As a preface, pretty much everyone except car-people would say that all cars are soulless, since they are inanimate objects. This post is more about the philosophical concept of a car feeling"soulful".
Things that come to mind are: styling, driving engagement, engine characteristics and sound, cultural significance, and the purpose for existence.
Styling is something that is very subjective, but I would say there are some gold standards, stuff like the Alfa Romeo GTA and Series 1 E-Type are often lauded as some of the most beautiful cars. More uniquely styled cars can also be considered (Saab 900, and Citroën SM).
For driving engagement, I mean how involved the driving experience feels. The inputs and controls are well balanced and transmit enough mechanical vibrations to feel connected. Honda’s slick manual gearboxes are an example.
Engine characteristics are usually focused on power delivery, such as how eager the engine is to rev, and some consider turbo lag to be more characterful.
In terms of cultural significance, some cars reach icon status and become emblematic of something larger than itself. The Crown Vic became the quintessential service vehicle in North America. The 2CV was a very basic car that became emblematic as the peoples’ car of France.
The purpose of existence is about the extent to which the engineers cared about the creation of the vehicle. This is difficult to explain, but the way I like to see it is how capable it is for its purpose. 90% of Range Rover buyers will never take it off road, but Land Rover still made it very capable off road because otherwise the brand would have no meaning. Compliance cars are almost always soulless, you can tell Toyota didn’t want to make the bZ4x.
One of the common complaints about EVs are that they feel soulless. Mostly because they are so smooth and isolated that it becomes an entirely predictable driving experience.
These are just some of my thoughts, feel free to disagree or add on to anything.
Sorry for the length.
One of the common complaints about EVs are that they feel soulless. Mostly because they are so smooth and isolated that it becomes an entirely predictable driving experience.
That’s true for most EVs as it is for most ICE cars. I don’t think many people would say a Honda CRV is soulful. The problem I have with the “EVs have no soul” argument is that people heavily imply that EVs can’t have souls. But that’s not the case when you hear someone like Steve Sutcliffe wax lyrical about the Rimac Nevera and says it feels more characterful than a Chiron after driving them back to back. It’s not the impression you get from Henry Catchpole or Mat Watson when you see them drive the McMurty Spéirling. These are 7 figure cars of course, but 1) those are the only EV sports cars anyone can buy right now, and 2) they show that an EV can have soul. Even some accounts of the original Tesla roadster suggest it’s soulful. So EVs can be soulful, but the industry is making cars that will sell the most and aren’t ruinously expensive to make. So you get commuters.
Also the context of use and longevity, ie Driving Appliance… my iPhone, iPad, Asus gaming laptop, and Macbook Pro are basically appliances which I update every 2-3 years. Some people treat modern cars the same way with leases. The problem with EVs is that after 5-10 years, they may be horribly out of date and not useful at all except to be recycled or exported to a poorer country. I just don’t see any EV being a classic like an E30 or E46 M3 or a Porsche 993 Turbo.
My way over priced CRK pocket knife and CRK camping knife are life long items that will continue to be with me until I die and be passed on to my kin. They’ll either use it themselves or sell it for a good chunk of change. Because they’ll be classics and never actually lose their intrinsic utility. These items have a lot more “soul” than say a 2015 Nissan Leaf.
Hamsters
In a word, feedback
The time you spend with it
I honestly don’t know. The term “Soul” when it pertains to cars means different things to different people. The other day someone said how the Nissan Versa and the Mitsubishi Mirage have no soul. Like they’re economy cars I don’t think there going to be the most fine tuned experience. I think some people are looking for experiences from cars that aren’t built for that in my mind.
it’s hard to define soul as its a profound and holistic concept. but most important thing is personal connection with the car and having a sense of appreciation for it. It is your prized procession, you attribute human and animalistic quality to it, and it feels less like a machine but more like a living being, a pet or a family member. You’ve invested emotionally into it and it had a big impact on your life.
There are many ways to create or build this person to car connection, that makes a person see it more as a living being instead of just a machine:
- beautiful, artistic styling
- quality craftsmanship
- motion and movement, the fact that a car starts up and drives makes it seem sentient and alive, if it has a unique engine sound or is loud, it adds to its character.
- excellent handling, a car that communicates your will to the road, and tames it. it’s an amicable feeling and the car feels more like a travel companion instead of a vehicle.
- you enjoy driving the car, looking at it, spending time in it, and over time, going through life with it.
having these qualities make it easier to bond with a car, but is not required. Because over time, it seems like both you and the car have changed and grown together, both have imperfections, but can be mended and any problems can be worked through. you have gone on so many journeys with the car and created so many wonderful memories, and that creates an emotional bond that gets stronger each day.
what you can relate to one car, you can related to every other car as well, that’s why we say cars have souls.
Why does a car need to age a soul ? I hate that term when it comes up in reviews. Like it’s a commuter shitbox wtf you expect out of it ?
To me a car with soul is a car that makes you smile when you drive it. I don’t think it’s much deeper than that.
Nothing. They bring us joy, they provide us with experiences, they envome feelings… But they’re pieces of metal and if you think it has a soul, you’re a cringe lord.
I say this as an absolutely nerdy enthusiast who’s only hobby is building cars from a bare shell with too much time and money being spent on them for no reason other than shear enjoyment.
The responses it gives to every input from the user. Just like when you just press a bit the throttle and you feel that the engine is ready for you. Or like when you get fast corners and you feel all one with the car…
The real answer is “whatever the person thinks gives it a soul”. Literally anybody who uses the word soul in something is just trying to make their subjective taste come off as an objective measurement of something.