New cars are getting fugly..

[Thor Sedan]

Who the fuck designed this?..

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/first- ... s112995-uk

I guess I have absolutely no chill - I kinda of like it.

But then I'm not a fan of low profile 'supercars'.....plus it has a big arse TV in the back.

To me it looks like a hatchback welded onto a skip, with an old fashioned range grafted on the front..

No argument from me. I guess I like em' chunky.

[Guy Smiley]

I did a trade when I left school. As a confirmed rev head, I chose mechanics. I’m actually a qualified auto mechanic. I still get off on high revving engines, especially bikes….

But fuck that, Torq. I’m also a realist, I live in NZ with comparable weather and terrain to the UK and a smaller population at around 5 million. I bought a new EV and it kills the ICE alternatives. A dream of mine is a classic car retro modded with an EV drive train… because it just fucking makes sense.

Like a 1972 Escort or Cortina Mk3 - or like a 50's classic?

A 64 Lincoln Continental or an XJ 6. Bugger the British Fords. Leave them for the Lotus twin cam crew.

[Tichtheid]

I did a trade when I left school. As a confirmed rev head, I chose mechanics. I’m actually a qualified auto mechanic. I still get off on high revving engines, especially bikes….

But fuck that, Torq. I’m also a realist, I live in NZ with comparable weather and terrain to the UK and a smaller population at around 5 million. I bought a new EV and it kills the ICE alternatives. A dream of mine is a classic car retro modded with an EV drive train… because it just fucking makes sense.

Like a 1972 Escort or Cortina Mk3 - or like a 50's classic?

A 64 Lincoln Continental or an XJ 6.

Mk 2 Jag for me.

[Niegs]

I did a trade when I left school. As a confirmed rev head, I chose mechanics. I’m actually a qualified auto mechanic. I still get off on high revving engines, especially bikes….

But fuck that, Torq. I’m also a realist, I live in NZ with comparable weather and terrain to the UK and a smaller population at around 5 million. I bought a new EV and it kills the ICE alternatives. A dream of mine is a classic car retro modded with an EV drive train… because it just fucking makes sense.

Motor carriage?

[TB63]

I did a trade when I left school. As a confirmed rev head, I chose mechanics. I’m actually a qualified auto mechanic. I still get off on high revving engines, especially bikes….

But fuck that, Torq. I’m also a realist, I live in NZ with comparable weather and terrain to the UK and a smaller population at around 5 million. I bought a new EV and it kills the ICE alternatives. A dream of mine is a classic car retro modded with an EV drive train… because it just fucking makes sense.

Like a 1972 Escort or Cortina Mk3 - or like a 50's classic?

A 64 Lincoln Continental or an XJ 6. Bugger the British Fords. Leave them for the Lotus twin cam crew.

You're dead to me....

My first car was a MK3 Cortina...

Had to repair it a bit as I paid £120 for it, by the time I'd changed out all the rusted panels, it was a great car, albeit 12 different colours....

[petej]

Way to go FRance! Ban the fucking things.

More than 120 modern cars available to purchase on the UK market now overhang standard parking spaces, claiming ever more of our public space. These hulking vehicles were originally designed for off-road driving. And advertising campaigns featuring rugged terrains would have you believe this is how many are still being used. But in the UK, the overwhelming majority of drivers do not buy them to drive off-road: three-quarters of these vehicles end up polluting city streets, with a high proportion concentrated in the affluent west London borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti ... -streets

Yayyyyyyyyy. Get these c**ts off the road

Absolute ecological and safety disaster. Did a comparison for a few brands pretty much everytime at the same spec level and engine the suv is slower, less fuel efficient, more expensive and has less carrying capacity than the equivalent estate/hatchback. When I have had the joy of driving suv hire cars they are nearly always shitter to drive as well compared to the equivalent car. Also worse for pedestrians , cyclists and other road users in accidents. More likely roll and gives delusion of capability in poor road conditions (in the UK they are mostly fitted with summer tyres). For a mostly urban country like the UK . Acceptable use case is for people with mobility issues who would struggle with getting in and out of normal cars.

[Sandstorm]

8+ million in the UK are over 65 and they all struggle to get into a Ford Focus. You don’t need to be a cripple to want to drive a car with a higher hip point.

[Tichtheid]

8+ million in the UK are over 65 and they all struggle to get into a Ford Focus. You don’t need to be a cripple to want to drive a car with a higher hip point.

