Welcome to, as far as I know, the only live-action online theoretical product design test clinic in the entire universe, and it’s got the Hooniverse name stamped all over it.
Last week we decided that the world definitely does have space for a back-to-basics, e-z customised four-wheel-drive vehicle. In fact, it’s a heinous crime that the major manufacturers have all abandoned this somewhat specialist sector of the market, and the smart money is on even the Land Rover Defender turning into some kind of lifestyle replacement accessory for the well heeled. So there we have it. The design, the concept, all up for grabs. Somebody please build it (or something better looking that does the same job).
This week’s pencil and biro fantasy is, well, just a car, really. It’s a wagon with two side doors, possibly four-wheel-drive with mild off-highway trips workable. The car itself won’t rewrite history. What we’re interested in is the roof. Take the jump to say Yay or Nay.
Yes, T-Tops! Once the preserve of the elite, such distinguished cars as the Chevrolet Corvette, the Mustang II, the Nissan 300ZX and the Suzuki X-90, I want to see whether the world would welcome their return or whether they should remain dead and buried along with three-spoke alloy wheels and window louvres.
Panoramic roofs are where it’s at these days. Air conditioning stands in for actual fresh air, and nobody wants the hassle of removing and storing the removable panels that are the whole point of T-Tops in the first place. Bollocks, I say. T-Tops are fun, and what better vehicle to have them on than a practical, everyday car? T-Bar Sports Cars are one thing, but what about having some fun on the way to Home Depot, or when returning from IKEA with a trunkload of shit you didn’t realise you needed?
So, is this nonsense? Should T-Tops come back as part of the structure of your average daily driver? And, if they should, which brand should be first to remind the world of what it’s been missing?
(All drawings by Chris Haining for Hooniverse, Copyright 2015)
By RoadworkUK
RoadworkUK is the online persona of Gianni Hirsch, a tall, awkward gentleman with a home office full of gently decomposing paper and a garage full of worthless scrap metal. He lives in the village of Moistly, which is a safe distance from London and is surrounded by enough water and scenery to be interesting. In another life, he has designed, sold, worked on and written about cars in exchange for small quantities of money.
Kamil Kaluski
I like your rendering of the Hyundai Genesis Shooting Break/Brake but please get rid of the T-tops! As my roofer would say, it's just another opportunity for a leak to develop.
I have only one question: Why does the back seat not also have T-Tops?
Bloody bean-counters. I'll amend that for production.
I kinda like it except for the split grille and the oversized ducts. Reminds me of an updated Chevy Nomad.
Make it a panel wagon for more Frazetta.
That design is out….RAGEOUS!
<img src="http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/concept/1997_Pontiac_Rageous_Concept_01.jpg" width=500>
I like it, but here is what I would change:
1.Frameless windows are needed with T-tops.
2.The nose is too busy.
3.The hood scoop is too far back to be of any use, and that channel down the center is going to get in the way of the supercharger or other interesting bits.
It's a nice colour, though.
You really have developed your own style! As craigsu suggests above and as I said the last time, there is a certain Korean-American look over your cars. Sharp, yet not outsized, but you also add a playfulness that fits the "concept stage" of your drawings. If I get it right, you'll use the input here to rounden up and improve the drawings?
I wonder how the rear of this car would look like? The front has this edgy triangular thing going, while the rear goes over to a more rounded theme. Could imagine round lights à la Kia Trailster low on the car, with a huge glass end à la Volvo C30/1800 above it. Mudflaps appreciated.
<img src="http://cdn1.autoexpress.co.uk/sites/autoexpressuk/files/styles/gallery_adv/public/7/17//kia-trailster-concept-4.jpg?itok=KaYq9vqp" width="600">
Anyway, it would be great to try to reintroduce t-tops. To most consumers, there would be no reference – imagine the manual section dedicated to how this works and why, ha! Electric t-tops, maybe? Yeah, forgot for a second that we are in 2015.
Cheers! Kia are probably the one of the most interesting stylistic forces out there right now, so I take that as a great compliment.
My first reaction was, if GM sold the Kappa platform to Lincoln…