They Took My Advice: 2013 Enclave

The 2013 Buick Enclave, top of the illustration, has finally resolved its greenhouse treatment in exactly the way I suggested they should in September, 2010, bottom of the illustration.

D E S I G N   A N A L Y S I S   U P D A T  E – In September, 2010, I wrote a post named, "My Cranky Old Man Andy Rooney Moment." I gave a short design analysis of the 2008 series Buick Enclave's greenhouse, or window treatment. Briefly, I didn't like the side windows rimmed in chrome for a unified look, while the enclosed B- and C-pillars were treated differently. The B-pillar was matte black and the C-pillar was always body -olored. They should both have been matte black or both body-colored. It just didn't work as a design detail, to me. For the original post, click here.

I guess I can count Buick as one of my readers, lol. The brand new face-lifted 2013 Enclave has taken my advice and treated its B- and C-pillars equally, both in matte black. Since the area is rimmed with chrome, it just looks so much better to have the darkened windows and pillars acting as one shape.

The bright Buick crest on the C-pillar is a really nice new touch. I'd love for them to bring their "Tri Color" logo back with its red, white, and blue, shields. A bit of color used on today's updated all-chrome logo would look great. 2014, perhaps?

My version of the current Buick logo. I like the updated facets and clean style Buick has created, but without color, it seems too flat to me. I've added color back into it, above.

1966 Thunderbird Speedster Showcar

"If I Had Been There"

Quick Study: Loyal blogreader, "Bobf," suggested I try a Speedster version of the mid '60s Thunderbird. This is what I came up with, in the manner of a period '66 Ford showcar, complete with Cragar wheels, whitewalls, cut-down windshield and redesigned side glass. I "welded" the rear fender skirts into the body, removed the doorhandles and nameplate, added the sidepipes and a modified '66 Mustang scoop trim piece, all things they might have done in the Ford studios of the time. I wouldn't mind taking a country drive in this Tbird! I started with a base photo from a website called Bold Ride, found a background image at a wallpaper site and did the rest with the magic of Photoshop.

B T W :

This car inspired me... I'd love to see a TV show based on the automobile industry in Detroit, circa 1958-71. It could be a Mad Men-ish look at a major automotive design studio, and its execs, designers, clay modelers, and their wives, boyfriends, affairs, drinking and swearing habits, their custom cars, rushed clay models, weekends at the Grosse Point Yacht club, hijinks, shenanigans, their personal relationships... You know, but with a heavy emphasis on the cars and how those cars affect their lives, professionally and personally. There could be a 10-minute Epilog at the end of each 80 minute episode; an historic "sidebar" of an actual show car and short history and sexy trivia.

B T W :

Marty Martino, a new reader to casey/artandcolour, but a long-time car builder and afficionado, mentioned the '63 Thunderbird Italien when commenting about my Speedster. A long time ago, I did a chop of what a square-edged '64 'Bird might have looked like with a fastback, hence my '64 Italien 2. I think this chop is about 5 years old. I'll take another stab at a factory Tbird fastback one of these days.

 

A full length brushed aluminum lower body side strip was added, too.

Design Tweak: Fisker Karma Surf

Not one of my full-blown chops, just a slight tweak to the rear 3/4 view of the new Fisker Karma Surf electric sport hatch. I changed the rear most window from the upswept original, below, to a more "traditional" wagon-type shape. I didn't change the rear hatch window at all. I just used its baseline and followed its natural progression in an upward sweep to the C pillar, adding a wraparound glass effect. I also gave the roof a slight "visor" effect, which carries the eye rearwards emphasizing the cargo area and rear "haunches." I think it simplifies the side profile and the wrapped glass goes perfectly with the rest of the car. I also changed the door handles. For such a highly-styled vehicle, the Fisker's tiny, plain, squared off door "holes" are set too low and ruin the sides of the car to me. I added suicide clamshell doors and a more svelte chrome handle. For such a limited production electric luxury sport vehicle, I don't see why Fisker didn't used dramatic clamshell doors anyway.

The original photo I started with of the new Fisker Karma Surf. I don't care for the upward rising window line used behind the C pillar. I think it fights the overall shape of the wagon. I also don't care for the exceedingly plain door "holes" used as handles. I feel they take the emphasis off the voluptuous fender lines.

•  For more information on this new electric car company, Fisker, click here.