That's a fair point, on the other hand my sister and brother in law had to carry a wooden step so my MiL could get up and into their Land Rover.

[Kiwias]

Who the fuck designed this?..

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/first- ... s112995-uk

When it screeches to a halt outside a bar, this is who you expect to leap out.

Spoiler

Show

https://www.writeups.org/wp-content/upl ... erland.jpg

[shaggy]

Way to go FRance! Ban the fucking things.

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti ... -streets

Yayyyyyyyyy. Get these c**ts off the road

Absolute ecological and safety disaster. Did a comparison for a few brands pretty much everytime at the same spec level and engine the suv is slower, less fuel efficient, more expensive and has less carrying capacity than the equivalent estate/hatchback. When I have had the joy of driving suv hire cars they are nearly always shitter to drive as well compared to the equivalent car. Also worse for pedestrians , cyclists and other road users in accidents. More likely roll and gives delusion of capability in poor road conditions (in the UK they are mostly fitted with summer tyres). For a mostly urban country like the UK . Acceptable use case is for people with mobility issues who would struggle with getting in and out of normal cars.

That article focused more standard saloon and estate vehicles than SUVs.

[inactionman]

Way to go FRance! Ban the fucking things.

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti ... -streets

Yayyyyyyyyy. Get these c**ts off the road

Absolute ecological and safety disaster. Did a comparison for a few brands pretty much everytime at the same spec level and engine the suv is slower, less fuel efficient, more expensive and has less carrying capacity than the equivalent estate/hatchback. When I have had the joy of driving suv hire cars they are nearly always shitter to drive as well compared to the equivalent car. Also worse for pedestrians , cyclists and other road users in accidents. More likely roll and gives delusion of capability in poor road conditions (in the UK they are mostly fitted with summer tyres). For a mostly urban country like the UK . Acceptable use case is for people with mobility issues who would struggle with getting in and out of normal cars.

I've got one (a 4x4) as I've typically had to make long journeys which can include snow - ideally, I'd have a summer and winter car and keep the 4x4 in a garage for when it's not needed, but that's not really viable.

If you've had an SUV hire it's palpably a SEAT Ateca or equivalent (which is what I ended up with in Ireland as my Hertz upgrade) which is practically a front-wheel-drive saloon with a taller body - and greater weight and drag, of course.

[Wylie Coyote]

I rent a ton of cars annually on work trips. Earlier this year I was in Melbourne and thought I'd give an ev a go since I was mostly local.... bad mistake. I was surprised at how the range was used up and my hotel had no charging points. I used the recommended apps and spent 3 hours looking for a free charging point - must've gone to 6-7 different locations eating up my oh-so-precious range - I eventually found one that was on the higher end of the spectrum of KW/h and after a fair amount of faff and call to the rental company managed to get it charging. It told me it would take 5hrs to fully charge, 5 hours in some random corporate multi-story car park, no thank you. Waited an hour so I'd have enough to get me back to the hotel and then to the airport and used uber for the rest of my trip. 3+hrs for something that would've taken me 5-10 minutes had I chosen a petrol car. I know EVs are the future but things will need to improve mightily before I will let go of my current diesel engine.

[Guy Smiley]

Tell me you don't know anything about something without telling me you don't know anything about it.

[petej]

Yayyyyyyyyy. Get these c**ts off the road

Absolute ecological and safety disaster. Did a comparison for a few brands pretty much everytime at the same spec level and engine the suv is slower, less fuel efficient, more expensive and has less carrying capacity than the equivalent estate/hatchback. When I have had the joy of driving suv hire cars they are nearly always shitter to drive as well compared to the equivalent car. Also worse for pedestrians , cyclists and other road users in accidents. More likely roll and gives delusion of capability in poor road conditions (in the UK they are mostly fitted with summer tyres). For a mostly urban country like the UK . Acceptable use case is for people with mobility issues who would struggle with getting in and out of normal cars.

That article focused more standard saloon and estate vehicles than SUVs.

SUV mentioned 12 times and estate/saloon 0 times.

EDIT: Also those people with an "active lifestyle" and carry active lifestyle equipment are more likely to have vans.

[Sandstorm]

Most SUV owners active lifestyle involves clearing out the garage and taking that crap to the tip in one load.

[Hal Jordan]

Sir Keir Starmer u-turn incoming as High Court rules ULEZ expansion lawful, fuck the Tory whiner councils.

