Top Gear applaud the Panda
- Thread starter Velohub
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Top Gear applaud the Panda
I saw this but while I agree with the sentiment to an extent..
It's mainly most of the progress since about 2016 in cars has been in making cars more annoying and less useful. As a result you could replace the Panda with literally any older car and make the same argument..
It's mainly most of the progress since about 2016 in cars has been in making cars more annoying and less useful. As a result you could replace the Panda with literally any older car and make the same argument..
I am not sure that simplicity is equal to luxury....
I am pretty sure a Bentley Bentyaga is more luxurious than a panda.
Just because one BMW is complicated to use, doesn't mean that all cars are complicated. there are many more cars that fit the bill of "luxury" over and above the panda and are still simple and easy to use.
I believe this sort of opinion piece is what they call "Rage bait", to get people so worked up they have to engage and rant against the opinion in the article which drives engagement and makes advertisers happy.
I am pretty sure a Bentley Bentyaga is more luxurious than a panda.
Just because one BMW is complicated to use, doesn't mean that all cars are complicated. there are many more cars that fit the bill of "luxury" over and above the panda and are still simple and easy to use.
I believe this sort of opinion piece is what they call "Rage bait", to get people so worked up they have to engage and rant against the opinion in the article which drives engagement and makes advertisers happy.
I suppose the point is does all the tech they load into expensive cars now equal Luxury either?
Largely it's a moot point given the large market is China and they love it. But for Europe can't help but wonder if a just really nicely put together car with quality switches and materials with around the tech level of year 2000 S class would be well recieved.
It's a fairly widely documented fact that a huge amount of modern tech is never used by owners which largely means you're adding cost and complexity for no benefit except spec list bingo.
Materials go a long way to giving a car a luxury feel however different countries have different ideas of luxury ie the Toyota Century having wool rather than leather seats.
That being said no one it lining up for the hard plastic wheelie bin finish of the circa 2004 panda dash.
Soft touch plastics, different materials such as suede, alcantara, leather, wood, metal etc. a prime example might be the magnesium alloy indicator stalk they fitted to the Bugatti veyron.
Luxury is a lot more than just “gadgets”
I suppose the point they could be driving at is the tech is so terrible that driving a Panda is a luxury.
It may be a comment on the BMW more than luxury cars in general although given how many luxury cars are heading for one massive screen for the driver than another for the passenger he may have a point.
The German big 3 seem to think luxury is as many screens as will physically fit into the interior as possible, lit with what looks like someone spent a million pounds on temu.
Being constantly in a battle of wits with your mode of transport isn't luxurious unless that mode of transport has 1 horsepower and answers to dobbin.
Non article is filling space that could usefully be taken by something more insightful.
Harshly yours etc
Harshly yours etc
