What the Hyundai Honda?

Presenting the 2013 Honda Accord sedan.  Although it's miles better looking than the current Accord, it also looks remarkably like a Hyundai. And not even current Hyundais, but the previous generation Sonata (up front) and pre-facelift Genesis (out back). In fact if the current Sonata were one of those "coupe sedans", the styling of this Accord could definitely fill in for the "regular" version.

Pininfarina Plagiarism

I started a “Guess That Car” thread over at the Car & Driver Backfires forums – basically a car picture is posted and the users have to guess the make and model. Every time one of these quadruplets appears I never know which one of the Pininfarina designs I’m looking at. Sure they’re pretty, but talk about milking something for all it’s worth.  At least the Alfa Romeo 1900 has a little variation up front. The Peugeot 404 convertible and Fiat 1600 convertible are near clones of each other, especially the later models with the grille mounted driving lights.  They even share chrome bodyside detailling that ends midway through the doors.

K-Car Envy

This one is interesting… These early Daewoo cars were essentially GM of Europe products. The Imperial was basically an upscale Daewoo Royale, which itself is little more than an Opel Rekord with the front end of the larger Opel Senator stuck on. However the Imperial is featured here as the designers oddly decided to style the upscale version of the European GM product as if it were an American Chrysler. A K-Car at that… Even the name is shared with the last K-Car based Imperial of the early 90s. Strange fact – the Daewood Imperial production began in 1989 (and ran through 1993), while the K-Car Chrysler Imperial was built between 1990 to 1993. However, the very similar looking New Yorker / Fifth Avenue were produced throughout the 80s.

Why was Daewoo selling GMs in the first place? A little back story… It all starts in 1976, when GM partnered with Shinjin Industrial Company to sell GM cars in South Korea, under the name Saehan Motor Company. However shortly afterward the fell into financial problems, with Daewoo group taking a large stake in the company in a 1978. Saehan Motor Company was renamed Daewoo Motor Company in 1983. So I guess GM buying Daewoo 20 years later was just a matter of things coming full circle.

 Devolved Inspiration: Daewoo took the K-Car route with it's upscale product - sharp creases and loads of chrome and vinyl.

Aston Martin V12 Zagato

I don't think the Aston Martin V12 Zagato is fugly, or even ugly.  But it does look a bit chubby for an Aston - less sleek and more bulbous.  I suppose it's kind of attractive the way a plus size model is, when compared to non-plus size models.

But the most unsettling thing about the design is how similar it looks to a Nissan GTR in the side view.  Sure, the rearmost angle of the side windows goes the opposite direction, but the air intake and blacked out "helmet visor" appearance of the A-pillar bear more than a passing resemblance.

Retro Cloning: FNM Onca

FNM was a Brazilian car manufacturer that built variations of Alfa Romeo products. The Onca was coupe designed inhouse and powered by an Alfa Romeo 4 cylinder, and look remarkably like a period Mustang notchback with an Alfa nose grafted one. Pretty, but not very original.

A Scent of Accent

Is it just me, or does the 2011 Scion TC look a little too much like an older Hyundai Accent?

Volkswagen Passé

The new for 2012 VW Passat also follows Volkswagen’s new North American strategy of offering more for less. While the Jetta is basically them same car they get overseas (with a much worse interior), the Americanized Passat is an entirely different beast. While they get a reworked version of the current Passat, we get a completely new supersize version - presumably for our supersized, McDonald’s feed American (and Canadian) asses.



While the interior doesn’t suffer the same air of cheapness of the Jetta, the exterior does share a family resemblance. And in doing so, this is a very generic looking car. It’s not hideous, but there aren’t many positive adjectives that can be used to describe it either. From it’s vaguely Accord looking face to it’s vaguely Chevrolet Impala looking greenhouse, the look comes off as inoffensive (and a bit dated) looking clone hoping to gain sales by looking enough like the big sellers. Plus they might be trying to morph this apple strudel into looking enough like an apple pie to warm over some of the more jaded buyers that tend to only buy American.



Still though, it’s classy in a very retrained way and far from fugly. Had the 2008 Accord looked like this when it debuted instead of having it’s quasi-Bangle-butt, it would have been commended.

Alfa Romeo 4C Concept

Maybe I'm alone, but to me the new Alfa Romeo 4C Concept looks remarkably like the Lotus Evo, sans rear seating. I suppose it's mainly due to the fact that the Evora looks a little like a Ferrari in the hind quarters, and they're related to Alfas by blood.

Vauxhall R8

I wouldn't say the revised Vauxhall R8 is fugly exactly, although the increasing number of stereotypical go-fast styling cues are approaching critical mass. I'm mainly posting because of the new split grille with chrome toppers. The added chrome looks like unnecessary bling, crowding an already complex front end treatment - and looks a lot like the grille of the pre-facelift current generation BMW 3 Series.

A Genesis Coupe, a Yaris, and a Dacia walk into a bar…

The Baojun 630 is GM’s attempt at a low priced car for the Chinese (around $7000 in fact). The result is a strange “second world everycar” – somehow, just by looking at it, you can tell it’s a cheap car whose build quality is suspect. It’s awkward proportions suggest that it’s an older platform with fancy modern duds that recall several other current cars (not unlike the redressed Fiat platforms used well beyond their best before dates by manufacturers in several Eastern European countries). To be specific, it looks like a Toyota Yaris with the face of a Dacia Sandero grafted on. It even borrows the Hyundai Genesis Coupe's aggresive "Z" body detailing.

