2011 Dodge Charger Vs. Previous Dodge Charger

Well ok! So just like Chrysler’s remix of its hit single, the Chrysler 300C, Dodge Charger also did a remix of its hit single, the previous Dodge Charger. When that Dodge Charger came out, I was stunned! It was a most beautifully designed car with splendid and thorough design execution. It is in a class all by itself, and is an icon of beautiful, competition-beating automobile design. No words can describe this car when I see it. It just exudes all kinds of mad sex appeal. It is just so witheringly sexy. It’s a sexy beast! If this was an animal, this would be the first sexiest animal ever! (laughing uncontrollably)
        Well now lets get on to critiquing the new remix of the previous Dodge Charger – the all new 2011 Dodge Charger. The first sight of recognizable difference is at the front of the car. Here the front fascia of the car has a more raked-upward look. However, there are some displeasing aspects of this new redesign. The original shape of the headlamp housing was not retained in the new design. Instead, the headlamp housing is more rectangular-ish, in contrast to the previous design in which the top of the headlamp shape had a more striking upward slant. In addition, the headlamps have been pushed in further, giving a more drawn back or relaxed look to the front end. This is in contrast to the previous design, in which the headlamps were pushed further out, and almost in line with the grille. This positioning made for a bolder in-your-face look, and in combination with the grille and headlamp housing design, aided in an aggressive, ferocious cat appearance. Furthermore, the headlamps within the housing are too big, as well as too square-ish! The headlamps take up almost all of the space in the housing. It leaves no visual breathing space, so to speak. There always needs to be a little “air” in the headlamp housing so, you can appreciate its shape design – well if there’s anything nice about it to begin with. However, there is one positive aspect about the front end design of the new Dodge Charger, and it’s also one that I had predicted. They pulled in the sides of the grille – gave it a lower inward angle. This is a good progressive design update J . All that would have been needed to accompany this is raked – up headlamps, but at the same time, still retaining most of the former headlamp shape.
        Ok, now lets move on to the side of the car. OMG! WTF! What happened here? Are you kidding me? No, holy crap, are you really kidding me? This just aint right! Say it aint so! They removed the crease that used to be on the rear shoulder! L This was a defining design aspect of the Dodge Charger. This is a famous crease! And the thing about it is that it wasn’t just any type of crease. It was a meticulous crease – like a little mixture of a Nike swoosh and a lightning bolt. It was banging! I'm going to go a little bit further, it was snatching! Whenever a Dodge Charger would pull up besides me on the street, I would stare endlessly at that striking rear shoulder panel crease. Also, another disappointment with the design of the side of the car, is the shape of the rear passenger window. The former design was more interesting, it added drama, and accented the fore mentioned crease on the rear quarter panel. Lastly, the rear end of the side of the car has a vertical profile compared to the previously slanted style. This re-design delays the look of visual movement on the car. On the previous Charger, both the front and rear end of the side profile was slanted, or leaning forward. This gave the car a look of motion. It had a leaping, or pouncing look. (When standing still, it looked like it was in transition). At present, however, the new Dodge Charger only has the front end of the side profile of the car slanted. Therefore, this has the effect of the front end of the car appearing like its moving while the rear end is at a standstill. This in combination, gives the car a stagnant profile – a look of no motion. But, however, there is one positive design aspect of the side of the car. It does have a large crease in the panel – albeit a different type. The only thing is that, it’s sort of a plane Jane indentation, and would probably be more complemented by the addition of the previous crease from the previous charger (on the rear quarter panel). I think that combination would be kickin’! It would be new, different and innovative – umm yeah, the way I came to think of Dodge after they first came out with that re-designed Dodge Charger. (lol)
        Ok, well now, lets head on to the back of the car. The redesign of the rear of the car is awesome, I must say. It’s really decent! It’s tight! It’s neat! In fact, (hahaha) the rear end is my type of what I call good-‘ol bold innovative Dodge styling!
        Now here comes the final grade. All in all, in regards to the improper front end re-design and in addition to the removal of the rear quarter panel crease, and the boring reshaping of the rear passenger window on the side, I’ll give the 2011 Dodge Charger a C. For me I am a crude street (SeraniTafari Street Team lol)critique of automobile styles. You either hot or you not. In my crude design vocabulary, good = hot, and ugly = not hot. But because I still have some love for Dodge (because of the hot stuff they have made before) and respect other lovers of Dodge, I won’t just outright say its ugly – and that would be a little bit ignorant, because there some good design additions to the car. So umm yeah J .

