Lamenting The Low Waistline

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I woke the Rover from its winter slumber over the weekend for an early spring shakedown, and, just as you do when you’re back behind the wheel of a car you’ve been away from for a while, I started noticing and remembering things about it that I had forgotten.
Most of these were things that I’ve documented on these pages many times before, so I won’t trouble you with them further. However, the one thing that stuck out like sore thumb, something I had never really noticed before, really got me thinking.
I really, really miss low window lines.

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Being irretrievably mis-shapen I find myself having to keep the Rover’s driving seat in its lowest position, yet still, when viewed from the front or the sides much of my upper torso is visible as well as my shoulders, neck and head. The view through the quite steeply raked windscreen is panoramic compared to many cars I’ve been trapped inside.
This is a contrast with today’s fashion, which is increasingly towards tall, muscular metal flanks with little, slitty windows perched upon them. See Land Rover Evoque for further details. Such a car gives its occupants the feeling of being hunkered down inside the machine, being surrounded by strong, comforting, impact absorbent matter, being cosseted by the car’s cradling arms. In contrast, a massive amount of glass area makes for maximum possible admission of bright, cheery light into the interior, which is surely just as attractive an experience.
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I had never given much thought to the angle of my A-Pillars, either. They stand proudly at an angle far less pronouncedly raked than on most of today’s cars, their upright nature when viewed from inside remind me rather of the first generation Saab 900. Of course, the basic Rover 800 hull was designed in the early 1980’s, so it joins such low-waisted greats as the ’87 Pontiac Bonneville.
Since then the probable truth is that side-impact safety laws combined with the sheer amount of stuff that cars are forced to carry in their doors has forced the window-line upwards, as has the need for more vertical room in the engine bay, as well as ever larger wheels to accommodate ever larger brakes, to handle ever increasing weight. This means that cars as beautifully proportioned as the E12 BMW 5-Series and the Pininfarina restyled Series Three Jaguar XJ6 are never likely to make a comeback.
Progress. Progress has decided that we can no longer have a low hood with a big front windscreen, affording a commanding view of the lesser traffic ahead that we are rapidly bearing down upon. Get off my lawn.
Does anybody else mourn the time when cars had proper windows?
(All images Chris Haining Hooniverse (lede photo taken by my wife from my precise eyeline) 2016 apart from Land Rover Evoque image taken from carandriver.com)

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  1. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    Yes. There are many cars I won’t consider simply because of their high beltline.

  2. Rover 1 Avatar
    Rover 1

    The Evoque has always struck me as some sort of mistake. The original classic David Bache/Spen King masterpiece glimpsed as a reflection in an amusement arcade house of mirrors
    .
    The original is the poster child for low waistlines, big glass areas and visibility.The Evoque is the exact opposite.
    You can see they’re the same concept but the proportions are so distorted, it becomes a caricature of the brilliant airy original. And the two vehicles are about the same size. No wonder there’s a big demand for re-imagined versions of the original with all the later fitments and horsepower with the budget unlimited.
    http://cdn.silodrome.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Range-Rover-Classic-1-1600×1064.jpg
    Kingsley Cars Range Rover 4.8i £94750 http://www.kingsleycars.co.uk/restored-land-rovers/1992-range-rover-3-9i-se-2-door.htm
    http://www.kingsleycars.co.uk/images/8/895e1_mg_6969-jpg.jpg

      1. Rover 1 Avatar
        Rover 1

        Weeelll. It’s not like we’re given a choice is it?

        1. Sjalabais Avatar
          Sjalabais

          I guess the choice is in different models and different brands. Every time a gun slit or blown up clown mobile appears, they seem to eclipse their competition though.

    1. karonetwentyc Avatar
      karonetwentyc

      The Evoque has always struck me as being basically a Ford Focus with four inches of lift.

  3. BigRedCaveTroll Avatar
    BigRedCaveTroll

    One of things that’s great about my wife’s 2008 Honda Fit is it’s excellent visibility, in part due to a low waist line.

    1. JohnComposMentis Avatar
      JohnComposMentis

      I have a 2011 (2d gen.) Fit and agree about the low beltline, but I find the highly raked A-pillars create a blind spot especially on the driver’s side, just big enough to hide a pedestrian.

  4. desmo Avatar
    desmo

    Mercedes W168 has a high waistline optically, but a very low waistline technically.
    That´s because of the unique double floors, which cause a high seating position. Overall view is brilliant; like in an aquarium.

    1. Rover 1 Avatar
      Rover 1

      Despite it’s compromised ride/handling, I like these and talked a few of my friends into buying them.They remain my friends.

