We ask ourselves every time we see heavy traffic, is there no .

             variance anymore amongst car models? In the old days, as a .

             matter of fact only five ore ten years ago every single car brand .

             seemed to have it's own personality, today they look more like a .

             cluster of copycats. What went wrong? .

             One reason is that the automotive industry has certain trends it .

             has to follow, just like fashion designers and musical composers. .

             In times of recession and decreasing sales there is less room to .

             take chances and manufacturers are prone to follow the common .

             pattern as a safer bet rather than releasing a controversial .

             product that might or might not sell very well. This makes for .

             different models to conform considerably under the rules and .

             regulations for the design of a car of this decade. .

             Another reason is that many manufacturers actually cooperate and .

             by contracts copy each others models. The Mitsubishi 3000 GT for .

             example is practically the same car as the Dodge Stealth, only .

             the Mitsubishi is made in Japan at the original factory and the .

             Stealth is made in the US at the Dodge factory. Apart from the .

             two emblems respectively, very few details differ the two cars. .

             Honda who have been in need of a sport utility vehicle in order .

             to grab their share of that part of the market, which has grown .

             considerably the last decade have taken almost desperate .

             measures. They have simply bought the rights to re-badge the .

             Isuzu Rodeo as the Honda Passport and marketed it as an all new .

             model. .

             The last and maybe the most logical reason is that all .

             manufacturers are striving towards 'the perfect car'. All cars .

             are supposed to offer a maximum of performance, passenger room .

             and cargo space, and a minimum of fuel consumption and cost to .

             manufacture and maintain. There are only so many ways to .

             technically achieve these goals. Cars tend to get more rounded .

             edges in order to be more aerodynamic. The trunk lid is high in .