Yes Jeff, you make a good point about design getting diluted over time. Here in the UK, we didn't, and don't, get many of the American models offered for sale. The cars I remember from my youth, (not at the actual time they were released as I'm only 33!!) were the 60's Mustang, Corvette, Charger, Trans Am and Camaro. Big, loud muscle cars. Grrrrr. I'd see a Charger and an 70's Camaro around where I grew up which were grey imports. The Charger became, and still is, one of my favourite cars. The design was seriously flawed, but it was such an elegant shape, but at the same time aggressive looking too. The Mk1 Mustang is also, one of my favourite cars ( Highland green Fastback anyone?) but the thing that sets it apart from the Charger is that Dodge stopped making the Charger before the design became too bloated. The Mustang, I remember from my car books, became a very sorry sight in the late 70's and 80's. The same can be said IMO about the Corvette. Now of course, it's not just Heuer releasing re-issues of past masters; I work for a Vauxhall dealer and iin one of our showrooms, we have a new Chevy Camaro and there are quite a few new Mustangs on the roads here. Both puffed out copies of the originals and I think they look ok. Not as good as the originals but ok. You made a good point about selling the 'name'. Vauxhall have a new Astra out and it's completely new from the ground up and well deserving of a new name to match the new design, handling and build quality but Vauxhall won't change the name as it's such a strong name in the UK sales league. This strikes me a being a bit odd. It's completely new, not an evolution of the previous model. I think the same about certain Heuer re-issues, the Monza for a start. The re-issue looked nothing like the original, it looked more like the Camaro to me! Was Heuer just selling the name? The 1st and 2nd re-issue Monaco's shared little more than the case shape with the 69 onwards model. The case shape though, is the most distinctive feature I guess so why not cash in on it??? I've owned both a 1st and 2nd edition and even a 69 with the intention of using it as an everyday work watch but couldn't bring myself to wear them. It felt like I was cheating on my 2 old girls. I guess I'm just an old romantic at heart...

One last rant; I won't hear a bad word said about Ferrari. Even the Testarossa. I swore allegiance to the prancing horse at school and will never surrender!!

David

: While not an expert on E-Types, I would distinguish between some
: early E-Types that look great (to my eye) and others that look
: like absolute pigs. Same comments about their interior and
: exterior . . . same comment for Ford Mustangs and even some
: Porsches and Ferraris. The Testa Rossas looked a lot better than
: the Testarossas! The early E-Types looked a lot better than the
: ones meant to drive the kids to school and haul the groceries.
: Of course, crash-proofing and de-smogging also affected the
: designs and performance.

: I believe that we often see a great design, inspired by genius in
: the early years, that gets eroded / diluted over time . . .
: loses the original inspiration. The company has established a
: great name for a model (Carrera or Mustang or Alfa Romeo
: Spider), and wants to keep selling the "name", even
: when the physical piece / design has become uninspired. Look at
: the 1960's Alfas compared with those in the 1980's and 1990's. I
: almost cry when I see what was once the beautiful Duetto lugging
: around the huge black bumper / spoiler / tail, 20 years later.

: Personally, my eye for 1960s and 70s Heuers has moved toward the
: Autavias (early manual or early automatic), the Carreras
: (primarily the manual) and the Monacos (almost any of them).
: These watches provide very different "looks" for
: different "moods" and days, but I believe that they
: are all inspired (and well-designed). This preference for the
: "Big Three" (Autavia, Carrera and Monaco) means that I
: have moved away from many of the other Heuers (Daytona,
: Montreal, Monza, etc.), but that's just a matter of personal
: preference.

: A great thing about the Heuers -- there are many different looks
: and feels, many different price points, many different moods --
: something for everyone!!

: Good discussion, guys!!

: Jeff

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