Debate is fuelled by designer driven by car styling

In response to Graeme Bell’s letter (DW14 August), like many products, cars are focus group-tested, minus badges, so to say that it’s the Audi marque that makes people like the TT is unfounded. This car bucked the coupé trend.

Some people are scared of change, and ‘Fisher Price’ detailing surely is a different and bolder alternative to just creating a facsimile of your nearest competitor. (After all, it is designed to be a toy anyway…) The fact that it has become the default choice for designers shows that we know it’s the details that make up the whole picture. That differentiates a style icon from a mere appliance.

Bell’s reference to squat and dumpy surely refers to something like a Ford Ka or the even uglier Ford Puma (which is merely a Fiesta in a frock). Of course there are differences between the Porsche and TT, and looks have nothing to do with breakdowns and reliability so I am not sure of the reference of his comments.

There is no mistake that beauty is only skin deep, and based on the popularity of both cars in question then designers/ creative directors can’t be all wrong.

The debate could linger forever on which car is the sexier. However my creative director partner Gary Cooke and I have survived for 20 years without slagging off our respective cars. You see we have both cars between us and head to head, there is little to be judged… although I think my TT is much better than his hairdresser’s car.

Oh, and I would be interested to find out what kind of car Bell drives?

Mike Horseman

Managing director

The Open Agency

London SE1