It seems as though a blueprint is being shared amongst certain car manufacturers to design their vehicles. The thought crossed my mind the other day, when I mistook a Renault for a Volkswagen…then an Opel.
I hasten to add that my vision is perfect and as a car fanatic, I have a trained eye for spotting and noticing similarities between cars. From about 28 months I had been blessed with the vision of spotting the different makes of cars a mile away - family tell me. And with 100% accuracy.
New car template sharers make it practically impossible for others to emulate my genius. The car in question that flummoxed my perfect track record as a spotter was the new Renault Megane Coupe. In an icy white colour and with those pronounced rear haunches; it looked quite like Volkswagen’s striking Scirocco from the rear. Nearing closer, the rear tailgate seemed to have a hatch too steep to be that of the Scirocco’s. About to point out to fellow passengers in excitement “hey, look at that Astra OPC” I hesitated in a bit of confusion as I noticed the Renault diamond emblem on the tailgate.
This shouldn’t happen. One buys a Renault for its quirkiness and individuality. Not to be confused with cars like the brash and ostentatious Opel Astra OPC, with its aggressive body kit and large look-at-me rims. Another copycat car from Renault is the new Laguna Coupe. I don’t understand how Journalist Tom Ford failed to observe the car’s resemblance to the Aston Martin DB9, in his review on Discovery Channel’s motoring show, 5th Gear.
The rear tailgate has an edge that leans forward, and a subtle integrated rear spoiler, which is flared at the centre, just like the Aston. If perhaps you think I’m being a tad pedantic, then take a look at the front grille. Positioned at the bottom, in gleaming chrome with a square mesh pattern, you’ll wonder what this signature Aston design trait is doing on the Renault.
Generic and imitating designs aren’t the only issue with cars these days. Some manufacturers are simply producing ugly cars. Now everybody has different tastes when it comes to the aesthetics of a vehicle. But what about BMW-renowned for creating sexy and desirable vehicles, creating the hideous 5 Series GT? It looks nothing like a performance-orientated ‘GT’, as the moniker might have you think.
If you thought Chris Bangle killed the BMW tradition of creating sporty executive saloons with the release of the 1 Series, than you’re in for further disappointment: the GT is essentially a normal 5 series with a hatched tailgate. Porsche, the definitive sports car manufacturer also has an ugly-duckling amongst their array of beautiful coupes and convertibles. The Porsche Panamera. Much like the 5 Series GT, it is a large saloon-like vehicle with a hatched rear. A four-door 911 of sorts.
One manufacturer seems to be doing it right however. Audi have even managed to create the A5 Sportback, another vehicle in the newly spawned saloon-hatch segment, without making it look as awkward and undesirable as its competitors. Not wanting to drive one of the models of the assortment similar-looking or ugly cars on our roads, I am convinced that I should make a late request to Santa that my first set of wheels be something produced at least a decade prior to my birth. Such as the robust and-with over 2 million units sold, popular, Mercedes Benz E-class of the W123 series. It would certainly stand out in a school parking lot littered with CitiGolfs, Corsas and the like.
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