Photo Credit: exfordy/Flickr (Countach), Marcin Zieliński/Wikipedia (Ikarus). Pattern Recognition: Máté Petrány

This wasn't the design direction Honda was looking for with the Honda FC Sport concept. Move along.

Difference #1: Instead of going with the stylized T, as on the Prius, the new Insight has a very defined H above the grille. This is a difference of 11 letter positions in the alphabet and a sign that Honda is the true Maverick in this race.

Difference #2: The Toyota Prius is very noticeable from the rear because of its squarer clear taillights housing red LED lights. The engineers from Honda have focused on a more angular look for their clear taillights with red LED lights.

Difference #3: Honda stepped out with some fairly trick split five-spoke wheels that look much hotter than the boring seven-spoke Prius design. We're not sure if these will make it from concept to reality.

Difference #4: The Prius has been faulted for its bland nose and utilitarian look, which Honda has countered with a more Honda CRZ-inspired front; it's more dramatic, modern and captivating in its vanilla quasi-Dave look. The design makes the new Insight look like a more expensive car than the Prius.

Difference #5: Toyota engineers love boxes and Honda deviated wildly from this path by introducing a round fuel access cover. That's change you can not only believe in, but it's change that signals the outside-the-box thinking you've come to expect from Honda.

Difference #6: As opposed to headlights that wrap upwards from a sharply curving grille, the Insight's lights curve outward from a sharply curving grille. It's so different — like apples and pears.

Difference #7: One of the features that differentiates the Prius from other cars on the road, visually, is that little window behind the A-pillar and ahead of the mirrors. The low belt-line of both of these cars necessitates such a move but Honda hides it, using a cheater panel aft of the mirror and a supporting strip behind the mirror. It's a smart design change that'll really help separate it from the crowd.

So there you have it — two totally different vehicles. No matter what your eyes tell you.

We'd have to say we're frankly quite surprised none of us on our own noticed the obvious stylistic reference points taken from the Empire's evil foot soldiers. But please, don't take our word for it — feel free to check the photo gallery below for further reference — then talk amongst yourselves. – Ray Wert

Monday January 8, 2007 [The View Through The Windshield]

Related:
Detroit Auto Show: A Suitable Sports Car? Toyota FT-HS Concept [internal]

The supra geniuses over at Sili Valley's Tesla motors have been unquick to admit their hot new EV is really a Lotus Elise in drag — or reduced drag, as the case may be. It's not that we're deriding their choice of underpinnings for the electric supercar; the Elise is perfect: light, well balanced and built by a company that's not adverse to doing for others if the price is right. But c'mon, judge from the images above. The Tesla — at least in prototype form — is so Elise on the inside it hurts, from the dash binnacle to the air vents to the steering wheel — right down to the parking brake handle. Sure, the cars have their differences — allowances made for the differing drivetrains and the like, but they're undeniably dopplegangeresque. Oh wait, the Tesla comes with floormats!? – Mike Spinelli

Tesla Roadster [Wired]

Related:
More on the Tesla [internal]