Hood Ornaments Part 2

From the earliest days of the automobile, the hoods of many cars, especially luxurious models, were adorned with exquisite figurines. Hood ornaments are now largely a thing of the past, and several months ago I wrote a post celebrating this lost art. Today I bring you four more beautiful hood decorations.

2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class in Key West, FL

While simple, the Mercedes-Benz hood ornament has turned the logo into a icon. This example is seen on the bonnet of a 2013 S-Class sedan, and while the ornament is just the Merc emblem atop a small column, it screams luxury and authority. This legendary logo is now only found atop the flagship S-Class sedan. 

1931 Bugatti Type 41 Royale at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI

The Bugatti Type 41 Royale debuted just as the Great Depression sent the world into financial ruin. Therefore, its already exclusive run of 25 units was cut to just six, and only three examples made it into the hands of owners. One of the three sold currently resides at the Henry Ford Museum, and it only makes sense that such a special car has such an unusual and intricate hood ornament. The grille of the Royale is topped with a elephant standing on its hind legs, trunk raised triumphantly in the air. This sends off an image of rarity and opulence, as well as power. This is one of the most unique and ornate hood ornaments of all time.

1935 Miller-Ford Indy 500 racer at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI

Surprisingly, back in the 1930's even Indy 500 competitors had hood ornaments. Unfortunately this Miller-Ford never ended up being raced at Indianapolis, despite the team's best efforts. However, it does feature an elegant version of Ford's 1930's V8 hood ornament. I've always liked the way Ford sandwiched the 8 between the arms of the V, and the wing flowing backwards conveys a sense of speed--perfect for a race car.

Jaguar S-Type in Key West, FL

Another one of the most recognizable hood ornaments are perched on the hoods of Jaguars. Seen here on a S-Type, the jaguar is springing forward, its muscular haunches and lean physique bristling with energy. With a ferocious scowl and piercing eyes the predator strikes fear in the hearts of surrounding drivers.

Artistic Photo #9

Ford Thunderbird in Brooklyn, New York (Taken on September 28, 2015)

Car Lyric of the Week: When The Sun Goes Down by The Arctic Monkeys

"Look, here comes a Ford Mondeo
Isn't he Mister Inconspicuous?"

This song from the Arctic Monkeys debut album discussed the prostitution that occurred around their studio in Sheffield, England. The song gets into the nitty gritty of the characters: the prostitute and the client, who Alex Turner describes as a "scummy man" who will "rob you if he can" and has a "driving ban amongst some other offenses." Turner starts the third verse by describing the man's car, a Ford Mondeo. The Mondeo is the European equivalent of the Fusion, but unlike the stylish model on sale now, Mondeos in the early 2000s were dreary and commonplace. Therefore, Turner is making a sarcastic remark about the man's car, by referring to him as "Mister Inconspicuous," showing that by trying to blend in, the man is almost sticking out more in this situation.

European Vans: Part 1

Fiat Scudo in Sorano

For the majority of my life, America's van market was limited to the boxy offerings from Ford and Chevy. But within the past few years foreign companies, such as Nissan and Fiat (through the RAM brand), have joined the fray. These companies introduced mid-size vans, like the Nissan NV200, as well as European-style full-size vans, to American customers and slowly began eating away at the sales of the American vans. Soon Ford changed its ways, selling its popular European model, the Transit, for the first time in the US, and discontinuing its long running E-Series. But after traveling to Italy this summer, I realized that the United States is still missing out on a large chunk of the global van market. In this post I will outline some of the vans I saw while in Italy, and what I like or dislike about each.


Fiat/Citroen/Peugeot

Fiat Ducato in Verona

Fiat and PSA Peugeot-Citroen share the same basic mechanical and visual elements for the majority of their van fleets. At the top of the range is the Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Citroen Jumper triplets. On this side of the pond, it is branded as the RAM ProMaster, although our version has yet to receive the facelift that the European models got for the 2015 model year. The update lessens the third generation's bug-eyed look, and adds a sleek silver grille on the Fiat models. The boxier grille on the Peugeot variants causes the front fascia to look pinched, and the Jumper, known as the Relay in the UK, features a simple plastic grille topped with two silver bars. The Ducato is by far the best looking, and also seemed to be the most popular of the three by leaps and bounds.

Citroen Jumpy in Verona

Slotted below the Ducato is the Fiat Scudo, Citroen Jumpy, and Peugeot Expert. An extremely slanted front end and a bulky plastic bumper makes the vans appear as if they have an underbite, and each variant had its respective company's familial grille. My favorite is the Jumpy, called the Dispatcher in other markets, because the small, chrome grille lessens the effect of the underbite.

