Almost all vehicles these days go through a model life comprised of a debut, followed – two to three years on – by what’s called a mid-cycle refresh, and then some years after that another major re-think. The mid-cycle changes are typically minor, usually amounting to nothing more than a taillight design change and maybe some new wheels and color options. The major redesigns however are a different story altogether.
Consider if you will the 2004 and 2005 Ford Mustangs. The model year switch-over from SN95 to the Thai-Tang designed S197 was a night and day difference, and even Stevie Wonder could tell the disparate models apart. That’s not always the case however, and in fact on some of the more venerated cars and trucks, such as Porsche’s 911, major model turnovers can evidence far more changes below the skirt than above.
This past week saw the debut of a car that seems to evidence this evolutionary rather than revolutionary tact on redesign. A major model event, the 2014 Mercedes S-class is nonetheless indistinguishable form the current model at a cursory glance. This is one example of a major redesign that doesn’t seem all that major. Is that the littlest big change ever? Or, does another car or truck come to mind as being even more similar to its predecessor following a big refresh? What, in your mind, is the most indistinguishable major model redesign?
Image: Motor Trend
Do new engines count?
<img src="http://www.palitsyn.com/__data/assets/image/0012/3180/bmw-vs-lada.jpg">
Beetle vs Super Beetle.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/1972_VW_Beetle.jpg" width="400">
<img src="http://newbeetle.org/forums/attachments/photos-other-rides/1848d1128029880-nybugmans-1972-german-look-super-beetle-super2.jpg" width="400">
The real aircooled fans could spot the differences in a second.
HA HA! Took me a second.
It was the pop-up roof, right?
Wind wings is my guess.
Flat vs curved windshield?
The first SBs had flat windshields.
The hood and front valence were different… and the whole strut thing. Also, the rear window was supposed to be bigger but I'd never notice that.
Whoops. Old one has wind wings too. Thought he was makin' a funny.
I was, I was, making a funny (and striking-out). The two type-Is, they looked identical to me.
Same here. I've never liked them enough to learn the differences.
<img src="http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s451/zenmonkees/picsay-1369056218.jpg">
The type 3. Strut suspension! Curved Windshield! Bigger trunk!
*there are vw fans that can tell scene by by scene which years Disney used in the film.
That's not a Type 3. This is a Type 3:
<img src="http://www.leehedges.com/davelove/leftrear.jpg">
Correct. Using google searches is no substitute for .. Er I meant type 1303. Yeah. Thanks. 🙂
2003 Ford Crown Victoria? What do I win?
Whatever parts from a 2011 Ford Ranger that'll fit on a '93 Ranger!
I think the Audi A8 kind of morphed through the years
1995
<img src="http://www.audicarshow.com/image/1998-audi-a8-6.jpg" width="600">
2005
<img src="http://photo.netcarshow.com/Audi-A8_L_W12_2005_photo_01.jpg" width="600">
2013
<img src="http://media.caranddriver.com/images/12q2/460090/2013-audi-a8-hybrid-photo-464587-s-1280×782.jpg" width="600">
Obligatory
<img src="http://blog.lenovo.com/images/made/images/uploads/hero/911_evolution_crop_600_247_c1.jpg">
I'm still not sure how these are even classified as different "generations."
Eighth generation Civic:
<img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:06-07_Honda_Civic_LX_Sedan.jpg">
Ninth generation Civic:
<img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CVC2012aaa.jpg">
Same way as Windows Vista is NT 6.0 and Windows "7" is NT 6.1
Hasn't that been Honda's thing with the Civic, going back to at least the 80s, that every other generation is a major redesign, followed up by a healthy refresh of that generation? Well, except the 7th generation, that was sort of a dead-end. But 3rd-4th, and 5th-6th are pretty similar.
Dear Mercedes-Benz, yes we get it that this is the new, more affordable Maybach 57.
I just want the W140 tail lights back, instead of what is happening there. (I dont want to talk about what is happening there, it's too upsetting)
<img src="http://hyderabad.localnexo.in/nl_imagenes/nl_posting/21/2/815/1543357/1.jpg"> I dunno, some jeep? <img src="http://www.silverjubileemotors.com/images/thar/gallery/thargallery1.jpg">
If this isn't the answer, I don't know what is.
First generation Lexus LS400 (XF10):
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~minkt/xf10.jpg">
Second generation Lexus LS400 (XF20):
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~minkt/xf20.jpg">
I hope I got those pics right because I still can't tell them apart.