[shaggy]

Most SUV owners active lifestyle involves clearing out the garage and taking that crap to the tip in one load.

Oops. I went a click further in to the linked article on sizes where it was more saloon than SUV but on the topic of dimensions and parking spaces.

[Sandstorm]

Most SUV owners active lifestyle involves clearing out the garage and taking that crap to the tip in one load.

Oops. I went a click further in to the linked article on sizes where it was more saloon than SUV but on the topic of dimensions and parking spaces.

The latest model Mondeo and Insignia are also too long and wide for parking spaces. Bloat is not just an SUV problem.

[weegie01]

Most SUV owners active lifestyle involves clearing out the garage and taking that crap to the tip in one load.

Oops. I went a click further in to the linked article on sizes where it was more saloon than SUV but on the topic of dimensions and parking spaces.

The latest model Mondeo and Insignia are also too long and wide for parking spaces. Bloat is not just an SUV problem.

My wife's first car in the late 1970s was a Golf. We bothered to check sizes recently after I commented how easy my son's Fabia was to park. The Fabia is a foot longer and 8 inches wider than the 70s Golf.

[Niegs]

Oops. I went a click further in to the linked article on sizes where it was more saloon than SUV but on the topic of dimensions and parking spaces.

The latest model Mondeo and Insignia are also too long and wide for parking spaces. Bloat is not just an SUV problem.

My wife's first car in the late 1970s was a Golf. We bothered to check sizes recently after I commented how easy my son's Fabia was to park. The Fabia is a foot longer and 8 inches wider than the 70s Golf.

I've heard the Mini Countryman is wider than more traditional SUVs... here we are, nearly as wide as a Jeep Wrangler.

[weegie01]

I've heard the Mini Countryman is wider than more traditional SUVs... here we are, nearly as wide as a Jeep Wrangler.

When we lived in Edinburgh our neighbour had one which looked the same size as my wife's Evoque. Not quite, but not far off.

The Range Rover Evoque measures 4,371mm long, 1,649mm tall and 1,996mm wide

[Hal Jordan]

Oops. I went a click further in to the linked article on sizes where it was more saloon than SUV but on the topic of dimensions and parking spaces.

The latest model Mondeo and Insignia are also too long and wide for parking spaces. Bloat is not just an SUV problem.

My wife's first car in the late 1970s was a Golf. We bothered to check sizes recently after I commented how easy my son's Fabia was to park. The Fabia is a foot longer and 8 inches wider than the 70s Golf.

Power steering, a more precise gearbox and brakes not made out of old sponges?

I had the misfortune to have a Mondeo as a loaner car when mine was in dock for repairs a few years back. It felt absolutely huge, yet reverse Tardis inside considering its dimensions.

[weegie01]

I've heard the Mini Countryman is wider than more traditional SUVs... here we are, nearly as wide as a Jeep Wrangler.

When we lived in Edinburgh our neighbour had one which looked the same size as my wife's Evoque. Not quite, but not far off.

The Range Rover Evoque measures 4,371mm long, 1,649mm tall and 1,996mm wide.

[dpedin]

I've heard the Mini Countryman is wider than more traditional SUVs... here we are, nearly as wide as a Jeep Wrangler.

When we lived in Edinburgh our neighbour had one which looked the same size as my wife's Evoque. Not quite, but not far off.

The Range Rover Evoque measures 4,371mm long, 1,649mm tall and 1,996mm wide.

Nothing worse than getting stuck in school rush hour traffic around one of the private schools in Embra, of which there are many! Lots and lots of rich mummies in their Chelsea tractors packed full of little Jeremys and wee Jemimas, without a feckin clue how wide they are and how to drive them! Designed to go up feckin Ben Nevis yet they are scared shitless to go over a speed bump at more than 2mph and can't parallel park for shit! I would ban all these SUVs from a 2mile radius of these schools and make all the posh mums drive Toyota Aygos which they could probably drive reasonably well ... probably!

[weegie01]

Nothing worse than getting stuck in school rush hour traffic around one of the private schools in Embra, of which there are many! Lots and lots of rich mummies in their Chelsea tractors packed full of little Jeremys and wee Jemimas, without a feckin clue how wide they are and how to drive them! Designed to go up feckin Ben Nevis yet they are scared shitless to go over a speed bump at more than 2mph and can't parallel park for shit! I would ban all these SUVs from a 2mile radius of these schools and make all the posh mums drive Toyota Aygos which they could probably drive reasonably well ... probably!