Fiat Doblo in Florence

Citoren Berlingo in Pitigliano

For the mid-size segment, Fiat and Peugeot-Citroen use separate designs. Fiat has the Doblò, which is rebranded as the Opel Combo, sold as the RAM ProMaster City in the States, and the Toyota ProAce in other parts of Europe. The Fiat received a facelift recently, and features a thin full-width grille which sit underneath the horizontally oriented headlights. The update brings the model into line with the appearance of the new Ducato, and it causes the model to have an odd, smiling look. Meanwhile, the French twins, the Peugeot Partner and Citroen Berlingo, have a snail-like shape, and feature more traditionally oriented front fascias, with the simple chrome bars of the Berlingo being my favorite.

Citroen Nemo in Sorano

Fiat Fiorino in Grosseto

Fiat and the French brands team up again for the smallest vans. The Fiat, called the Fiorino in cargo spec and the Qubo in passenger trim, and the Citroen Nemo both have no grille, which creates a streamlined appearance. The Peugeot Bipper, on the other hand, has a small grille surrounding the lion logo, which disrupts the clean space between the headlights. All three models are cladded with a massive plastic front bumper. These cute vans were quite popular, especially in the more urban areas I visited.

Ford

Tourneo Courier in Massa Marittima

While in America, Ford is known for the square, boxy, and ugly E-Series, its European van range is composed of aerodynamic, attractive vans. At the bottom of the range are the Transit Courier (cargo) and Tourneo Courier (passenger). These two vans are not sold in America, and have slightly sporty styling due to the corporate trapezoidal grille. These two vans look very aerodynamic and also quite handsome, and were some of my favorite vans that I saw while in Italy.

Next is the slightly larger Transit Connect (cargo) and Tourneo Connect (passenger). These two are sold across the Atlantic too, with only difference being that the Tourneo Connect is referred to as the Transit Connect as well. Next up, is the Transit Custom (cargo) and Tourneo Custom (passenger). These vans are slightly smaller than the full-size Transit, and are front wheel drive instead of rear wheel drive. The grille is more akin to that of the Transit Connect, and the corners of the headlights are pulled back towards the A-pillar, making the van look like it's being stretched backwards by the wind. At the top is the Ford Transit which recently replaced the E-Series in the USA. I found Ford's European van range a bit confusing, especially considering how simple it is in the USA: you can either get a Transit, or a Transit Connect. European customers have much more to choose from, including some particularly good-looking cargo-haulers.

Iveco
Italian truck company Iveco produces a full-sized van called the Daily. While the majority of Dailys that I saw were the bland fifth generation, which features very un-original oval headlights and a rectangular, silver grille, I did spot a few of the new sixth generation models, which quickly became one of my favorite vans. The sixth generation's face is all angles, with a thin, blocky grille, which turns upwards at the ends. The grille runs directly into the aggressively tilted, rectangular headlights.  The robotic Daily stood out among all the smooth lines of the other European vans. 


  European Vans: Part 2 Coming Soon!!!

Cars Seen at NHRA Drag Racing at Raceway Park

 1948 Tucker 48 "Gyronaut X-1" tow car by Rod Ida: Although rusting, this Tucker was a nice blast from the past. The tri-headlight design is futuristic, while the streamlined shape creates a unique silhouette.

Jaguar E-Type: In a serene shade of blue, the slinky E-Type stands out with its long hood and powerful haunches.

Porsche 1600 Speedster: The 1600 sports the classic Porsche shape and clean, flowing character lines.

The 1937 Chevy "Black Opal" custom car by Rod Ida: This is a beautiful vehicle, with the bulbous wheel covers, vertical chrome grille, and hammered stance.

 1948 Tucker 48 "Lower 48" custom car by Rob Ida: Yet another of the rare Tuckers, albeit in much better condition. This example also had eight exhaust pipes protruding from the rear bumper.

Plymouth Barracuda: The 'Cuda has one of my favorite automotive logos, along with beefy muscle car styling.

Triumph motorcycle:With an athletic stance and the legendary blue and orange Gulf colors, this is one cool two-wheeler.

Ford F-100: The predecessor to what is now the most popular vehicle in the United States, the green Ford pickup is very simple aesthetically, but still gives off a bold, tough personality.

Artistic Photo #2

1936 Ford 68 Deluxe at the Cleveland Auto-Aviation Collection at the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, Ohio (Taken on February 17, 2015)

Ford F-150

F-150 Platinum at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Detroit

     When Ford pulled the wraps off the Atlas Concept at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, all media attention was diverted in the Blue Oval's direction. The bold concept previewing the next F-150 easily outshone Chevy's new Silverado and all the other world debuts. So the next year when Ford unveiled the production F-150 in the Motor City expectations were exceedingly high. Ford delivered and more. The truck featured many of the Atlas' aggressive design cues that had generated such hype as Ford converted the outlandish styling of the massive Atlas into production-friendly design. I almost feel like I am promoting Ford but the praise is deserved: the F-150 is the best looking full-sized pick-up truck in the game.

