Untitled Essay, Research Paper

We ask ourselves every time we see heavy traffic, is there no varianceanymore amongst car models? In the old days, as a matter of fact onlyfive ore ten years ago every single car brand seemed to have it’s ownpersonality, today they look more like a cluster of copycats. What wentwrong?One reason is that the automotive industry has certain trends it has tofollow, just like fashion designers and musical composers. In times ofrecession and decreasing sales there is less room to take chances andmanufacturers are prone to follow the common pattern as a safer betrather than releasing a controversial product that might or might notsell very well. This makes for different models to conform considerablyunder the rules and regulations for the design of a car of this decade.Another reason is that many manufacturers actually cooperate and bycontracts copy each others models. The Mitsubishi 3000 GT for example ispractically the same car as the Dodge Stealth, only the Mitsubishi ismade in Japan at the original factory and the Stealth is made in the USat the Dodge factory. Apart from the two emblems respectively, very fewdetails differ the two cars. Honda who have been in need of a sportutility vehicle in order to grab their share of that part of the market,which has grown considerably the last decade have taken almost desperatemeasures. They have simply bought the rights to re-badge the Isuzu Rodeoas the Honda Passport and marketed it as an all new model.The last and maybe the most logical reason is that all manufacturersare striving towards ‘the perfect car’. All cars are supposed to offer amaximum of performance, passenger room and cargo space, and a minimum offuel consumption and cost to manufacture and maintain. There are only somany ways to technically achieve these goals. Cars tend to get morerounded edges in order to be more aerodynamic. The trunk lid is high inorder to offer greater cargo space without imposing on the passengers.The design of the trunk lid is also approaching the ‘optimal’ shape foreasy loading and access. Windows are large and pillars are thin forbetter view. The lights, both back and front, are homing in on thedesign for maximum visibility. The wheel base is decided on basis ofgood turning ability both in the case of parking and at high speeds.Everyone is simply trying to design ‘the perfect car’ so it is naturalthat they are all headed in the same scientific direction.Considering the facts that all car manufacturers seem to have the sameaims with their models, that they cooperate and use same parts, seriesof parts and even the same models under different names it seems quitenatural that modern cars tend to look more and more alike.