I wonder why people don't mention Lexus borrowing designs.

[Poopsicle]

Anyone sick and tired of people messing with Hyundai about "borrowing" designs? They do this because Hyundai is an underdog.

It's about time a news article explains that Lexus copied Mercedes.. I just bumped into this today when I was reading about Hyundai vs Lexus..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12373162/


"It’s no secret that Lexus, long the number-one luxury brand in the United States, has set its sites on competing with European luxury passenger car brands like Mercedes and BMW. But the contours of the new Lexus LS hybrid, its headlights and even its state-of-the-art safety features, were strongly similar to the celebrated S-Class, showing that, while imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, in the automotive industry it has become a way to challenge the dominance of your rivals."


"......at one point a few years ago drawing the ire of the German carmaker for what Mercedes reportedly called “copycat cars.”....

 

[ConceptVBS]

Ever notice how these little local newspapers/magazines pretty much reiterate what the big 3 auto magazines state when it comes to reviews? So even before receiving the vehicles for review, they already have a preconceived notion of what the car is going to be like. So they already have a biased opinion. All they are doing is putting in writing their confirmations of what the auto magazines stated. Pathetic.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

People have been criticizing Lexus about copying for a long, long time...

 

[YEH]

People have been criticizing Lexus about copying for a long, long time...

But Lexus doesn't get bashed repeatedly like Hyundai does by all the netziens.

These days, pretty much every manufacturer "borrows" - Infiniti/Nissan, Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus, etc. have all borrowed the C pillar "kink" which started (or became most noted) in the BMW 5 series.

One repeated criticism is the Genesis' waterfall/Klingon grille looking like a Mercedes when the grilles for many Infiniti, Lexus and Acura models are similar (vertical slatted grille) just w/o a divider down the middle (heck look at some of the older and current grilles for Infiniti and Lexus and they look likw grilles from Buick and Jaguar models from the past).

Anyway, Hyundai purposely set out to make the Genesis look like a luxury sedan that the marketplace is used to (since Hyundai figured that the market would have trouble accepting BOTH a luxury auto and a new design aspect from Hyundai) and stated that once the Genesis is established as a nameplate, that they will initiate a design path that distinguishes the Genesis.

Plus, its not like Hyundai hasn't done "original" designs in the past w/ varying levels of success (the early Tibs, the original Santa Fe, the Elantra, etc.).

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Anyway, Hyundai purposely set out to make the Genesis look like a luxury sedan that the marketplace is used to (since Hyundai figured that the market would have trouble accepting BOTH a luxury auto and a new design aspect from Hyundai) and stated that once the Genesis is established as a nameplate, that they will initiate a design path that distinguishes the Genesis.

Hyundai does get a large portion of design criticism.. Now I'm really curious about what direction they may decide to go for the G2.

 

[Poopsicle]

But Lexus doesn't get bashed repeatedly like Hyundai does by all the netziens.

These days, pretty much every manufacturer "borrows" - Infiniti/Nissan, Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus, etc. have all borrowed the C pillar "kink" which started (or became most noted) in the BMW 5 series.

One repeated criticism is the Genesis' waterfall/Klingon grille looking like a Mercedes when the grilles for many Infiniti, Lexus and Acura models are similar (vertical slatted grille) just w/o a divider down the middle (heck look at some of the older and current grilles for Infiniti and Lexus and they look likw grilles from Buick and Jaguar models from the past).

Anyway, Hyundai purposely set out to make the Genesis look like a luxury sedan that the marketplace is used to (since Hyundai figured that the market would have trouble accepting BOTH a luxury auto and a new design aspect from Hyundai) and stated that once the Genesis is established as a nameplate, that they will initiate a design path that distinguishes the Genesis.

Plus, its not like Hyundai hasn't done "original" designs in the past w/ varying levels of success (the early Tibs, the original Santa Fe, the Elantra, etc.).

Their 1998, 2000 and 2003 model Sonata's were pretty original as well.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

The 2003 Hyundai Sonata reminded me A LOT of a Jaguar...

