Quote:
Originally Posted by Law
On the topic of afterthoughts, not all afterthoughts are created equal.
There's much to dislike and loathe about an afterthought that's due to poor design or cost-cutting but I tend to group the Power Dome in a different category, one that consists of things like fender flares and factory aero pieces on souped up versions of what are otherwise plebeian pedestrian vehicle platforms.
It's these engineering-necessitated afterthoughts that make cars from skunkworks divisions so interesting & adored in terms of their appearance for those who appreciate them.
Not everyone is a fan but the designs are truly form over function.
There's no way to efficiently fit wider wheels & tires on a 'regular' sedan-based chassis without the afterthought of flaring/widening the wheel arches (i.e., many skunkworks cars, M, AMG, you name it.).
There's no way to fit a 4.0 V8 with a volumetrically efficient plenum for the ITBs without bulging the hood (i.e., E9x M3).
There's no way to make that econobox layout have the optimal cooling & aerodynamics without the afterthought of bumpers with large openings and large rear spoilers (i.e., Civic Type-R, Lancer Evo, etc.)
Bespoke platforms/chassis are nice in that they provide a clean sheet design where everything that's there is there for a reason from the beginning. You have less design compromises since the body from the get-go has been designed around the engine that it's going to have, the tire widths that it's projected to have, etc.
You don't see a Ferrari 812 with a bulging hood or fender flares despite its large V12 engine and wide tires precisely because the platform was designed from day one to accommodate for those things.
But modifying a luxury or econobox sedan chassis and turning it into a sports car with a different engine, suspension, etc. is a different challenge altogether.
It's these kinds of afterthoughts that make these types of cars what they are & many enthusiasts of these cars really appreciate the little bits of engineering that go behind them.
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I don't disagree that having an element like the power dome tells a little story about that car. It even makes it more exciting. I love wide fender flares, but I just don't like the power dome. Obviously it's a minority opinion. I loved the styling on the E46 and thought the fender flares, exhaust, and body kit did enough talking. I was never a fan of the fender vents or the power bulge.