the exterior styling was distinctive, innovative, and somewhat divisive. "the wedge", as it was often nicknamed, was indeed very wedge-shaped; the styling was all angles and slanting panels. this was very much a 1970s design as created by italian stylists (see lamborghini countach for example). within bl the car was often referred to as "the anteater". the designer, harris mann, was also responsible for the triumph tr7, another wedge-shaped car, as was his original design for the austin allegro, although by the time that design had been readied for production nearly all the angular styling features had been lost.