Lariat at NYIAS

     Starting at the front, it is immediately obvious that this truck means business. The sideways U-shaped headlights look robotic, almost reminiscent of Iron Man, and the LEDs on the Platinum model add a modern touch while also being more efficient and brighter than normal headlamps. While the other model pictured, the Lariat, doesn't have LEDs, the sharp-edged headlights still appear intimidating. Both models feature huge chrome grilles: the Platinum features three thick bars with skinny rectangular cutouts within these bars; the Lariat's grille is composed of slightly more pedestrian chrome bars without the chrome filling. Nonetheless, these opulent grilles show off the F-150 as a luxury vehicle, a growing trend among full-size trucks. Each truck's lower front fascia also has a healthy dose of chrome, as well as tough, square fog lights.
      Powerful hood creases lead back to massive sideview mirrors, the Platinum, of course, is dripping with chrome. The mirrors feature the extremely useful Spotlights, which illuminate the area surrounding the truck for easy night working. The F-150's only design flaw appears along the side, where the front window dips down, the soft curve in contrast with the hard-edged styling of the rest of the pickup. Out back on the Platinum, a thick, silver bar connects LED taillights. This combined with the model name being stenciled into the bar further strengthens its dynamic image. The Lariat, a cheaper trim level, is a bit too plain, although it still retains the stylish taillights.

Lariat at NYIAS

     The Spotlights mentioned above are just one of many cool features on the F-150 that make work more convenient. There is also LED lighting in the bed and near the trailer hitch, as well as power-deployable running boards, box side steps and a tailgate step. All of these accessories make the cabin and bed easier to get to and load or unload, make sure that while the truck aspires to be a luxury vehicle it retains its place as the premier workhorse on the market. 

Grade

Box Side Steps on Platinum at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Detroit

Front: A
Back: A-
Overall: A

Top Ten Current Car Model Names

10. Chevrolet Sonic
This bold name fits the striking front fascia of the Sonic perfectly, and the exposed head and taillights always reminded me of a subwoofer on a speaker.

 9. Bentley Flying Spur

The Flying Spur originally was a designation for the sedan variant of the Continental, but it became a separate model in 2013. While there was a British tea ship known by this name in the late 1860s, I've found no direct link between the clipper and the über-luxury sedan. Nonetheless, this is one cool, elegant, and slightly mysterious name for the Conti sedan.

8. Chevrolet Volt
Although not quite as glamorous as the Flying Spur, the "Volt" name works because of just how appropriate it is. A volt is a unit of measure relating to electricity and movement of current in an electric circuit, which fits perfectly for the plug-in hybrid electric Chevy. It sure is a lot better sounding than it competitor, the Nissan Leaf.

7. Porsche Panamera
While this name is derived from the endurance race "Carrera Panamericana," which took place four times in the 1950's in Mexico, that was not why I included it on this list. Phonetically, I think it rolls off the tongue perfectly and also looks very nice when written, most likely because of the semi-symmetrical nature of the "a-n-a-m" section.

6. Dodge Durango

This tough SUV has a very appropriate name in the "Durango." Called this for the city in Colorado, it has a particularly rural, cowboy, Wild West feel to it, and when said aloud the "a-n-g" produces a Western twang.

5. Maserati Quattroporte

Though I wasn't a fan of the fifth generation Quattroporte, I have always loved the stylish-sounding name. In Italian, "Quattroporte" simply means "four-door," describing the Maser's sedan body style. But to non-Italian speakers, it sounds exotic, and quite luxurious.

 4. Dodge/SRT Viper

Just look at the slinky Dodge sports car, and try not to think of a vicious, venomous snake. This is one of the most aptly named cars of all time, especially considering the fifth generation's sleeker curves and even more aggressive front fascia.

3. Jeep Renegade
When the ambitiously styled Renegade Concept debuted in 2008 and was immediately designated as a design study, I was disappointed that I wouldn't ever see a Jeep Renegade production model. Lucky for me, the name revived for a funky subcompact crossover in the 2015 model year. The rebellious nature of this name fits in with the "all-American" Detroit advertising scheme which Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram have been using of late, and matches Jeep's slew of other outdoorsy, patriotic names, including the Cherokee, Commander, Wrangler, and Patriot.

2. Aston Martin Vanquish

One of the greatest recent designs from Aston was paired with paired with one of my favorite names of all time. The powerful grand tourer features many strong, backward sweeping character lines, which is accurately mirrored in the swooshing sound that is produced by the "i-s-h." Also, while the word sounds elegant, its means "to defeat thoroughly," showing the Aston's performance aspirations.

1. Ford Mustang
While the term "mustang" refers to a small, wild horse, the legendary sports car was actually named for the P-51 Mustang, a fighter plane produced by North American for WWII (Though the horse was chosen for the logo). But the key similarity between the beast and the machine is their small structure and fast, aggressive nature. This is exemplified is the car's iconic trapezoidal grille, angled headlights, and bulging rear haunches. Overall, the qualities of speed and size seen in the Mustang's inspirations make the name a perfect fit for the classic pony car.


Honorable Mention- Tesla Model S, III, X
While it is quite juvenile, I, as a 16 year-old boy, appreciate Elon Musk's current plans to eventually have a model lineup consisting of the Model S, III, and X for the not-that-subtle sexual innuendo.