Attack of the Clones: Hyundai Genesis

Hyundai's first foray into the realm of near-luxury has been a relative success, achieving accolades and sales. But it hasn't exactly done so with a daring new design. Like the last generation Sonata, it's more of an attractive conglomerate than anything original. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.



I mean, what's the fault in making your car look kinda like the Lexus LS - the Genesis's "I can make a world class luxury car too" spiritual predecessor - but actually looks better? I suppose the similarity falls mostly in the appearance of the headlights and the shape of the grille.



Had the Genesis come over with it's Korean spec grille consisting of narrow, horizontal chrome bars the look would be even more similar. Speaking of that grille - it's one of the Genesis's worst features. Sure it's unique, but it doesn't look very classy. More like a chrome interpretation of a Klingon forehead. Or maybe the guided ribcage of some poor animal.


The rear end and greenhouse look in my eyes like a Japanese take on the BMW 5-Series. When looking at the rear ends of the LS, 5-Series and Infiniti M, you can see slight resemblances to all of them. Which might say more to the slightly bland appearances of all modern cars than it Hyundai's lack of originality.

A trip to the glue factory is in order...

The front end of this Mustang isn't too bad, I suppose. Well - if you ignore those fender extensions that just out to meet the side mirrors but don't actually meet anything.

But things get a little intense at the rear. Gigantic rear rims and swollen fenders culminate in what quite possibly the world's largest lip spoiler. And don't forget of course the "euro" tailights. Maybe he was got his inspiration from this guy.

Bentley Town Carnage

Maybe it's the Wal-Mart special fog lights or the vinyl roof, but I think this Bentley is a knock-off. Regardless, the owner when to great lengths - even sticking Bentley badges on the engine cover.

Corvette C-Sick

This poor - and relatively new - C6 Corvette is either a very expensive joke or it's owner is proof that money can't buy taste. Or apparently that can modify your car professionally. Given the workmanship and obsession with dragons, I would estimate his age (mentally, anyway) to be 12.

Close ups below to show just how craptastic the detailing and materials used are. Note the running paint, reflective stickers and misaligned letters.

Attack of the Clones: Aupel V8

Similar greenhouses, bump strips, BBS rims and turn signal placement give the Audi V8 and Opel Senator very similar looks. Slap 4 rings on the Opel and you could fool most people. Not sure who exactly ripped off who, since the Senator actually came out a year earlier and the greenhouse does look similar to the previous generation. But Audi pretty much had it's look set at that point in other models, so I'm going to say it was Opel that was the ripper.

Compensating?

This is quite possibly the most phallic car I've ever seen.

Mohs Ostentatienne Opera Sedan

Yes, the title of this is actually the name of the car featured. I've covered this car's successor before, but I hadn't really come across good pictures of the original Mohs creation until recently.

The main difference visually from that of the SafariKar covered previously is that it's NOT covered in pleather. Overall the look is somehow better but worse - it's front end is marginally better due to the fact that the body isn't as tall, but the combo of the huge wheels and the equally tall, Pacer-like fishbowl of a greenhouse give the car a kind of toy car appearance.

Another noticeable change is it's complete lack of doors. The sole entry is through a hatch in the rear - kind of a reverse Isetta. So I guess you'd have to pray no one rear ends you. The reasoning behind this was actually safety - huge steel side rails ran the length of the car to protect the occupant in the event of a side-on collision. Which I suppose is a threat due to the fact that the styling may blind oncoming traffic.

Powered by an ever-so-refined International Harvester truck engine, the car offered fewer out-there interior features than the SafariKar, but you could order one with a refrigerator and Ming style oriental rugs. Prices ranged from $19,600 to $25,600 - in 1967.

Packardbakers

Packardbaker is the term for late model Packards. Why? Because then owners Studebaker though it would be a good idea to dissolve the once great luxury brand into two ill-conceived models in it's final years, both based on overstyled versions of existing Studebaker models.

Sure - you're probably thinking that GM has gotten away with this for the past 30 years, so why is this a big deal? For one, being one of the first to popularize the idea. But for the most part it's because the Studebaker designed seemed to barely even try. For example, look at the tacked on fender extensions. They basically just stuck on fibreglass extensions to the body and called it a day. And they looked like - well - tacked on fender extensions.

Same goes for the headlight pods, that blatantly bulge out from fenders clearly designed for a single unit. Adding to the hap-hazard "Packardifying" was the overall homely look of the front end. It seems as if they ran out of ideas and just decided to stretch the grille from one end to another, leading to a dustbuster meets catfish look.

The Packard Hawk takes a similar route and turns out looking a bit better, but still gets a mention due to the fact that they ruined one of the most beautiful designs to come out of the 50's - the Studebaker Golden Hawk. Come on - couldn't you have at least thought of an original name? It's vacuum catfish look is a bit more extreme as well on the Hawk. At least they look like each other.

The rear end is slightly better again in that it's devoid of tacked on fin extensions, but then it's mainly that of the Golden Hawk with a huge fake spare tire in the trunk, a la Imperial. Got to do something to make it unique I suppose.

Old School Crackard

Apparently, no one realized this was a bad idea 30 years ago.

Not just for tacky shoes anymore...

Those crazy Russians - they're almost as bad as the great city of Dubai for turning expensive cars into even more expensive rolling eyesores. Now it seems they've taken to skinning their cars in endangered animals. Although this car is luckily encased in crocodile skin, and not whale foreskin. What's next - coating the car in saffron and caviar?

Ungenuity

The supreme dash layout of ultimate driver's cars such as the Toyota Yaris and Saturn Ion has finally found it's way into the ultimate driving machine.

Guf.

Pssst. You're doing it wrong.

The bigger the wheels, the harder they fall.

Some poor SL donated it's life to allow for the creation of this giant wheeled polyurethane wonder. I wonder if it floats? I have to find out the back story on this - I've seen it floating around the internet for years.

Sbarro Autobau

And this is the other 2010 Geneva Auto show disaster. Sbarro - king of weird - has apparently traveled back into the '70s and stolen a supervillian's getaway ride.

Bufugli

The 2010 Geneva Auto Show was actually pretty fug-free, which is why I hadn't really posted anything. One of few fugtastic entries was the ingeniously named Bufori Geneva, a huge Bentley inspired semi-neoclassic limo that looks vaguely Russian in my eyes. That and it kinda reminds me of this and this. And each time I see the headlights I think of Koenigsegg taillights.

Audi-scious

Not really sure what this is, so I can't really label it as anything. Not up on my European commercial vans. I'm sure it's a Fiat or something French. Whatever it is, it's not an Audi no matter how hard it tries. Also, it seems the Audi injections fave some unfortunate side effects, resulting in multiple headlights and door mirrors.