Buick Cutrate Cutlass

I had almost forgotten about one of the most forgettable cars of the 90's until I saw one watching TV last night. The 1997-1999 was one of the worst cases of badge engineering from GM in the 90's, with little differentiating it from the Malibu. Making things worse, it was also far worse to look at than the Chevy, with some brutally ugly taillights. It also stuck out like a sore thumb - at this point Olds had adopted sleek Aurora based styling. The Cutlass tried to fit in, but the Malibu wasn't exactly sleek and the car ended up looking more Chevy than Olds.

Clones: Dusty Escort

The Plymouth Duster I was a show car from 1969, whose name went on to signify sporty Valiants. Basically a convertible Road Runner with all sorts of aero appendages, it's front end bares a remarkable similarity to the MK1 Euro Ford Focus, birthed the year prior.

Cloned: Pontiac Banshee inspired by Lamborghini?

I can't help but wonder if the people who designed the beautiful 1964 Pontiac Banshee concept found inspiration across the ocean in the form of the 1963 Lamborghini 350GTV. Lamborghini's first car, this styling one off eventually became Lamborghini's first production car, the 1964 350GT (although it's looks changed substantially).

I suppose it could be a coincidental evolution of Pontiac's split grille. But the flowing fenders, round hidden headlamps, central ridge in the hood and even the scripty badging are are all eerily similar.

Attack of the Clones: Durango Fandango

I should start off by clarifying that my "Attack of the Clones" posts (admittedly a dated title, but I don't know if I should stop after using it for so long) aren't necessarily saying that the cars featured within are ugly. I realize this may be a bit confusing. I mean - the blog is about ugly cars. However it's mainly a blog where I vent on automotive style, so I think posting cars that tread previously travelled roads when it comes to style are ok to be featured. But I wanted to sure to clarify this, as I don't think the Dodge Durango is an ugly truck.

When Dodge teased shots of the new Durango (although I have to say I prefer the Magnum name, but I understand it's good to maintain consistancy), I thought the revised face was refreshingly attractive, yet masculine and bold. Plus I love the new divided cross hair grille (the new Dodge logo, not so much). I had high hopes from the rest of the truck, mainly because Chrysler corporation cars and trucks have been so disappointing for the past few years, especially since they were a high water mark for design in the 90's.

However, new that the shots of the entire truck have been released, I have to admit I'm a little let down. Not that it's ugly, but from the headlights back the flowing curves look remarkably like those on the Buick Enclave (of the two, I prefer the Durango however). I guess I was expecting something a little more butch, given the angry front end treatment. Although I suppose it's platform-mate the Grand Cherokee got the masculine square shouldered lines, so the Durango had to be unique to that end.

Which is strange considering the taillight treatment. Looking at the rear of both trucks, it's actually a bit hard to tell them apart. I suppose the reverse lamps/turn signal locations are flipped, but the shape of the trapezoid taillights are the same - and both have a chrome strip connecting them. I little variety wouldn't hurt, especially since the trucks share a majority of parts.

Attack of the Clones – Genesis of the 5-Series

When I first laid eyes on the new 5-Series, something struck me as looking familiar. Ignoring the fact that it looks like a slightly boring scaled down 7-Series. And then it hit me reading an article with a nearby Hyundai ad – it’s lower front fascia looks very similar to that on the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Sure there’s differences, but similarities are too close to ignore - the tall fog lights, the chrome bars bisecting the outer potions, and the swoopy detailing of bumper around them...



Speaking of the devil, the Genesis Coupe has long been considered for being featured here. I can’t get past it’s droopy rear window, but am unsure of whether that drags the entire car into the realm of fugly. Same goes for it’s relative, the swoopy new Sonata - it’s Klingon forehead grille is a bit of an eye-sore, but the rest of the car I believe makes up for it.

Attack of the Clones: Renault ArEight

The Renault DeZir concept is meant to show a new design language for Renault. Apparently that design language is very similar to the one that spawned the Audi R8.

Attack of the Clones: Ferroya Califolara

This is partially the reason I find the California ugly. It reminds me a lot of the melted blob of retirement transport that is the Solara.

Attack of the Clones: Dongfeng H30

I suppose a good sign of your success in the automotive world is if the Chinese start cloning your models. Hyundai should take it in stride then that Dongfeng is preparing a new model called the H30, which looks remarkably like the Hyundai C30 wagon, aka the Elantra Touring. Well - a C30 wagon with the front of a Chrysler Sebring grafted on for whatever reason. Still - the even cloned the name! Congrats Hyundai - you've officially hit the bigtime.

Attack of the Clones: Isoghini Lelerama

The Iso Lele and the Lamborghini Jarama are almost mirror images of each other. I can't really blame this clones on any of the manufacturers - both were styled by Bertone. So I guess the fault lies with Marcello Gandini, whose pen drew up both designs. Running out of idea at the time? These cars debuted months from each other as well, so there was no hiding the fact.

Wouldn't say either are ugly again (as is the case with most cloning - who would clone ugly?), but the Jarama is slightly better looking in my eyes. Looks beefier, and the it doesn't have the strange beltline that abruptly turn up and meets the roof after the rear wheels. Plus a Lele sounds like some kind of Hawaiian bird (it's named after the wife of the son of Iso's founder).

And then of course there's the Isuzu Impulse, which showed up to the cloning party a couple decades later.

Attack of the Clones: BYD FBR WTF

Another Chinese clone. I get cloning the Toyota Corolla up front, but what's with cloning the Daewoo Lacetti out back? Is Daewoo a high-water mark in terms of car design for the Chinese?