We used to take our kids to one of the aforementioned Edinburgh prvate schools. Our kids used to refer to my wife's then car without any pretention as 'the little car'. It was a Volvo V70 estate, but was smaller than any of my cars.

But your point is fair.

A couple of days ago I was going up the single track Highland road where we live. A very flash new Range Rover was coming the other way. There was a point between where locals pull up the bank on each side to pass. Not an official passing place, but commonly used so clearly worn. I pulled up my side, there was no way he was going up his side. He got out and argued that it was impossible for his car to make that. I pointed out that I had made it easy for him as my Discovery was at a considerably greater angle than his side, that any local in any car would take the bank, and his car was perfectly capable of it. He did eventually squeeze past, but only after it became apparent he was not able to reverse either.

[petej]

The fat mini pieman and the obese fiat 500L I also dislike for many reasons not just being fugly.

[LenCohen]

I've heard the Mini Countryman is wider than more traditional SUVs... here we are, nearly as wide as a Jeep Wrangler.

When we lived in Edinburgh our neighbour had one which looked the same size as my wife's Evoque. Not quite, but not far off.

The Range Rover Evoque measures 4,371mm long, 1,649mm tall and 1,996mm wide.

Nothing worse than getting stuck in school rush hour traffic around one of the private schools in Embra, of which there are many! Lots and lots of rich mummies in their Chelsea tractors packed full of little Jeremys and wee Jemimas, without a feckin clue how wide they are and how to drive them! Designed to go up feckin Ben Nevis yet they are scared shitless to go over a speed bump at more than 2mph and can't parallel park for shit! I would ban all these SUVs from a 2mile radius of these schools and make all the posh mums drive Toyota Aygos which they could probably drive reasonably well ... probably!

I love school pick up (at one of those schools), great comedy value. I'm always a little bemused at how people who are so clueless and confused by some of the basics of life-i.e driving, parking-have managed to accrue so much wealth. Stockbridge Waitrose offers similar Desmond Morris opportunities.

[Hal Jordan]

The fat mini pieman and the obese fiat 500L I also dislike for many reasons not just being fugly.

My wife loves her Countryman PHEV. British Racing Green with a white roof.

I bet you're one of those tedious twits who moans about how bloated modern BMW Minis are compared to the deathtrap 60s versions.

[Guy Smiley]

The fat mini pieman and the obese fiat 500L I also dislike for many reasons not just being fugly.

My wife loves her Countryman PHEV. British Racing Green with a white roof.

I bet you're one of those tedious twits who moans about how bloated modern BMW Minis are compared to the deathtrap 60s versions.

I left school and began a mechanical apprenticeship at the end of 1978. I worked in a large dealership selling BMC, Leyland and Honda vehicles. I did my time on first generation Mini's, 1100s /1300s, Princesses and Honda Civics, among all the other stuff like Leyland tractors and trucks. It's always struck me as ironic the way the much touted 'small cars' of the late 70s and early 80s, such as the Honda Civic and Accord, grew into the large car they are now... while the next generation of small cars like the Honda Jazz or City undergo a similar bloat.

There's an argument for better safety features such as crush zones and the like needing more vehicle architecture... but there is also an argument that the continued growth in size is a deliberate play on ego and fear by manufacturers eager to sell size as a virtue. The huge growth in sales of oversized US derived pick up trucks is a clear example, along with the popularity of SUVs as everyday transport. On top of the growth in size of the average vehicle is the static nature of infrastructure delivery... car parks, street lanes and amenities like service stations are all still the same size as they were 30 odd years ago despite having to cram in supertankers piloted by blind fucktards.

[Niegs]

I've heard the Mini Countryman is wider than more traditional SUVs... here we are, nearly as wide as a Jeep Wrangler.

When we lived in Edinburgh our neighbour had one which looked the same size as my wife's Evoque. Not quite, but not far off.

The Range Rover Evoque measures 4,371mm long, 1,649mm tall and 1,996mm wide.

Nothing worse than getting stuck in school rush hour traffic around one of the private schools in Embra, of which there are many! Lots and lots of rich mummies in their Chelsea tractors packed full of little Jeremys and wee Jemimas, without a feckin clue how wide they are and how to drive them! Designed to go up feckin Ben Nevis yet they are scared shitless to go over a speed bump at more than 2mph and can't parallel park for shit! I would ban all these SUVs from a 2mile radius of these schools and make all the posh mums drive Toyota Aygos which they could probably drive reasonably well ... probably!

