this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2023
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Some Tesla engineers secretly started designing a Cybertruck alternative because they 'hated' it::"They were like, 'You can't be serious.' They didn't want to have anything to do with it," Franz von Holzhausen said, according to Walter Isaacson.

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[–] [email protected] 101 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You just know Elon had a personal hand in designing it, because there's no other reason a car company would go ahead and build the equivalent of "The Homer".

[–] TwoGems 26 points 1 year ago (1 children)

He didn't have a personal hand in designing anything, because he doesn't have an engineering degree. And that's why everything he does is stupid.

"Musk doesn’t have an engineering degree - and kind of has a science degree. He began the first in physics at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, after he moved to Canada from his native South Africa. He completed it at the University of Pennsylvania, where he transferred after two years to earn his second bachelor’s degree, in economics, at the Wharton School. He completed it the following year. Musk then headed for Stanford to start a Ph.D. in applied physics, which he dropped out of."

https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/elon-musk-has-a-problem-with-rocket-scientists-thinks-engineers-deserve-all-the-credit-3136538.html

[–] [email protected] 46 points 1 year ago

Oh, I know that. Neither did Homer.

He likely doodled it (or got some lackey to be his remote controlled pencil), and then it was some other poor fucker's job to turn that sketch and a handful of vague notes into an actual car.

[–] BroccoliFarts 20 points 1 year ago (5 children)

I don't like Musk, and I'm not a fan of Tesla in general, but I kind of dig the design. Completely understand why it's controversial and how others could perceive it as ugly, but I like it.

Then again, I liked the PT Cruiser when it came out (compared to all the other cars of the era), but within a year it became the car that was falling apart and owners hated it, and within 5 years it looked really dated.

I still like the Chevy HHR and Plymouth Prowler designs. They are truly "bold" designs in that they make decisions that a large percentage of people disliked. Not the marketing "bold design" which means "we slightly exaggerated a popular design feature that's in style right now so no one will object to it".

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You'd probably like the Fiat Multipla, the Renault Avantime or the Lotus Europa as well.

[–] Barack_Embalmer 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I actually really like all those designs. They're bold, playful, distinctive. Much more interesting than the dreary crossovers of today that all look identical - bloated hatchbacks with unnecessarily high ride-height, angry anime eyes, and oversized grilles. Full-width tail light bar like a dollar-store Porsche completes the look.

[–] Zanshi 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

I’m not really into cars and I agree Multipla is horrible. Lotus Europa is wonky, but I don’t hate it. Genuinely curious to know what people have against that Renault when it comes to looks

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

With the Renault it's the back rather than the front. Like they were going for something, but nobody could really decide what.

[–] Zanshi 2 points 1 year ago

It reminds me of early to mid 2000’s Megane, so I kinda like it. Always liked how that one looked, especially since my parents owned a boring Thalia

[–] WhiskyTangoFoxtrot 3 points 1 year ago

The Multipla looks like two cars got merged together in a transporter accident.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

Liking the design and deciding as an executive that this is what your company are to spend money and resources at are different things.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

Let's see how much you like the design after being hit by one.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

The triangular unibody frame was a very clever functional idea that didn't seem to work for whatever reason. That happens all the time but it's insane to keep the same form when the function doesn't benefit.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I'd agree, if it was designed by somebody I respected. Than the lack of design could be perceived as a choice. As it is I think Elons a skillless dipshit and this is the only shape he could make on CAD software or some shit.