 

[Poopsicle]

The 2003 Hyundai Sonata reminded me A LOT of a Jaguar...

How so? It's very unique in design.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

I can find MANY more examples and even a few discussions on the web...

This particular style wasn't a unique design. The others, however, were... I remember when this first came out - many people made the Jaguar reference...

 

[Dr Tweak]

The 2003 Hyundai Sonata reminded me A LOT of a Jaguar...

In late '03 I was working at a car dealership for a few months, and we had a few Sonatas on the lot. One day this guy walks in:

"Hi, I'd like to look at the Lincoln that you have out front."

"We.... don't have any Lincolns on the lot right at the moment."

"Yes you do."

"No, I'm pretty sure we don't, what car are you looking at?"

"That one right there" (points)

"That's a Hyundai Sonata."

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[njohnson]

In the original article wouldn't it be the other way, Mercedes copying Lexus since that Lexus shown is a 2006 model and the Mercedes is their newest iteration?

I personally don't find them similar at all. It's next to impossible nowadays to come out with a totally unique car that shares no cues from any other vehicle. I don't see what the big deal is, if there is a feature that works why reinvent the wheel for the sole sake of being different when the money can be better spent on other aspects of the car.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

The newest Mercedes S-Class (550) and last generation Lexus LS don't look ANYTHING alike. I don't know WHAT they're talking about in that article. In any event, Mercedes doesn't copy off of anybody. They're very confident with their own designs - they're always unique...

 

[Poopsicle]

The newest Mercedes S-Class (550) and last generation Lexus LS don't look ANYTHING alike. I don't know WHAT they're talking about in that article. In any event, Mercedes doesn't copy off of anybody. They're very confident with their own designs - they're always unique...

Did you even read the article?

I can find MANY more examples and even a few discussions on the web...

This particular style wasn't a unique design. The others, however, were... I remember when this first came out - many people made the Jaguar reference...

They don't look anything alike!!!! wow!~!!

 

[Sal Collaziano]

They DO look alike. There are several obvious similarities. This particular Sonata was not an original design. There are many similar lines on the sides, hood and rear - enough that it doesn't look "original". I did not create that image with the comparison. Somebody else did because they felt the same - and it was part of an ongoing discussion about the two cars.

Regarding the article:

When Lexus pulled the covers off its 2008 LS hybrid at the New York Auto Show last week, its elegant styling and sleek shape drew murmurs of admiration from the throng of reporters gathered to witness the luxury sedan’s debut.

But its unmistakable resemblance to the Mercedes S-Class also raised a few eyebrows.

No, the new Lexus didn't raise ANY eyebrows in regards to the Mercedes S-Class regarding design. EVERYBODY said it looked like the BMW 7-Series. The ORIGINAL 1990 Lexus LS design looked like a Mercedes. I didn't read the entire article but I've been a member of various forums for many years - watching and participating in the discussions about Lexus and who they're copying.

Feature-wise, the LS is on par with the Mercedes S-Class. Exterior design-wise, it looks like the BMW 7-Series. There is no "unmistakable resemblance" to the Mercedes S-Class. The writer has been misinformed.

Did you even read the article?

They don't look anything alike!!!! wow!~!!

 

[mkaresh]

The first few generations of the Lexus LS resembled the previous generation Mercedes S-Class. Reacting to this criticism, Lexus cribbed off of BMW for the current car...

Lexus has been criticized plenty for this. But the people who buy their cars aren't looking for original design. Hyundai noted the success of this strategy, along with the failure of Infiniti's "original Japense-culture-inspired design" strategy, and chose the Lexus route.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Hyundai is very smart for taking this route.. Not everybody cares about their vehicle being unique.

The first few generations of the Lexus LS resembled the previous generation Mercedes S-Class. Reacting to this criticism, Lexus cribbed off of BMW for the current car...

Lexus has been criticized plenty for this. But the people who buy their cars aren't looking for original design. Hyundai noted the success of this strategy, along with the failure of Infiniti's "original Japense-culture-inspired design" strategy, and chose the Lexus route.