The peoples' democratic blog of Matt Hayward

Was reading Auto Blog today and found this. Frankly I was a bit perturbed. The Aussie FG Falcon might not be selling like hot cakes, but it’s a bloody good looking piece of kit. On the other hand, most Buicks I think are ostentatious, US centric and frankly hideous looking. Well this Buick Regal, aside from a front end treatment that looks like it suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome, looks the business. So much so that from the side it pretty much is the FG Falcon G6E! So can someone tell me, which is the chicken and which is the egg!

In these pictures, you can see they have the same:

- burgundyish red color,
- silver lining around the glass house
- vaguely similar wheels
- same door opening ouline/creases

But the real similarities are in the cabin between the A and C pillars. Sure the front end treatment is totally different, but if these two met in the shopping centre, someone’s dad would be very red faced.

It’s not an out and out copy but a few liberties have been taken. Anyways, according to the article the 2010 Royal will only be sold in China. So perhaps imitation is the sincerest form of profit, I mean flattery. Sure Ford Australia can’t export a car, not even if it was made of pure sex. But if they clean up quick they could get a few royalties on this puppy. Hopefully then Ford Oz won’t go broke, Broadmeadows and Geelong won’t fall and the streets won’t be on fire like any given Tuesday in Paris.

Exhibit A - Ford Falcon G6E

Exhibit B - the Buick Regal in China