Heaven forbid they'd cycle (e-bikes, even!) or walk, ffs!

I was impressed to hear that my last landlords' kids all walk about six blocks to school. They meet up with a group of friends and all go together. There's even a straight line bus, but it'd be almost as much time waiting/riding than it takes to walk.

But uni students here will take the bus for four blocks.

[petej]

The fat mini pieman and the obese fiat 500L I also dislike for many reasons not just being fugly.

My wife loves her Countryman PHEV. British Racing Green with a white roof.

I bet you're one of those tedious twits who moans about how bloated modern BMW Minis are compared to the deathtrap 60s versions.

Don't mind the bmw minis and the new fiat 500. Just the fat ones.

As for tedious twits, the moaning when where I lived removed parking spaces from the little town square was ridiculous (there are still disabled spaces) considering there are several car parks within a 200m radius of this little square.

I think the pandemic shifted me from being indifferent/liking cars to actively disliking them and the size bloat particularly annoys me along with the continuous suv advertising by all brands contributes to the suv hatred alongside the more rational accident and environmental reasons.

Edit: the point about the infrastructure being the same size it was 30 years is a good one. I would also add that considering how fat the population is a bit more walking and cycling and less short car journeys would be a good thing.

[Yeeb]

Who the fuck designed this?..

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/first- ... s112995-uk

As mpv’s go I think that’s pretty cool and darth vader

Better than all the identikit small useless Suv poser mobiles that pretty much every company churns out now

I'm not a fan, but to your second sentence, at least it looks different. Do they all look the same because of some 'optimal' space-allocating, mpg-saving air flow design?

I was at a car show on Sunday and it was refreshing to see some variety.

Mpg saving ?
One of the main things of aerodynamics is frontal area, there is no way a wider higher car will be aerodynamic versus say an old Citroen GS (0.31) or old Audi 100 (0.30)
Kia soul 0.35
Defender 0.59

It’s as much style over substance , modern motorists like sitting high and posing , taller heavy wider heavier cars than the 1980’s mean that the Mpg isn’t that much better despite far more efficient engines.

Would love to see what an old cortina could do with a modern engine

[Sandstorm]

Would love to see what an old cortina could do with a modern engine

Oversteer into a hedge

[Niegs]

Saw this image doing the rounds. Kei truck has longer bed...

[GogLais]

8+ million in the UK are over 65 and they all struggle to get into a Ford Focus.

No we bloody don’t.

[Sandstorm]

8+ million in the UK are over 65 and they all struggle to get into a Ford Focus.

No we bloody don’t.

Gobby Welsh 9s don’t count.

[petej]

Saw this image doing the rounds. Kei truck has longer bed...

A tank has a smaller blind spot than some pick ups.

[Torquemada 1420]

What the fuck is wrong with you? The point was conversion of old cars to electric, you don't like a particular point so you act like a wanker and start hurling insults around on a completely benign topic.

I’m going to wind this back to the beginning. My very specific objection was to converting classic cars into milk floats which resulted in your then conflating unrelated things such as normal vehicles and throwing in meaningless attributes you asserted were valuable. So, I’ll split out classics, non-classics (even though they weren’t part of my issue) and then bits they have in common.

CLASSICS
1) Messing around with these is tantamount to vandalism. No different to covering a Chippendale in vinyl (not that kind Jake) or colouring in Guernica.
2) You talk about performance as if accelerating faster in a straight line is the only aspect of performance to a classical car owner. What about handling? Because putting a tonne of batteries into a Speedster will certainly wreck that as it will now handle like a brick on jelly.
3) And let’s talk about safety. Because old cars (chassis or monocoque) were generally much lighter. Their physical integrities, suspension and brakes were nor designed to suddenly cope with a huge increase in mass. Or do these all get replaced too leaving you with what exactly?
4) Which leads me to how these Q conversions are licenced for road use or insured?
5) Classics are often bought for the experience: the noise, smell, quirkiness. What TF makes you think anyone other than an idiot wants to bin that for a milk float experience?
6) And if you did, why wouldn’t you just buy a new EV and have the upgrade in infotainment, AC, comfort etc too?
7) I’ve seen rare classics flunk at auction because the brakes had been upgraded. You see, classics usually retain maximum value by being unmolested. This kind of dicking around is double jeopardy: spend a fortune to completely devalue the car. I’ll come to what cretin would do that at the end.

