The D-pillar on the 500L is fine. The lumpy front end with the high-mount googly eyes is what gets me. I realize that's driven by stupid European pedestrian standards, but still. But overall the car is not as well-proportioned in real life as it appears in the above pic you posted.
GRM sticker = Instant fresh ride
My wife bought one a month ago. We love it. Rides excellent, good power, 6-speed, TONS of space.
So, logdog, you're not the only one.
-Rob
DrBoost wrote: We've been wanting European cars here for a long time, hoping Alfa and Fiat would return. Then when they do, they bring us a turbocharged engine that's bolted to a manual trans, then wrap it with a roomy car, and set that on a chassis that's kinda fun to drive and we say the D-pillar is goofy? Yes, styling is subjective, but this is just the typical internet ramblings here. People jumped up and down and whined for a smaller than 1/2-ton truck with a diesel, saying that they'd buy three of them if there were one available. When the time comes, the shifter is odd, or it only has a auto trans......
Hear, hear.
rob_lewis wrote: My wife bought one a month ago. We love it. Rides excellent, good power, 6-speed, TONS of space. So, logdog, you're not the only one. -Rob
Which one did you get? Mines an Easy with sunroof. I love the full glass roof. Have to make the most of the sun when you see it in Michigan.
logdog wrote:rob_lewis wrote: My wife bought one a month ago. We love it. Rides excellent, good power, 6-speed, TONS of space. So, logdog, you're not the only one. -RobWhich one did you get? Mines an Easy with sunroof. I love the full glass roof. Have to make the most of the sun when you see it in Michigan.
She got a Maroon Easy. No sunroof as we get enough sun in Texas. LOVE the greenhouse glass effect for viewing, HATED it for Texas heat, so we had the windows tinted on it the next weekend. Made a huge difference.
We ended up trading in her 500 convertible and my Tahoe for her 500L and me a 500T 
-Rob
rob_lewis wrote: We ended up trading in her 500 convertible and my Tahoe for her 500L and me a 500T
Awesome.
The tinted windows made a big difference even on my 500 'Pop'.
And every one comes complimentary with an Itallian family in the back!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1fBFm4OD2W0
rob_lewis wrote: She got a Maroon Easy.
I thought your wife got a moron. I was going to say "So did my wife!! How does she think you're working out?" Then the moron read it again.
Honestly, I think this is better looking than the current 5, or at least less bad. I loved the BoxWedge previous 5's looks, but I can't stand the multiple-wavy-creases-Bangle-gone-crazy-multiple-flame-surfaced... gah, stopping now. I still think it's conceivable that it be a good enough fit I end up walking up to ours with my eyes shut 'til i get inside, but I digress...
That's not to say I think the 500l looks great; just that it's not nearly the eyesore to me it seems to be to some... I feel like the mileage figures for the 500l aren't that great for a 1.4, but I guess they're not out of line for the hp/torque figures that thing makes?
In reply to DrBoost:
I have to agree with you. People want the European cars and then get bent out of shape over quirky styling? Seriously? What the hell do you think the Italians design? Camrys and CRVs?
For a community that thrives on being different, I'm surprised how many here hate things that are.
jstein77 wrote:I haven't seen one of these yet. Thankfully.
It's like a metrosexual version of an FJ Cruiser?
DrBoost wrote: Except for the "what he said" mentality that's soo prevalent on this board, I don't see what's wrong with the 500L. It's not a great looking car in my book, but it's better than the 5, the car soo loved by many here (but owned by soo few).
