Car's that looked great... until you saw them.

[Konan555]

Ever taken a look at a press photo and decided a car was quite handsome, only to find out it doesn't quite translate into reality? I'm not talking concept vs production, just clever photography.

Two have caught me out recently.

Ford's Kugar. I thought it was quite a funky looking crossover from the crisp white one pictured in the trade magazine I first saw it in. The first time one rolled into my vision, I immediately decided it looked like an overgrown plastic toy that a discerning five year old would term 'cheap'

And the insignia;released on a wave of, erm, silence. Looked pretty good to me in all the photos. Didn't look bad approaching in my wing mirror on the A1... and then it passed me and I got attacked by the accident of a rear end. I guess that's why I didn't see any rear shots of it

[handscombmp]

I have to agree with the Insignia.

Looked good in photos but rubbish in real life. I'm worried what the new astra will be in real life.

One i've found that is the opposite way round is the passast CC.
Photo's don't really do it justice and it needs to be seen in real life.

[Barakka]

A few recently...

Ford Ka - how something that horrid can be on the same platform as the Fiat 500 I don't know

Alfa GT - looks stunning when photographed but in the metal just looks a bit ordinary

BMW X6 - where to start ? erm, a matchbox car for a giant ? can't imagine what else they were thinking.

VW Scirocco - looks good most of the time, but first time I saw one I caught a really bad angle on it that I can only describe as looking like a parrot fish

It's the bulge infront of the nose...


Then the scirocco with the bulge at the top of the windscreen, funny it's hard to find pics that show it off best I can find is;

[kalniel]

scirocco.. so that's what that thing was that was behaving so badly on the roads this morning!

I actually prefer how the insignia looks in real life - in the photos it looks huge and whale-like.

I think the Fabia looks worse in real life compared to the photos.

[Zak33]

saddly Scirroco for me too...looks like someone sat on the roof at the back.

[joshwa]

Saw an Insignia in real life the other day, and was surprised by how low it looked... is this a clever design trick? (lower / wider arches?) looked almost sports like, although it could have just been excessive body roll as it was going round a corner

Scirocco almost looks great, but is quite common round here, and should have been a bit bolder in my opinion.

The new Ford Ka is shocking... the old one was cheap, cute, and a neat little a-b kind of car... the new one isn't any of these things.

I've driven the new Fabia - it was like driving a van - the driving position is strangely high!

[Butcher]

Fabias always look disappointing when I see them - especially the front end, just looks kind of limp.

[Shad]

MiTo

And what is going on with the back of the Insignia

[kalniel]

And what is going on with the back of the Insignia

I like it! It's got hints of new jaguar and bmw. And to be honest, anything is better than the vectra's arse.

[Vimeous]

The Insignia - I like it but the rear-3/4's on the hatch is too complex and too narrow at the centre. The wagon's rear shutline irritates me but I've not yet put my finger on why.

MK6 Golf - liking the front but the rear looks ultra-dumpy on skinny rims.

Alfa GT - YAY someone else!. Lovely in pix but when you seen it in the flesh it just looks too long and bulky.

Come to think of it no-one's mentioned the Brera yet! I still like it but the shortening of the wheelbase from concept to reality took it from jaw-dropping to simply pleasing.

Boxster - I want one but the original concept was so much more sexy than the the slightly dumpy 1st-gen they put up for sale

[Konan555]

BMW X6 - where to start ? erm, a matchbox car for a giant ? can't imagine what else they were thinking.

I'm not sure I even liked that in the photos. I'd be easier just to have 'pratt' branded onto peoples foreheads in the dealer

[Vimeous]

I know I'm wrong, very wrong, and I know image alone would prevent me from sitting in one at a motorshow BUT

I really love the X6. It's exaggerated curves, popping muscles and pompous snout.
On the road its prescence is undeniable and I can't help but watch them thunder past - at 5mph.

Despite this I dislike it for one significant reason.
It encouraged the 5-series GT which in pictures appears to have thrown the good-proportions book straight on the fire and created a transport device as heinous as the Sssangyong Rodius.

[Gibbo]

And what is going on with the back of the Insignia

It thinks it's a Bentley GT.....

[Disturbedguy]

I actually like the Scirocco, i wouldnt mind having me one of them...if I had my license and could afford it.

[Funkstar]

MK6 Golf - liking the front but the rear looks ultra-dumpy on skinny rims.

I can't say I've had a good look at the standard one, but the GTI looks fantastic from the back

[hitman67]

Got to disagree about the Insignia - It screams Acura too me but imo it looks pretty sweet.

New KA is one they've managed to mess up well and truley - They take something beautiful like the new Fezza and manage to ruin it somehow. Jury's still out on that new Citoren thing they advertise by ripping off ghostbusters too...