Are modern family cars bigger?

[TC350]

Surely most of the reasons for the increasing sizes of cars these cars are down to what’s installed in them.
Multi-media
Split level air con
Gazillions of airbags
Crumple zones
The list probably goes on.

I should think it's the safety items like airbags and crumple zones that are more to do with increasing sizes than the luxury/comfort items.

 

[Darrell]

I should think it's the safety items like airbags and crumple zones that are more to do with increasing sizes than the luxury/comfort items.

And yet despite all this additional weight and size the customer still wants a little frugal engine with the speed of an F1 car.

At a rock bottom price.

 

[davymead]

The new MINI is on the left.

View attachment 143353

A bit of a mismatech TBF.
The equivalent would be the latest Clubman which is way smaller than that ugly Countryman.

 

[davymead]

Both Wightlink and Red Funnel need a reality check for their future. Anybody with a care about their vehicle need be nervous about a journey on board these days as room between seems tighter by each sailing

 

[Will]

Drove past a Porsche garage earlier, with the service centre car park - plenty of 911s parked up from early 80s cars up to current models. Reminds me of a picture I’ve seen before:

 

[HappytalkAgain]

View attachment 143354

Faaaaaaaar too much time on ya hands nitpicker Darrell

 

[HappytalkAgain]

Surely most of the reasons for the increasing sizes of cars these cars are down to what’s installed in them.
Multi-media
Split level air con
Gazillions of airbags
Crumple zones
The list probably goes on.

Absolutely. Mostly safety related.

 

[ChipChop]

Yet the tiny original smart car are meant to be safe, even in a head on. Did'nt Top or Fifth gear crash one?

 

[Will]

I would think the chances of having an accident in a newer car would be less, aside from how well it would perform in a crash

 

[davymead]

Only a faint recollection of driving my original 898 Mini in ‘67
But I‘m sure as hell wouldn’t dream of driving that car on our roads now.

 

[HappytalkAgain]

Only a faint recollection of driving my original 898 Mini in ‘67
But I‘m sure as hell wouldn’t dream of driving that car on our roads now.

Exactly. Given the size of some of the pot holes we’d never see you again Davy

Many moaning that modern cars are too big. Would we go back? I certainly wouldn’t.

 

[davymead]

Exactly. Given the size of some of the pot holes we’d never see you again Davy

 

[190]

Drove past a Porsche garage earlier, with the service centre car park - plenty of 911s parked up from early 80s cars up to current models. Reminds me of a picture I’ve seen before:

Besides the obvious narrower width, the most striking difference in the older car is the much superior rearward vision. Poor rear vison is a blight that seems to affect all modern cars. Reversing cameras help but what about the view through the rear mirror while driving.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Average school leaver (male) is 6ft now...

Lol!....they must shrink a lot after they leave school then as the average height of a UK male is 5'10"....and has been for decades.

 

[JHS]

Lol!....they must shrink a lot after they leave school then as the average height of a UK male is 5'10"....and has been for decades.

Yes, but that includes all of the stunted males born in the 40s and 50s.

 

[JHS]

Exactly. Given the size of some of the pot holes we’d never see you again Davy

Many moaning that modern cars are too big. Would we go back? I certainly wouldn’t.

Nor me! My first car, a 59 A35 did not have a heater. It was an optional extra!

 

[TC350]

Nor me! My first car, a 59 A35 did not have a heater. It was an optional extra!

In 1964 I put in an order for a new mini. One of the extras I opted for was a heater, which (IIRC) added £12 10s to the price. It was certainly cheaper than the Connolly leather that I also specced.

 

[BTB 500]

Yet the tiny original smart car are meant to be safe, even in a head on. Did'nt Top or Fifth gear crash one?

I remember that ... the structure held up very well but IIRC the conclusion was that the rapid deceleration (with no significant crumple zone to absorb the impact) would probably kill you!

 

[BTB 500]

We were at a garden centre a couple of days ago and walked past an Audi Q7 and a 1970s/80s era Rolls Royce parked in adjacent bays. Unfortunately I couldn't get a picture as the Audi was about to drive off, but the Rolls looked tiny next to it!

 

[HappytalkAgain]

We were at a garden centre a couple of days ago and walked past an Audi Q7 and a 1970s/80s era Rolls Royce parked in adjacent bays. Unfortunately I couldn't get a picture as the Audi was about to drive off, but the Rolls looked tiny next to it!

Yes. Friends of ours have a Q7. When they visit it makes my L3 Vito look very average in size.

Their reason for having it is they occasionally go camping. Mum, Dad and 14 year old daughter.