What's a trend, and what is copying?

Are more cars resulting from trends or copying?

  • trends
  • copying

0 voters

Recently, we’ve been showing and talking about who is ripping who off. Is that what is going on though?

While looking at that Buick Lacrosse post this morning I turned my thoughts to the 1950’s, often seen as a peak in American automotive design. Looking back though, many of those cars seemed to be ripping each other. Wild amounts of chrome shooting down the side, ludicrous wings potruding from the trunk, etc. Was that a trend, or copying?

it was bullshit. just too much gas money.

I voted for copying, but not with regards to the wings you are talking about. I think that was a trend.

I think trend is a common similarity in characteristics, proportion or fashion. When you see one, it relates to another.

Copy is when you don’t even need to relate, it resembles.

The retro trend, like the Ford GT and PT Crusier don’t have much of design commonality, but shares the same theme that relates them. The Infinity Q45 is an obvious rip-off of the old S-class.





The new Ford Fusion has a CTS front and a IS200 rear.
The Ford 500 has a Passat front and side. They try to give it a Focus SE rear, but doesn’t really work IMO.

Of course we see copying in Products too, like some of those I-Pod wannabies.

At least in the '50s each car had plenty of unique qualities that helped them stand out from other cars - today I often have to do a double take to make sure I have correctly identified a passing vehicle.

that’s life in US. from one extreme to another - this is result of a market driven economy rather than process itself. i sometimes wonder why people go to school in US!!

well actually a big percentage of billionaires in US haven’t finished school yet.probably figured they finish school when they get rich enough!