUV out there has a few ugly attributes!</strong><hr></blockquote>

Interestingly, in the 11/27/02 issue of Autocar, the journalists named the new Range Rover the 63rd most beautiful road car in the world. I'm not sure that I would have ranked it higher (as they did) than the Bentley R-type, Ferrari 250LM, and Lamborghini Diablo, but it does demonstrate their respect for its design. The Cayenne was conspicuous in its absence.

The Top Five included the 911, Ferrari 288 GTO, Ferrari 250 GT SWB, Lamborghini Miura, and Jaguar E-type (in reverse order).

[quote]Originally posted by Anir:
<strong>I'm not sure that I would have ranked it higher than the Ferrari 250LM, but it does demonstrate their respect for its design.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Actually, it demonstrates the selection board's misdirected aesthetic compass.

[quote]Originally posted by Kevin E Davis:
<strong>Actually, it demonstrates the selection board's misdirected aesthetic compass.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Kevin,

Of course, it would be easy for the editors to choose an entire roster of sports cars, or cars from the 1950's and 1960's, because there are so many beautiful examples to choose from. Evidently, they thought it more interesting to look for stand-out examples within respective classes (sports cars, trucks, sedans, coupes, etc.).

Personally, I've never seen a more beautiful truck or SUV than the new Range Rover. Its designers did an admirable job of putting a modern, elegant look on a traditional boxy truck body that's been around for 30 years. Not an easy feat to make an SUV look good, as the Cayenne has proven.

Anir,

Love is blind, what about those ugly "gills"?

[quote]Originally posted by Colm:
<strong>Anir,

Love is blind, what about those ugly "gills"?</strong><hr></blockquote>

I agree. I find the new RR simply hideous. Just hate it. Nice interior though.

Anir,
Yeah, I appreciate the point, but it confirms that comparing the styling of vehicles from such different categories is pointless effort.

Have any design experts made a critical comparison of SUV styling? Given all the bile over the C - the claims of ugliness, etc., I await the objective criteria (or even a school-of-thought) for SUV beauty. Some time ago I inquired of those that hate the C's looks, "ok, so name a beautiful SUV?" and got little response - which didn't shock me.

What we read is what posters personally like (& dislike, mostly). Which is fine, but not the basis for establishing a shared criteria, don't you think?

I only know that (IMHO!) there is NO SUV that begins to remind me of mobile sculpture, or appears to have sprung from the pencils of Zagato, Pininfarina, Touring, Bertone, Ital Design... or Harley Earl, for that matter...

I can't get too hung up on styling of Utility vehicles anyway - form follows function, even more than usual w/ these varied devices. I suspect that there is a high correlation of those who don't like the idea of Porsche making an SUV w/ those who don't like the C's appearance.

Like you, when I hear of such a low ranking for one of my all-time favorite cars (the 250/275LM is one of my top 5, & yes, I have examined a couple closely & watched (& listened to!) them in action), I can't help but question the sense & taste of the writers. Happy New Year!