[V8] Machine Gun bunker

[Roger M. Woodbury]

Lessee.  The perfect machine gun bunker would provide protection from hand
thrown or otherwise propelled rocket grenades from above...a roof, in other
words.  It would also need to offer the least potential for the gun crew to
receive direct fire from in front or sides or rear, hence very low, narrow
gun port or view port for fire direction.

In other words, the current state of automotive design, especially what we
are seeing from VW/Audi and for that matter most of the other car
manufacturers.  Low roof lines, bulbous or slab sided bodies relatively
narrow windows from all angles.  Take the Audi TT, for example.  Yes, PLEASE
take the Audi TT.  As I have likened it before, it remains a 1950's Hoover
vacuum cleaner without the bag or wand....or if you prefer, a rather cramped
machine gun bunker.

I was looking forward to seeing the Audi Shooting Brake concept.  Pictures
are visible at the sites for the Tokyo Auto Show.  

Another purely ugly tour de force, unfortunately.  

I think the V8 remains one of the most enduring designs...too conservative
to be a big seller when it was in its model run, but my!  How well the
design seems to have aged.  

Even Daimler/Chrysler agrees!  What does the Chrysler 300 sedan look like to
you?  Why, a poor copy, obviously.  And the original Taurus wagons looked
like...well, a poor cousin of the Audi Avant.

Now, all the manufacturers can seem to give us is mobile fighting
positions...and ugly ones at that!

Roger


Feeling grumpy because of the chilly rain from Wilma.  (Never liked that
name, either).