Variations On A Theme

Front end design is probably the single most definable feature of automobiles. From any other angle however, the roof line takes top honors. Think of the Thunderbird's thick, square C-pillar from the 50's and 60's. VW Golf's consistently distinct C-pillar saves it from looking like a small station wagon.

Here are three current cars showing a similar "kink" in the C-pillar side window area. The BMW follows the contour of the door, unlike the Kia (left) or the Lexus (right). But the kink is very similar, just rotated counterclockwise on the BMW.

Tail lamps are another point of commonality. Kia appears to have flipped BMW's while Lexus follows the same upward sweep but with a simpler, straight edged shape. This somewhat reminds one of recent Volkswagens. Though each car is distinctly different in personality, from this angle they seem more alike than different.