Ugly Ducklings Hatching Out

Anyone who watched last Sunday's Top Gear might remember the discussion had over how some of the best looking cars on sale today are not exotic supercars, but actually certain superminis and saloons, basically 'real-world' transport. We expect a Lamborghini to look outrageous and immense, and the Aventador quenches that thirst. But when there are the mundanities of consumption, efficiency, safety, and practicality to consider, its refreshing to see manufacturers still manage to turn out handsome looking machinery.

Examples of the breed are the Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer, Saab 9-5, Alfa Romeo Giulietta, and Kia Sportage. Moving up a couple of classes, I happen to think the current shape Jaguar XJ is the best looking car on sale today, regardless of price.

Pity then, that there's one particular section of the market that seems resolutely determined to let the side down. I won't allow this to turn into an eco-car bashing session, and this will remain purely an (entirely subjective) debate on the aesthetics of these cars and nothing more, but it appears more and more evident that electric cars are really quite unattractive, which does nothing for their attempt to break into the mainstream.

For the buying public to take electric cars seriously, even before we delve into the minutiae of range, cost, and reliability, we need to feel that we ourselves will be taken seriously when behind the wheel of our eco investment. Forgetting all the milk float jokes and sticking purely to the looks, the current crop are hardly pageant worthy.

 Long-time brunt bearer of this has been the sinfully boxy G-Wiz, which even as a common sight in London, remains an awkward and ugly design. In fact, there seems to be little actual design present; the body merely acts as a device to keep occupants dry, and the headlights and mirrors attached. But as a pioneer of the class, it could be somewhat forgiven for its Quasimodo proportions.

Murray's T27. Clever. Not cool.

Unfortunately, it looks instead like the tip of a fairly gopping iceberg. The long-awaited Murray T27 may benefit from the kudos of Gordon 'McLaren F1' Murray design, a three seater layout and big range claims, but the impressive innovations within are clothed in yet another ungainly, awkward body that looks dangerously close to a Tata Nano rival, rather than a game-changer for city motoring.

Twizy: £8.5k

The Renault Twizy's open side, open wheel layout is little better, looking like a quad bike/BMW C1 cross-breed that's been inspired by a roller-skate. And while the Nissan Leaf is undoubtedly the most conventional looking of all the current EV crop, due to its family hatchback status, rather than city runabout, Nissan's efforts to differentiate it from internally combusted cars has blessed it with frumpy proportions it didn't deserve.

Nissan Leaf. Looks like compost heap.

I think the problem here is that electro-hybrid cars, like bacofoil suits and pill based diets, are promises of The Future. And now that they've arrived, are commercially viable and topically relevant, car makers seem compelled to adorn them with the looks of The Future as well. Just like the totally fantastical concept cars which draw all the zoom lenses at Geneva and Detroit, having 'the car of tomorrow, today' is an extremely appealing (and marketable) concept, but it's also one fraught with flaws, which is why such outlandish design is always watered down before cars ever see a registration plate. 22 inch chrome rims, cameras for mirrors and gullwing doors just don't work on a family saloon.

Still, electric and hybrid cars attempt to rise above the everyday dross with their powertrains, so why shouldn't their image? The issue that arises is that electric cars depend on a usable range, which invites the elephant of compromise into the room.

Lighter body styles are good for range, but the plastic panels needed for featherweight stats are inevitably slab sided and cheap looking.

Small wheels with skinny tyres reduce rolling resistance usefully, but when the wheels are the most important part of any car's aesthetic, using dinky castor-like rims on each corner will never a handsome car create.
And then to keep the cost down to increase those all-important profit margins, pricey-to-design necessaries like light clusters and door handles become generic add on afterthoughts.

Do not adjust your set: the wonderful Karma

There are exceptions. The Fisker Karma is an impossibly gorgeous hybrid saloon; the picture to the right is not a rendering or concept, it's the stunning production model. And while nothing original, the Tesla Roadster uses its Lotus base to good effect and looks like a proper sports car. But these cars retail at over £100,000, so they should look special.

The only affordable electric car which manages to look contemporary, conventional, and fresh all at once is the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. It has a silly name, typically featureless flanks and tiny wheels, but it successfully combines a (dare I say it) futuristic theme with sensible normal car looks. In that respect, it is, as far as I'm concerned, in a class of one.

iMiEV: Wrong name, right looks.

Proof then, it can be done. Come on, car makers, if you want us all in save the world chariots with your badge on the boot, start making them look like proper automobiles with a touch of flair. That's the way to spark desirability.

Don't forget, cars of the future have failed in the past too...

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