Car designer Frank Stephenson's view on the Cybertruck

[Sirfun]

Doc Brown, you are correct. Very few TRUCK buyers want a beautiful truck. A white Caddy Escalade pick-up, could be considered beautiful. Probably an attribute that the owners of those trucks were looking for. Not many of them sold and production came to an end fairly quickly though.

What came to my mind while watching this critique. I would think some of the best attributes in any design is, does it accomplish what the designer set out to create. With that in mind, I think the Cybertruck design is magnificent! Musk and the Tesla team wanted to create something Badass, Utilitarian, Tough, Powerful, Fast, Efficient, Effective, with a clean uncluttered look toward the future.
They hit it out of the park!

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[FutureBoy]

One thing he mentioned was that the design of the CT would get "dated" fast. Seems like the same basic tones of futuristic vehicles have been seen in multiple movies, art, etc since way back, and yet those vehicles still look cool and futuristic. Now if say 1/3rd of the vehicles I see on a daily basis are CTs at some point, I might get bored with it over time. But we are a very long way from that.

And then there will be some new futuristic design that will eventually take hold. And over time the CT will become a classic car. Those triangles will be as classically beautiful as the fins, fat fenders, and chrome of old.

Beauty itself may be somewhat objective but the interpretation of what is attractive and demonstrating that beauty is ever-changing. And how people see things will always come back into fashion periodically. Especially when specific accents are emphasized to extremes.

 

[Ehninger1212]

This guy designs McLarens . The P1 Mclaren.
Engineering and Aerodymic Efficiency, Purpose and Performance at the highest level of Hyper cars.

As well as other universally acclaimed Iconic designs.

With all due respect, you have given none to him.
You have no idea at all what you're talking about, and more importantly, what he is talking about.

And sadly you are not alone !

That ugly dual wing on the back of the Sierra is a case of function over form.
i.e. a case of engineering taking precedence over beauty. which some people are crowing about
They needed to double the surface area of the wing for racing homologation ! it didn't make it production.

Its not ornamental, its the opposite. Everyone who put it there, knows its ugly !

P.S. Also I think there's an Easter egg in the video.
There's 4 different shots of the interior. One of them shows a clearly different dash board shape,
steering wheel, and seats, to the shots on the website.

It looks to me to have a smaller rear cabin space ! Perhaps its the Wolverine Cybertruck !

It looks a little like a hasty mockup as far as finish's go. Less of a coherent theme than Original CT.
That steering wheel and column is awful !

By the way, has anyone seen the Lamborghini SUV,
I think the Cybertruck is better looking and more Lambo, than it is !
Especially from the front

Lol ok dude.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

One thing he mentioned was that the design of the CT would get "dated" fast. Seems like the same basic tones of futuristic vehicles have been seen in multiple movies, art, etc since way back, and yet those vehicles still look cool and futuristic. Now if say 1/3rd of the vehicles I see on a daily basis are CTs at some point, I might get bored with it over time. But we are a very long way from that.

And then there will be some new futuristic design that will eventually take hold. And over time the CT will become a classic car. Those triangles will be as classically beautiful as the fins, fat fenders, and chrome of old.

Beauty itself may be somewhat objective but the interpretation of what is attractive and demonstrating that beauty is ever-changing. And how people see things will always come back into fashion periodically. Especially when specific accents are emphasized to extremes.

All designs get dated fast. Automobile companies 'want' us to hate the present so we will buy the future. Same with all things. With pickup trucks people care less because they get purchased more or less for utility. In recent years they have become 'nice' so the truck is also used as a family vehicle and so 'nice' has become more and more important, but utility remains the driver. Anyway, we are all basically on the same page and this guy is on another page.

 

[DMC-81]

Dear Frank,

I don't care if you like it... at all. There's probably in excess of 650,000 fellow people that have reserved one that might agree with me.

The sexy Buick that you showed will never be produced. It will join a long list of these concept cars that initially excite the buying public, then disappoint when it either disappears or gets watered down through the bureaucracy. These cars are what Elon referred to in the reveal.

Case in point: I'm still waiting to buy this beautiful "organic" Corvette Stingray that was shown in 2009:

Article:
https://www.motor1.com/news/360298/2009-corvette-stingray-concept-we-forgot/

P.S. The buying public knows that GM will likely never actually make a car that has factory butterfly doors, which adds to the disappointment.

P.P.S. You can see that GM recycled the Corvette taillight design on the headlights for the Buick concept.

 

[Dids]

Dear Frank,

I don't care if you like it... at all. There's probably in excess of 650,000 fellow people that have reserved one that might agree with me.

The sexy Buick that you showed will never be produced. It will join a long list of these concept cars that initially excite the buying public, then disappoint when it either disappears or gets watered down through the bureaucracy. These cars are what Elon referred to in the reveal.

Case in point: I'm still waiting to buy this beautiful "organic" Corvette Stingray that was shown in 2009.
View attachment 4154

View attachment 4155

Article:
https://www.motor1.com/news/360298/2009-corvette-stingray-concept-we-forgot/

P.S. The buying public knows that GM will likely never actually make a car that has factory butterfly doors, which adds to the disappointment.

P.P.S. You can see that GM recycled the Corvette taillight design on the headlights for the Buick concept.