      1. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar

        I’ve always liked these, very cleverly designed machines. But bear in mind the design of these is almost 20 years old and the fact that the current A W176 A Class is about as conventional as things get, and we see “how far” we have come.

  5. Borkwagen Avatar
    Borkwagen

    Yeah this is becoming quite the problem nowadays. I parked my Saab 9000 next to a new Chrysler 200 and, apart from the difference in visual bulk, the difference in beltline is staggering. I’m going to be that guy hoarding old cars because they really don’t make ’em like they used to.

    1. Rover 1 Avatar
      Rover 1

      Join the club!

  6. nanoop Avatar
    nanoop

    Maybe not quite fair a comparison, but I like greenhouses, too:

    View post on imgur.com

  7. Jaap Avatar
    Jaap

    The other day, a Renault 12 Break passed me by. In it’s time a rather unimagenative car. But now, I was stuck by the visual lightness of it. The glasshouse appears to make most of the visual height. This is emphasized by the bit under the characterline, from there further downwards the body is turned inwards. The bit under the doors is turned even further inwards and barely visible when the car just passes by. The visual effect is a bit of flying glasshouse. Beautifull! But, do you want to have a side impact in one of these.
    Anorher reason of the beltline moving upwards is legislation on front impact protection regarding pedestrians and possibly front lights location. The whole front of the car has to be higher. Which reminds my of a quote from the late LJK Setright: nothing compromises modern cardesign more than legislation. I think he wrote this in early ’90’s

  8. mr smee Avatar
    mr smee

    My 90 Cressida really has a “greenhouse.” It’s great to roll down the window, place arm on the sill, open the sunroof, feel like you’re in a convertible. The worst I’ve seen is the Camaro, gun-slits starting above my shoulder, I literally get claustrophobia sitting in a Camaro.

  9. duurtlang Avatar
    duurtlang

    I woke up my almost two decades old 306 convertible from its winter slumber this afternoon. Battery was 95% dead, but that’s besides the point. What struck me was how slender it is. New cars all look so thick in comparison. Even compared to my company car (Focus) next to it it was rather low. And this is a car that was produced until the early 21st century.
    Slender cars need to make a comeback. Crash test be damned. I don’t like the McD look of modern cars. The new Miata/124 shows it’s possible.

    1. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar

      One of the very best looking cars over made. My wife lusts after one, but it would involve separating with her existing 306. That ain’t never gonna happen.

      1. duurtlang Avatar
        duurtlang

        Pininfarina was on a roll with Peugeot. I’m a huge fanboy, and own 3 Pininfarina-badged Peugeots. Such timeless and elegant designs. Great to drive, comfortable and reliable too. I own a 205 cti (and gti), 306 cab and a 406 coupe. The latter two are worth peanuts nowadays.
        When I get a bit more experienced at wrenching I’ll have to try a more classic one. 504 coupe preferably. That’s such a pretty car.

        1. karonetwentyc Avatar
          karonetwentyc

          Allow me to also suggest the 404 Cabriolet.

          1. duurtlang Avatar
            duurtlang

            At my wrenching club there’s a 404 coupe that’s been collecting dust for years now. Very pretty car. That convertible is looking a bit too classic for my taste though. I was born in the 1980s…
            (and yes, that’s a Ro80 next to it)
            https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c28c96bd89d5cb709fa2a7ff3b579e07eef5d7a7478edfb2046e9fc9ce045468.jpg

          2. karonetwentyc Avatar
            karonetwentyc

            Hey, I wasn’t born all that much before you!
            Agreed, though, that the 1980s and 1990s were a high point for Peugeot’s styling. Pretty much everything in the range looked at least acceptable, if not downright stylish for the time. Amazing how unloved the 406 Coupé is these days on the used market; they were a fantastic car, especially with the V6.

  10. Tiller188 Avatar
    Tiller188

    I must admit, every time I drive my folks’ Volvo 940 (circa 1995), I marvel at being able to just see everything. Of course, I also feel more like I’m sitting on it than in it, and my head is dangerously close to touching the headliner at all times (pretty sure my hair brushes it a bit if it hasn’t been recently trimmed), but the thin pillars and lotsa glass are pretty nice. This is part of the reason I’m a fan of the 5-door hatch bodystyle; even on newer cars it seems to produce somewhat-better visibility, my own WRX and a buddy’s GTI being good examples.

  11. ol shel Avatar
    ol shel

    Totally agree.

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      BMW Pope-mobile!

  12. salguod Avatar

    I pulled up behind a Ford Five Hundred in the 318ti today and was struck by how the top of the deck lid was at my eye level.
    Riding in my Squarebird is even more striking, especially top down. Head and shoulders poking out in the wind.