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Does anyone like those huge flat bulges on the fenders?
What the hell were those designers thinking? How can we make the car looks cheap and unfinished. That is uncalled for, they should have have finished off with a nice curved edge like a Porsche or any other car with flared fenders for that matter. Would have made the whole design look a cleaner and gave it an somewhat exotic look.
I think it looks fine. It would look a bit better if the flat area wasn't as wide and more like the 350z.
But what's the point of all these treads about not liking this or that about the 370z? Nissan won't listen to people complaining on the z forums. They will only listen if the car doesn't sell. And the car won't sell because the flat area is too big, side view mirrors are too high, or headlights look weird. Most consumers won't really notice all these things.
From an engineering/design standpoint, the flat area give you more clearance up in the wheelwell for the tire to travel into before it would hit the fender, while allowing the wheel/tire to be towards the edge of the vehicle as much as possible.
By having the flat area, you can bring the fender down lower/closer to the tire... but still have room for the tire to travel up into the fender. If the fender simply curved into the car to aggresively, the wheel would hit it as the suspension compressed, so you would have to either make the fender higher (bigger wheel gap) or move the wheel closer to the center of the car (worse handling).
I see it as a way to minimize fender gap, while still allowing for suspension travel. Basically, it's good engineering. It allows for a less fender gap (looks better) and for a wider wheel track (better handling).
The 300ZXTT has them. The 350Z has them. It's a clean way to execute a fender.
Even Porsche (whom you cite) realizes this:
There ridiculously huge on the 370z in comparison to those cars.
Quote:
Originally Posted by trebien
From an engineering/design standpoint, the flat area give you more clearance up in the wheelwell for the tire to travel into before it would hit the fender, while allowing the wheel/tire to be towards the edge of the vehicle as much as possible.
By having the flat area, you can bring the fender down lower/closer to the tire... but still have room for the tire to travel up into the fender. If the fender simply curved into the car to aggresively, the wheel would hit it as the suspension compressed, so you would have to either make the fender higher (bigger wheel gap) or move the wheel closer to the center of the car (worse handling).
I see it as a way to minimize fender gap, while still allowing for suspension travel. Basically, it's good engineering. It allows for a less fender gap (looks better) and for a wider wheel track (better handling).
Then how do cars like Vettes and Porches pull it off without those huge flat spots ruining the look? Nissan is getting lazy with there designs trying to make all the cars look alike.
Last edited by highflyinkilla; 10-28-2008 at 10:44 AM.
Then how do cars like Vettes and Porches pull it off without those huge flat spots ruining the look?
Well, the specs aren't out yet, but we'd have to compare fender gap, wheel track width, vehicle width, suspension travel, etc... compromise has to be made somewhere.
Or you could just quit your bitching and wait until official photos without camo are released (or even better, see one in person!), and then decide after you see the entire design at once, undisguised, in it's natural element...
When all is said and done, it's a $30K sports car... it needs utility and trunk space and ground clearance... it's not going to look like a Ferrari. Just like you'll never be a gangster.
Does anyone like those huge flat bulges on the fenders?
