Carving Nostalgia

I have a real fascination with all objects that are old, this applies to most things, for I am not that bothered by the advance of technology, or the notion of modernity.   I prefer the aesthetic qualities of items that have been designed with flair, built well and engineered to last.   This is in stark contrast with the items of today, for these are intended to have limited appeal, and are built in a manner that is flimsy at best.  So as to fuel the consumer driven economy, rather than to remain in use for any real length of time. I  know that much of my view is based on nostalgia, but I am absolutely certain that things were just held with more value, back when the life cycle of products was longer.   This theory can be applied to most things, but here I am talking about cars specifically. There have been very few cars that have been designed in a manner that I would describe as being anywhere close to iconic, not for many years.   Yes there ha...

This post is all about the VW Van.  Few vehicles have had such appeal, for so long, what makes the VW van even more incredible is that it is a commercial vehicle, originating from post war Germany and designed with work in mind.  There are not many everyday cars that have the type of allure that the Transporter has experienced for well over 60 years. For me there are several reasons why the VW van is far more than just a van.  To begin with it has a face and heaps of personality, each generation has maintained the lines and aesthetics that set it aside from other commercial vehicles.  Also, the VW van has always had associations with California, and as being a little more left field.  They are of course mass produced, but despite this they somehow manage to maintain a degree of individuality and style. Volkswagen have in the past always styled their cars in a way that gives them lots of appeal, in an understated way.  This charm, coupled with an...

An early Mark one 'swallow tail'. There are many reasons why I love the Golf, it is beautifully designed, features simple lines and has a pretty face and an overall body shape that is timeless. It is difficult to believe that the design is now 40+ years old.  I also like the fact that it was affordable and not pitched as a premium car, but a car that was intended for anyone and everyone.  The Mark one evolved almost naturally into the Mark 2, which while be a more rounded version, maintained a lot of the charm of it predecessor.  Sadly, from then on the design lost something significant in terms of style.  I really like the Mark 3, it remained distinctly Golf and was a sturdy, fairly spacious car, but the subsequent designs lacked that special something there after.  The 4 and 5 have not aged well, for both generations now look dated, have not aged well and lack the classic appeal that previous models had.  ...

It has to be said that I do like a hot hatch, especially the original generation of Golfs, Sciroccos and the 205.  Sadly, these days most of them are either long gone, or worse still have fallen into the hands of those who have seen fit to destroy them in the name of 'modifications'.  When I see the latter I feel genuine sadness, for they have been truly ruined, and you just know that they will suffer a fast demise ending at the scrap heap, losing their dignity not to mention classic good looks along the way. You can almost see the sorrow in their faces about having their features altered in a way that turns a fantastic design in to something that is wholly ugly.  Volkswagen and alike spent millions in developing these clean, classic designs that have stood the test of time, so why these people want to destroy this I do not know. I am such a purist that I cannot stand seeing the slightest modification, whether that be the wrong wheels, the addition of ...

I am a huge fan of cars of the German variety, old ones that is. I dare say that one day in the future I will grow fond of the modern models, but I think that this will be some time off.  For decades, they produced cars with the aesthetics that I really appreciate. Bold lines, chunky styling and an overall look from a different ear, a look which is distinctly German, much more so than the more generic design aspects of the cars of today, which tend to blend in with too many other cars.  I will cover many more of my favorites, but here are a few to open with.