JLR corporate ransacking

It has worked; the discussion of the new concept car produced by a flagship UK maker. The company is owned by Tata, and under the JLR moniker, it is burying the once cool brand. If you want retro, then here's an example of how it should be done...

I know, its petrol and ecologically uncool, but it was designed 50 years ago, despite this example having a bluetooth radio.

It’s kind of inevitable that the design of the newest vehicle is ultra long, with a pointless bonnet to hide an empty engine compartment.  Think of an SUV 'on steroids'. Stretched to look good outside Sénéquier. Then sack all of the people responsible. Top to bottom. They are having a laugh.

I guess it was a rush job to design it one Friday afternoon, and the main inspiration was the Batmobile, albeit in Barbie Pink or British Racing -er- Blue.

I can't imagine it handles too well, with its long wheelbase and no rear view windscreen. Batman can use it, but it seems to me redolent of corporate neglect and ultimately trashing. 

Maybe I'll reach for the Lego and try a few designs of my own.

I can always ask Harley Quinn to use the hammer.

tube

Back on the tube last week, I was musing about some changes. I remember the older tube stock, with its 'smoking' carriages, and the reveal at Leytonstone when a train arrived, and dense smoke billowed into the evening air.  Ride the carriage and get everything smoked.

Also the era of newspapers. Everyone had a paper, mainly provided free at a local station. Latterly, there was the Stannit, but before that, there was even a choice between the Evening Standard (aka Daily Mail) and the usually thinner Evening News.

Of course, that subsided with the arrival of smartphones, but a smartphone with no connectivity still doesn’t work. It was later fixed, so now everyone can browse their favorite social channels all the way to Ealing Broadway.

Ties and suits have decreased but are not entirely eliminated; hybrid styles have taken over much of the attire. Some of it is Zoom-ready for conference calls. 

There are still small tweaks in status, and many people carry A5-sized notepads. I guess they’re lighter than the once-obligatory backpack, which succeeded the briefcase. "I'm busy and have somewhere to be" is also useful for reserving spots in coffee shops.

And footwear. Gone are the shiny shoes for men. It's all trainers now or half trainers with technical uppers implying they are sporting, and with that all-important credibility logo.