Thats a very pretty design but I can't imagine looking over that hood and judging the front distance.

 

[hqmp]

I think this is the best example of reason by analogy versus first principles. Stephenson says how cars have to reflect nature, but never stops to ask WHY it has to reflect nature. He says the future is created, and states designs must last 10 years, when every knows that designs become outdated within 5. When the next model refresh comes out. Tesla went back to the drawing board to rethink these preconceived notions, and designed the Cybertruck. First principles.

Stephenson knows what he is talking about, but he is outdated now. That is not an insult. We all will be outdated one day. It looks like he had a great run. But it would be sad if we all end our runs, by telling others to get off our lawns.

 

[Cybercarlson]

Off topic, please admin just move it if nesessary. I did not want to open a different tread.

Help me out here:

I was just a 13 year old boy when my deceased father (avid Mercedes driver) nearly bought a Mercedes DB 126 Kombi......the first Kombi (Wagon) of Mercedes Benz, but instead he ended up buying an brand new AMC Pacer Wagon Limited MY 1979.......... long story, my mother had a hand in it.
This ended a string of Family Mercedes Limosines that started in 1950.... Once you change.

There where only 26 Pacer in Northern Germany at peak.
It was a "very different design" at this time.
Just like the Cybertruck, but no internet and social media then... the dark ages. LOL.

Even 20 years later people still thought it was an up to date car. He never again bought other cars.
Now my brother is stuck with 7 Pacer rusting around.???????

I am quit used to driving a car that other people have a love or hate feeling for. Actually I liked it.

I can understand if they do not like/understand some designs.
It is realy a question of taste and you should not argue about taste.
It is part of your and their individual freedom.

To all sone to be "strange car" drivers just do not waste energy in argueing. Just do not give a

Now I am just a bit older than my father my son is 14 and I ordered a Cybertruck....
Is history repeting it self?

What do you think?
Well at least I will not leave rusting car(s) back........?

 

[Sirfun]

Off topic, please admin just move it if nesessary. I did not want to open a different tread.

Help me out here:

I was just a 13 year old boy when my deceased father (avid Mercedes driver) nearly bought a Mercedes DB 126 Kombi......the first Kombi (Wagon) of Mercedes Benz, but instead he ended up buying an brand new AMC Pacer Wagon Limited MY 1979.......... long story, my mother had a hand in it.
This ended a string of Family Mercedes Limosines that started in 1950.... Once you change.

There where only 26 Pacer in Northern Germany at peak.
It was a "very different design" at this time.
Just like the Cybertruck, but no internet and social media then... the dark ages. LOL.

Even 20 years later people still thought it was an up to date car. He never again bought other cars.
Now my brother is stuck with 7 Pacer rusting around.???????

I am quit used to driving a car that other people have a love or hate feeling for. Actually I liked it.

I can understand if they do not like/understand some designs.
It is realy a question of taste and you should not argue about taste.
It is part of your and their individual freedom.

To all sone to be "strange car" drivers just do not waste energy in argueing. Just do not give a

Now I am just a bit older than my father my son is 14 and I ordered a Cybertruck....
Is history repeting it self?

What do you think?
Well at least I will not leave rusting car(s) back........?

Apparently your family doesn't follow the herd. The word unique comes to mind, when I think of Pacer's and the Cybertruck. Never change, choose what's right for you!!

 

[jerhenderson]

Strange... I don't want any of the cars this guy designed.

I think he's butt-hurt.... and on ICE payroll.

 

[Luke42]

He says the future is created, and states designs must last 10 years, when every knows that designs become outdated within 5.

That's because it takes 5 years to design and build the car, then it's on the market for 5 years.

As a result, the car must still be appealing 10 years from today.

5 + 5 = 10

But there's more than one way to do it. You hire a designer like Frank Stephenson when his vision aligns with what the rest of the product team wants to do. If you want to design a Jeep-like vehicle, you get someone else to so it.

When you commission a work of art, you do so from an artist who's work you like -- and its OK if other artists don't like your favorite artist. ??‍

 

[HaulingAss]

I think he's butt-hurt.... and on ICE payroll.

They still pay him with his record of mediocrity?

 

[HaulingAss]

That's because it takes 5 years to design and build the car, then it's on the market for 5 years.

As a result, the car must still be appealing 10 years from today.

5 + 5 = 10

Of course there is no fixed rule as to how long any particular design will stay looking modern. If a lot of stylistic flourishes are added just for the sake of style, the design will become dated really fast.

An understated elegant design can stay relevant for decades. I believe the Cybertruck falls into the latter category!

 

[myco.rrhizae]

Yeah, honestly, I can't really picture myself driving around in a cybertruck either, but Im not going to be using it as a fashion statement. It's a utility vehicle, and I appreciate that utility was the primary design factor.
He doesnt seem to understand that the form factor emerges from the function of 3mm cold rolled stainless, not from a vision of the future.
That said, I think he's right ~ its hideous and will quickly become dated. Too bad there will be millions of them rolling around everywhere, far outlasting every other vehicle on the road.

 

[myco.rrhizae]

We're impressed when we see an 80's civic still kickin with 400k miles ~ I guess it will be 2060 when most cybertrucks have fulfilled less than half of their expected service life at 400k.