 

A designer must be observant..design is money! The Big Three have what it takes to be successful, and money is at stake..if you need help, holla at the SeraniTafari Street Team!

- Gebre Mesquitta

2010 Chevrolet Camaro (on 24's)

Talk about a big cat!

A big, fierce, growling, prey-seeking,

Murderous cat!

With eyes glowing

A yellow deadly light in the black darkness.

Well take a look at this short little video of this Chevrolet Camaro on 24 inch wheels. You can see my poem become a literary to physical transformation at 0.2 seconds, and lastly at 0.31 seconds to 0.40 seconds. A car can be a poem, a painting, an animal of imagination in still motion. A car is artwork sculptured in metal; its moving art work that exudes and draws emotion. Its the hottest type of artwork ever simply because you can drive it! Isn't that fun!!





The 2011 Chrysler 300C

So it’s out that Chrysler released the remix to its mega hit single, “The 2005 Chrysler 300C.  This single has been on the chart for quite some time. It raked up numerous awards, and if I’m right, I think it has been the most awarded single ever. Well now Chrysler has decided that it could do with a remix. They have released the Chrysler 300C 2011. Okay, now the previous single was a smasher, so why remix it? Well I guess you gotta keep it fresh, don’t want it to get stale. Right? Well let’s see if the remix is better than the original hit. It’s time to pick apart the design of the new 2011 Chrysler 300C.

I will start with the rear of the sedan. Over lies gorgeousness and stateliness. The taillights aesthetic has been changed. It now includes surround chrome highlights. In addition, the reverse lights within the taillights are also highlighted with chrome. Furthermore there is a vertical chrome piece within the taillight that extends downward to meet the reverse light. This gives the entire tail light a unique look. It makes it pop! Right where the taillights end begins the rear fender. The top surface of the rear fender is also in chrome. This, in combination with the uniquely apportioned placement of chrome in the taillight, by extension, gives the entire rear of the car a very classy look. The fat dual exhaust pipe then completes everything perfectly.

Lets now move on to the side of the car. Here, a beautiful continuation of the chrome usage is in effect. The entire window set is wrapped in an outline of chrome. The chrome treatment is also given to side mirrors and door handles. Moving lower down on the side of the car is a double surfacing. A rear shoulder similar to the Dodge Charger, but not, exactly is captured it seems. A curve sympathetic to the upper outline of the rear taillight is surfaced into the metal and continues all the way to the beginning of the front wheel well bulge. This surfacing is giving a slight lip; this is where the “double” surfacing comes in. This effect gives extra drama to the side of the vehicle. It’s just different - a lil bit of pizzazz, “jus’ a lil bit”

Ok, now, let’s slide on ‘round to the front of the car - where the premier of Chrysler bangin’-ness originally debuted itself. HMMM! (Eyebrows become knitted and puts index finger in front of mouth LOL). Here, the grille has changed. It is smaller and is no longer the previous egg-crate grill design, but instead, a design composed of horizontal slats. I have to admit that I do not too much enjoy this redesign. The previous grille was larger and the egg-crate style made for more impact. In addition, the headlamps are too much tamed and none-aggressive looking, compared to the former “bulldog-looking, growling, get-out-of my-face-look. I’m disappointed with that aspect that they altered. What they should have done with the headlamps instead, is hahaha…I will provide a sketch of this soon…so stay tuned!

 The above picture is a realistic rendering that I found on some website while the remix of the 2005 Chrysler  300C was still a just a rumor.....notice the large grille here, and more assertive headlamps than on the current spyshots of the new 2011 production model.

Anyway, all in all, the remix is vey good, but not awesome.....

- Gebre Mesquitta

2011 Chrysler 300C

Today we are going to take a look at the all new 2012 Chrysler 300C. First and foremost like my partner Gebre said the 300C is just one of those surprising Creations of beauty and elegance.

