Originally posted by Drumbo: Meaning no slight to non-CSVT owners, I'd say all Mystiques and non-SVT Contours (respectable cars in their own right) look like diminished versions of the CSVT.
Meaning no slight to CSVT and second generation Contour owners, I'd say that Ford took a serious step backward in the design department when they restyled the first generation Contour. For me anyway, the racer-boy gee-whiz styling of the CSVT is an enormous liability and the overall styling of the second generation Contours was a serious mistake.
I want to like this styling, I really do, but the styling, especially the front grill and headlights of the second generation makes me cringe. My next car will be either a pristine '96 CSE with low mileage or a new Mazda 6.
I do, however, like the styling of all Mystiques - no matter what the year.
Yeah, despite earlier confusion re: my comment that the CSVT's styling cues, derived from the Mondeo as they are, make it the styling "daddy" stateside, I've sometimes wondered what the EO would have looked like if its styling had leaned a bit more toward the earlier generation Contour/Mystique ... Meaning the headlights, primarily, I guess.
One thing I have noticed, though, is when viewed from an elevated angle or when the car is on an incline pointed nose-down, it's easier to see how the CSVT headlights fluidly integrate with the car's lines.
Fortunately, I still get a big enough kick in the pants when driving it and enough favorable comments about its appearance to keep me happy ... and looking back at it every time I park it.
