A version of this post appeared at Curbside Classic a couple weeks ago. I contribute there from time to time. Its primary mission is to document the old cars still rolling on the road, but we consider all things automotive. Check it out here.
Are the world’s automakers all smoking from the same pipe?
Recently Chrysler unveiled its redesigned midsized sedan, the 200, which goes on sale in the fall as a 2015 model. It’s about time; the current 200 is frumpy and dumpy. The new 200 is a sleek, beautiful design.
But wait… where have I seen that form before? Oh, yes, of course – on the midsized Ford Fusion, which went on sale in 2013.
And on the new-for-2014 full-sized Chevrolet Impala.
These cars have a lot of common design elements: high beltline, tall nose, aggressive grile, dramatic side creases, roof that flows smoothly into the trunk lid, and large, round wheel openings. But the signature design element they share is the rounded six-window greenhouse with a kick-up at the tail.
Did Chrysler steal this look from Ford and GM?
Or maybe they stole it from Toyota. Here’s the full-sized Toyota Avalon, which debuted in 2013.
Even small cars are wearing this basic design. Here’s the current Nissan Sentra, which was new in 2013.
The compact Dodge Dart, new in 2013, could be the Chrysler 200’s little brother. But given that they’re made by the same company, I’m sure that’s no coincidence.
But it must be coincidence that Buick’s smallest car, the Verano, has worn the same basic look since 2012.
Ford’s small cars wear similar six-window greenhouses, although the rear-window kick-up is far less dramatic. Here’s the current Focus, which debuted in 2012.
And here’s Ford’s Fiesta, also new in 2012.
Finally, even Honda’s compact crossover, the CR-V, got into the act in 2012.
I’m used to cars by the same maker wearing similar or even identical styling. GM was king of this for decades. They made one basic car, put different front and rear clips on for each of their brands, and sold them by the boatload. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many similarly-styled cars across so many different makers. I find this six-window styling to be plenty attractive – but I guarantee that ten or fifteen years from now when these are all cheap wheels on the used market, we’ll all look at them and say, “That styling is so mid-2010s!”
Wanna see some classic car style? Then click here and here and here.