NOT CLASSICS
Well, much of above holds to some degree. To the extent, why TF would you spend all that money when there are perfectly good, purpose designed EVs from reputable manufacturers for any role you’d want? e.g. a Rivian over milk float Landie?

And talking of reputable manufacturer….. back in the day we had a term for spoofers like the guy you linked to: cut and shut shop. Kudos to the guy if he’s found a market of gullible wealthy types who want to show the world how much money they can waste whilst playing at virtue signalling.

[Torquemada 1420]

Saw this image doing the rounds. Kei truck has longer bed...

A tank has a smaller blind spot than some pick ups.

The tank would have somebody capable at the "wheel" too.

[Tichtheid]

What the fuck is wrong with you? The point was conversion of old cars to electric, you don't like a particular point so you act like a wanker and start hurling insults around on a completely benign topic.

I’m going to wind this back to the beginning. My very specific objection was to converting classic cars into milk floats which resulted in your then conflating unrelated things such as normal vehicles and throwing in meaningless attributes you asserted were valuable. So, I’ll split out classics, non-classics (even though they weren’t part of my issue) and then bits they have in common.

CLASSICS
1) Messing around with these is tantamount to vandalism. No different to covering a Chippendale in vinyl (not that kind Jake) or colouring in Guernica.
2) You talk about performance as if accelerating faster in a straight line is the only aspect of performance to a classical car owner. What about handling? Because putting a tonne of batteries into a Speedster will certainly wreck that as it will now handle like a brick on jelly.
3) And let’s talk about safety. Because old cars (chassis or monocoque) were generally much lighter. Their physical integrities, suspension and brakes were nor designed to suddenly cope with a huge increase in mass. Or do these all get replaced too leaving you with what exactly?
4) Which leads me to how these Q conversions are licenced for road use or insured?
5) Classics are often bought for the experience: the noise, smell, quirkiness. What TF makes you think anyone other than an idiot wants to bin that for a milk float experience?
6) And if you did, why wouldn’t you just buy a new EV and have the upgrade in infotainment, AC, comfort etc too?
7) I’ve seen rare classics flunk at auction because the brakes had been upgraded. You see, classics usually retain maximum value by being unmolested. This kind of dicking around is double jeopardy: spend a fortune to completely devalue the car. I’ll come to what cretin would do that at the end.

NOT CLASSICS
Well, much of above holds to some degree. To the extent, why TF would you spend all that money when there are perfectly good, purpose designed EVs from reputable manufacturers for any role you’d want? e.g. a Rivian over milk float Landie?

And talking of reputable manufacturer….. back in the day we had a term for spoofers like the guy you linked to: cut and shut shop. Kudos to the guy if he’s found a market of gullible wealthy types who want to show the world how much money they can waste whilst playing at virtue signalling.

I actually feel sorry for you that you think have to resort to posting in that style and tone in order to make a point - using derisory language only reflects badly on yourself and not on your intended target, whether it's me for liking the idea of EV mods, the guys who do the modifications to bring vehicles up to modern day specs or the people who would spend money on those cars.

Of course you are entitled to think that making an old "Classic" car into an EV is vandalism, but that is purely a subjective opinion, it holds no more merit that me saying "no it's not", so we're at an impasse, and this is the internet so I'm not even going to bother with why it's not vandalism because I know for sure there is no chance of agreement on that, even if I did put forward an irrefutable argument you'd never admit it.

As for the increase in mass - taking out an internal combustion engine, clutch and gear box and putting in the electric motor and batteries results in either the same mass or a weight saving, depending on how many batteries you put in.
The handling is improved by updating braking and suspension systems, these are cars you can use all day every day, you scoffed at the idea of a 200 mile range, if you are driving at an average of 50mph (not an unreasonable average for driving anywhere in Europe) you are going to need to stop before you get to the limit of your range.

I imagine that someone doing these upgrades won't be doing so for the resale value, they will be doing it because they want the lines of the old car with the convenience of a modern vehicle and the "green credentials" of an EV.

A neighbour around the corner from me has a beautiful Citroën DS which has been converted to electric, it's a lovely thing and he uses it every day.