I mean, what's up with that buck-toothed Acura-come-smiley-face grill? The Fiat is a more harmonious design in my book. The 5 is way over styled with creases and bulges in odd places just for the sake of creases and bulges. We've been wanting European cars here for a long time, hoping Alfa and Fiat would return. Then when they do, they bring us a turbocharged engine that's bolted to a manual trans, then wrap it with a roomy car, and set that on a chassis that's kinda fun to drive and we say the D-pillar is goofy? Yes, styling is subjective, but this is just the typical internet ramblings here. People jumped up and down and whined for a smaller than 1/2-ton truck with a diesel, saying that they'd buy three of them if there were one available. When the time comes, the shifter is odd, or it only has a auto trans......
uh....what he said 
I actually liked the original 5, but it has gotten progressivly wierder, and is starting to look like Mazda is just stealing random styling cues from other cars and slapping them together. The grille and taillights are both disgusting, and it has weird lines for sure.
The 500L is wierd and I wouldn't get one, but in certain color schemes (like the black and white above, but NOT like the yellow one farther up the page) it looks decent for a 20-something female with a a couple little kids to drive. And as he noted, its design is holistic, as if the whole car's look works together (love it or hate it).
And as someone who has actually LIVED in Italy.....the 500L is pretty typical Italian styling for 99% of the Italian-marque-driving population who don't drive a Lambo or Ferrari.
FWIW I think they look decent in pics, but I haven't seen one on the street yet. It can't possibly look worse then the mini cooper coupe.....but I also like the Aztec and a lot of other allegedly ugly cars.
irish44j wrote: And as someone who has actually LIVED in Italy......
Is it true the stuffed crust taco pizza is better there?
EvanR wrote: The C-D-pillar window design is brutally awful. It reminds me of the equally awful MINI Cooper Coupe. I think they were designed by the same guy.
lol i don't think these look awful at all. It's a pure enthusiasts car pretty much. Once they depreciate into 2nd car territory I want one, bad.
DrBoost wrote: It's not a great looking car in my book, but it's better than the 5, the car soo loved by many here (but owned by soo few).
Funny, the list of actual GRM owners seems to disagree with you. 
Javelin wrote:DrBoost wrote: It's not a great looking car in my book, but it's better than the 5, the car soo loved by many here (but owned by soo few).Funny, the list of actual GRM owners seems to disagree with you.
That's 1/3 as many that rave about it. My point still stands. 
For a group of guys and girls that do things differently, there's lots of dislike for something different. I mean, I bet there's almost as many Yugo owners here as Mazda 5 owners. Anytime you have a Yugo per-capita ratio as high as we have here, that's a special kind of gathering of odd-balls. Here's a car that bucks the styling trends (driven partly by gov regs that are creeping to this side of the pond) and people hate all over it because it bucks the trends.
But take that with a grain of salt. I'm one of the few odd-balls that doesn't like utes. 
Maybe I'll photoshop a 500L ute and see how it looks just for kicks.
In reply to Javelin:
Looks like me and Rob_Lewis are out numbered
logdog wrote: In reply to Javelin: Looks like me and Rob_Lewis are out numbered
Meh, I've never been a crowd follower, anyway......
We're not out numbered, we're just not sheeple!!
-Rob
DrBoost wrote: We've been wanting European cars here for a long time, hoping Alfa and Fiat would return. Then when they do, they bring us a turbocharged engine that's bolted to a manual trans, then wrap it with a roomy car, and set that on a chassis that's kinda fun to drive and we say the D-pillar is goofy? Yes, styling is subjective, but this is just the typical internet ramblings here. People jumped up and down and whined for a smaller than 1/2-ton truck with a diesel, saying that they'd buy three of them if there were one available. When the time comes, the shifter is odd, or it only has a auto trans......
Yeah, we wanted the cars they used to sell here.
You know, the sports cars and sports sedans.
Not ONE person asked for fugly people movers.
I also do not mind the looks of it and do not like the newer 5 so there is at least one more on here.
I like it.
But I once owned and loved an air-cooled Vanagon and think early-'80s Saab 900s are great-looking cars.
93EXCivic wrote:EvanR wrote: The C-D-pillar window design is brutally awful. It reminds me of the equally awful MINI Cooper Coupe. I think they were designed by the same guy.I like the Cooper Coupe.
If these window sills get any taller the Medieval Britons are going to show up with a Siege tower and try to take it back for the homeland.
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