Chevy Tahoe...another of GM's Sexxy SUVs

This is the Chevy Tahoe. Just look at the front fascia, the bumper looks like the thick luscious lips of a sexy female. I just wanna kiss her! Man I just love this truck! I adore the beautiful grille design and the pretty headlamps, with the double circular bulb holders side by side, the amber turn signal on the left, and the lower rectangular light below. It's such a wonderful headlamp combination. They look so kind. It's like they're winking/smiling. Some day I'll muster the courage to ask her out for a date. xoxoxo

ooooh "sensual seduction"!!

- Gebre Mesquitta

Farewell Pontiac Part II

The first time I saw a Pontiac was back in 1992, my Dad had rented a Grand AM while his car was being fixed. It was a dark but bright blue, and looked thoroughly modern compared to my Dad’s 1979 Peugeot. What I had liked about that car though, was the way the design came to a pointed convergence at the front. This being more evident with the headlamps, which were kind of tear-drop shaped, with the tear-drop end meeting on both sides of the grille. The back also had big, fun, sporty headlamps. Back then, and at 8 years old that looked really hot to me, and I wanted my Dad to keep the car and leave his other car at the dealership!

The other Pontiac model that I loved was the Bonneville. I used to love this car man. It had a long wheel base and was a bit wide track, with a quite decent front and rear fascia, I would say - well at least to me. It looked really fun, cool and sporty, and feisty. The first time I had seen it was back in 1993. My neighbor had bought it as a rental car (he was always showing off with rental cars lol). I remember it was a beautiful white and looked like a really fast sports car. You know like that image you get your get in your head - like the car is parked or standing still, and you picture the engine being revved up or simply the car just flying down the road (all while motionless). In addition, I remember once me and family were leaving our apartment and heading to our garage, when our neighbors white Pontiac Bonneville was parked in the driveway. It looked so beautiful and new, I hadn’t seen it before. But anyway, my neighbor was leaving his apartment too and ran into me as I was engaged in the my minds curiosity of this big white, pretty Bonneville sedan. I was caught on my hands and knees looking under the underbody of the car. Hahaha!

“Now lean back / lean back..” This is how I describe another of my favorite Pontiacs: Grand Prix. Man I love that car. What I enjoy most about that car is its design. It has a low-slung body over a long wheelbase giving it an “Lean Back” type cool appearance. “It looks hip, and urban even without being “pimped out”. With just a bit more “bling”-ness incorporated into its design, it would make a good rap video-car! My love for this Pontiac Grand Pix car increased after being driven in it by a friend. I got to see the design up close, as well as a little taste of the engine. The engine felt powerful and contributed to the car having a nice zippy feeling. In addition this Grand Prix had big chrome rims that made it look extra cool! The bad part, however, was that my friend was selling it - for about $5000, and I couldn’t afford it L . I wanted to buy it soo bad! But that was that.

Because of my love for this car, I wanted to do some ideation sketches of a more up to date and futuristic version. But when GM recently announced that it was abandoning its Pontiac brand, all my hopes were dashed. My dream died L . But I hope to keep Pontiac alive by purchasing some scale models of the Pontiac Grand Prix, and Bonneville sedans. I hope I can find them. That would be great! Miss you Pontiac!

Below are pictures of my Jamaican friend's 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix... on big chromes rims! Looking dan-

gerous! Uhmm yeah, night stalker? hahaha

- Gebre Mesquitta

A Sad Day in the Automotive World

Today the curtains have finally closed on the historic Pontiac brand. Originally marketed as the sport car brand, or "youth" brand for the new generation, Pontiac was a brand that represented true power, sleek design, and portrayed the image of American Muscle. I sometimes wish that I had the ability to purchase this great company, just to salvage and rebuild it, and retain the historic legacy that it has now left behind. We will truly miss cars like the Fiero, Trans-Am,/Firebird, the Grand Prix, Grand Am, Bonneville, even the Legendary GTO, also lets not forget the controversial Aztek.  With the death of Saturn, Pontiac, Mercury, and even the Space Shuttle many great heroes are gone but their legemds will always live.

GOD BLESS PONTIAC!

- Jamal