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Someone please take the chrome away from the designers


HomerS

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Never understood why GM did such a half hearted effort on marketing the Chevrolet SS.  Okay I am partial as I have a Pontiac G8 (not the one in the pic) as I just liked it in every way than the Charger (no offense Mopar guys),  It's a black on black but someone really needs to take the chrome away from the designers at GM.  They did a very good job adding the Pontiac 'family traits' to the rebadged Holden for the G8 but OMG.....they murdered the SS/current Holden.  Headlights, upper grill, lower grill, driving light 'grills, fender vent, side windows....get out the JC Whitney catalog and have at it.  And for good measure let Flavor Flav slap a Chevy logo on the grill (the Holden logo is a bit oversized as well but for some reason doesn't look as flashy).  They didn't spare in the interior either.

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I have to  agree!

Except for the chrome wheels, the rest of the car could do without the chrome surrounds and other filigree. I guess that was GM's way of trying to distinguish the car, but it was hard to hide its G8 roots. 'Tis a shame as they've since stopped making them (I liked the stealthier Commodore much better though! :P ), and GM has nothing in the way to replace it for Chevy.

Speaking of the Commodore (sold as the "Caprice" here for our police car market), I guess that had to go away too as Holden is no longer around........at least in the form that we know them. I thought I read that they'll be made in China or something, and to me that stands for boring and soulless FWD appliances. :(

Edited by MrObsessive
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I have read a few books written by stylists and there are reasons they use chrome. First, to be flashy as that is what many people in North America have always wanted, maybe not you but more do than don't. Second, in the 50s, chrome was used around the windows to give the feeling of larger windows. Third, chrome was used on many windows to cover up the rubber and adhesive used to hold the glass in place. Fourth, chrome is used to accent body lines. Okay, so you don't like it but you may be in the minority :) 

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I dont mind a little chrome. I do however, HATE this new trend of everyone putting black wheels on everything. In my opinion only a handful of cars can pull of the "murdered out" look. I cant wait for that trend to disappear. Tires are supposed to be black, wheels are not. 

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Never understood why GM did such a half hearted effort on marketing the Chevrolet SS.  Okay I am partial as I have a Pontiac G8 (not the one in the pic) as I just liked it in every way than the Charger (no offense Mopar guys),  It's a black on black but someone really needs to take the chrome away from the designers at GM.  They did a very good job adding the Pontiac 'family traits' to the rebadged Holden for the G8 but OMG.....they murdered the SS/current Holden.  Headlights, upper grill, lower grill, driving light 'grills, fender vent, side windows....get out the JC Whitney catalog and have at it.  And for good measure let Flavor Flav slap a Chevy logo on the grill (the Holden logo is a bit oversized as well but for some reason doesn't look as flashy).  They didn't spare in the interior either.

IMG_1571.JPG

Now I do like the chrome there, it's not overdone, remember, GM also built these........

 

 

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I dont mind a little chrome. I do however, HATE this new trend of everyone putting black wheels on everything. In my opinion only a handful of cars can pull of the "murdered out" look. I cant wait for that trend to disappear. Tires are supposed to be black, wheels are not. 

I tend to agree, especially if the wheels aren't some sort of steel rim, stylized or basic looking.  Oddly enough, I do really like these rwo all blacked out for some odd reason........

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I dont mind a little chrome. I do however, HATE this new trend of everyone putting black wheels on everything. In my opinion only a handful of cars can pull of the "murdered out" look. I cant wait for that trend to disappear. Tires are supposed to be black, wheels are not. 

A neighbor has an orange Challenger with the black wheels....notta fan.  I prefer the chrome wheels but they dont need to chrome accents on everything.

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I like a wheel color that makes the wheels stand out. My wifes metallic black durango has gunmetal wheels. It looks okay, and some cars can look good with the all black look, but most dont. This is my car. It would look ridiculous with black wheels. You have to know what works. 

 

In the case of that Hummer above, holy cow. Someone want some attention. 

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I'll take the chrome.

One of the things that I hate more than anything about modern cars is the whole "monotone" thing that, as far as I'm concerned, has been taken to extremes.

Then we all sit and wonder why the cars today all look the same.

Like colorless jelly beans!

 

Steve

My thoughts EXACTLY.

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There is a HUGE after market parts industry (something like $150 Billion) where you can buy all the chrome, carbon fiber and paint that you can imagine. There are some folks who must put custom parts on as soon as they buy a new vehicle and drop it off at the custom shop on the way home from the dealership. There are others who will only use whatever "custom" options are available from the factory. Everyone has different tastes and the manufactures can never please us all, but if you have the time and money you can get exactly what you want.

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I'll take the chrome.

One of the things that I hate more than anything about modern cars is the whole "monotone" thing that, as far as I'm concerned, has been taken to extremes.

Then we all sit and wonder why the cars today all look the same.

Like colorless jelly beans!

 

Steve

Agreed, my Cherokee is that way where the only colors that deviate from the green or flat black is the lighting, wheels (Aluminum, but now corroded), and badging (dull silver).  If I ever get tp redo it, I'd like to stick with a natural or painted aluminum/hyper silver finish on the rims, swap the front parking lights out for aftermarket clear lenses to match the pre '97 models, the more chrome like badging off the new KL Cherokee Limited, and the chromed grill and headlight trim off the 2001 XJ Limiteds and maybe even see if it's possible to fit the older pre '97 chromed bumpers with the post '96 bumper caps and maybe even the chromed pre '97 door handles.

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I like chrome in small amounts on modern cars...I like the chrome door handles, mirror caps, light trim, grille rings, badging, window trim and bumper trim on my Jeep..though I know plenty of people black out that trim. 

 

 

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Edited by Rob Hall
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I dont mind a little chrome. I do however, HATE this new trend of everyone putting black wheels on everything. In my opinion only a handful of cars can pull of the "murdered out" look. I cant wait for that trend to disappear. Tires are supposed to be black, wheels are not. 

I agree on both counts.

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Never understood why GM did such a half hearted effort on marketing the Chevrolet SS.

GM never really wanted to sell the SS.  In exchange for billions of export subsidy from the Australian government, GM had to export Australian built Holdens.  So what they did was to export the bare minimum number of SS to satisfy the subsidy agreement. 

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Myself, I hate chrome. I just won't own a vehicle that has a ton of chrome. Unless it's a truck no newer than 1997 or a car older than 1980.

How much does it bug me? Back in 2015, I have one of the special edition Ram 1500 Sports in Ignition Orange. Here's a pic my dealer took the day it arrived, you can see the chrome grille inserts. And then the second pic is the following day, about an hour or two after I brought it home. Chrome gone!

 

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Edited by iamsuperdan
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