Date: Sun, 6 Oct 2002 15:08:53 -0700
Reply-To: Jason Weisberger <jweis@WHY.BOTHER.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jason Weisberger <jweis@WHY.BOTHER.COM>
Subject: Re: Porsche's SUV
In-Reply-To: <00a301c26d83$2b2b0c20$6401a8c0@gumby>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Porsche's were more fun before the 1960's models. You want unpredictable
and messy, try a Pre-A 356.
On Sun, 6 Oct 2002, G.M.Bulley wrote:
> Going to lay a little heavy on you for a minute.
>
> One of the other hats I wear involves me in urban
> planning/growth/development issues. Not Sprawl, the other stuff
> (Urbanism, Smart Growth, Traditional Neighborhood Design, etc.) As such,
> I've learned a bit about a concept called the "Transect", which is kind
> of the 'magic' behind places we all love, and (when it abused) the pain
> we all feel when we visit someplace really uncomfortable/uninspiring.
>
> The transect basically works like this: good development takes place in
> a logical linear progression from the wildest wilderness, through a
> natural/agricultural zone, to a more manicured agricultural zone, to a
> mixed sub-urban zone, etc. etc all the way to what we call the "Urban
> Core". Each zone has its own natural features, building heights, night
> lighting standards, noise levels, ways of dealing with run-off, etc.
>
> When there is a logical delineation to the transect zone, and all of the
> correct features are there, the place is fantastic. For example: Times
> Square, NYC is a fantastic, enriching, enlivening place to be, it is a
> great example of an Urban Core. Noisy, bright, paved, high buildings,
> and only Five (5) trees (which really contribute nothing to the scene).
> Conversely, the Grand Canyon is a fantastic, enriching, enlivening place
> to be, it is a great example of a Wilderness. Relatively untouched. Dark
> at night. Quiet. Unpaved. Run-off soaks in. Few buildings, none over 2
> stories. Countless plants and animals.
>
> Each is real. And (in a perfect world) in between, there is to be a
> gradation of places, each identifiable as a place on the transect, each
> attracting different types of people, with different lifestyles.
>
> The trouble is, for the last 50 years or so, we didn't build using this
> "transect" here in the USA, and so you get all sorts of odd mixes that
> make people uneasy and make them love Europe. City Houses on a 2 acre
> wooded lot for the "Montana Man" who has to live in Fairfax. Brightly
> lit "modern" restaurants in small agricultural towns like Wilson, NE.
> Hokey "county store cabin" restaurants along urban highways. Etc. Who
> are we trying to fool?
>
> These "transect violations" are a loss of authenticity that is, in
> effect lying to ourselves.
>
> I say all these things to say this. As a former Porsche owner (my first
> 3 cars) I can say that Porsche has completely lost its way. They are not
> being authentic to themselves. For 40 years they built gritty, smart
> sports cars, the type of vehicle you could race on the weekend, and WIN.
> If you have never driven a 1960-1980 Porsche, you must before you pass
> on; it is kind of like the 'first time' all over again; gritty, messy,
> clumsy, exhilarating, unpredictable, fun, noisy, addictive.
>
> In the 80's and 90's Porsche started to vacillate into heavy leather
> carpeted luxury muck. Today, an SUV/sports car? Puh-leeze. Why not a
> Porsche pick-up truck? Or Mini-van? When is the Porsche bulldozer coming
> to a construction site near you?
>
> One of the early posters was right. It is ugly. Not only because of its
> lines, but because of its bloodlines. Sigh. My $.02.
>
> G. Matthew Bulley
> Creator and Grand Emporer of the
> VW Heat, Rust, Noise Web Page
> http://www.bulley-hewlett.com/VWindex/
> Owner of too many VW's to mention
>
| 