Fourth generation LS:
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Lexus-LS_Sport_Vertex.jpg" width="500">
FIfth generation LS:
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Hyundai_Genesis.jpg" width="500">
Waiiiit a minute…
Ohhhh, posting a pic of the new S-class as the "fifth generation LS". Very sneaky.
Same can be said of the ES.
Gen 2 (XV10):
<img src="http://www.gunsmoke.com/cars/lexus_es300/images/es300.jpg" width="500">
Gen 3 (XV20):
<img src="http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b142/PanamaLuv117/Lexus/97_lexus_es_300-4.jpg" width="500">
i don't think these (LS 400 / ES 300) are really major redesigns though..they seem to fall under the midcycle refresh to me
They were pretty major under the bodywork, as I recall. They just didn't change the bodywork.
The 2nd gen LS400 was "over 90% new" and on a longer wheelbase but you'd never know to look at the thing.
1968 Toyota Century
<img src="http://cdn.motorshout.com.s3.amazonaws.com/models/system/9422/p16arnpn5qdr11t111tng1r33ch44_r.jpg" width="500">
2013 Toyota Century
<img src="http://www.autoweek.com/storyimage/CW/20130226/CARNEWS01/130229854/AR/0/Toyota-Century-Front-3-4.jpg" width="500">
Yes, they actually are significantly different under the skin.
Either one of those is a Proper Car and had I sufficient ill-gotten gains I'd have one or both.
First Gen BMW MINI
<img src="http://images01.olx.com/ui/1/56/94/1415294_1.jpg"width=500>
Second gen BMW MINI
<img src="http://s3.motoringfile.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/IMG_8481b-640×440.jpg"width=500>
I think the MINI owners want it that way… so they can tell their pals they can tell the difference between the Mk1 and Mk2.
The first gen is nicest. Have you seem the latest ones? The Clubman looks like a Chrysler 300 had sex with a milk float.
Scout 80
<img src="http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/1/1962/921/4902960006_large.jpg">
Scout 800!
<img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/4wheeldrive/1/0/8/U/1/Scoutfool_CA_67IntScout800A_1RR.jpg">
Can you see the extra 4 cylinders they put in? Look very closely at the badges… see the "V"?
I see an extra gas cap, too.
<img src="http://img03.carview.co.jp/trade/img06/cars/1554541/12747656/japan%20car/2001+honda+fit/01w.jpg" width="600">
2001 Honda Fit
<img src="http://img3.findthebest.com/sites/default/files/844/media/images/2013_Honda_Fit_524764.png" width="600">
2013 Honda Fit
Series 1 Jag XJ:
<img width=500 src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/P070_Jaguar_XJ.jpg">
Series 2 Jag XJ:
<img width=500 src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Jaguar_XJ_Series_II.jpg">
Series 3 Jag XJ:
<img width=500 src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Jaguar_XJ6_–_09-07-2009.jpg">
The first two are pretty similar, I now know to look for the shark nose on the E21.
Gen 4, 5 and to some extent 6 look really close.
<img src="http://static.motorstop.asia/blog/images/bmw-3-series-predecessors.jpg"width=500>
I find these two pretty indistinguishable (well, except that one is engineered like no other car in the world, and the other is designed to rust like a Mazda)
<img src="http://s1.aecdn.com/images/gallery/MERCEDESBENZ190-W201–936_2.jpg" width=500 /img>
<img src="http://mercedes-c-class.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/1957-859-16001.jpg" width=500 /img>
Who on earth downvoted this? Couldn't have said it better myself.
I'm assuming they own either a W202 or a Mazda. Both maybe.
Honda Prelude Gen 2:
<img src="http://img.favcars.com/honda/prelude/wallpapers_honda_prelude_1983_1.jpg" width="500" />
Honda Prelude Gen 3:
<img src="http://www.japanesesportcars.com/photos/d/132435-2/1990-honda-prelude-special-edition.jpg" width="500" />
Ferrari 550 -> Ferrari 575, did they change anything at all in exterior design?
Headlamps, front bumper covers and wheels were all different.
Well-known among Maranello owners is the chase scene in the movie Bad Boys 2 where Will Smith's car changes from a 550 to a 575 and back several times!
The body was untouched, but this simple modification under the skin more than doubled the horsepower while also switching wholly to sustainable fuel:
<img src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/12/2/1259773442721/worlds-strongest-man-lift-001.jpg">
Howdy! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard against hackers?
I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked
hard on. Any suggestions?
Any ford pickup from 1979 to 1996