Is style and appearance copyrighted ?

When I first saw the Amanti, I mistook it for a Mercedes, but one that had gone terribly awry (as if BMW's Chris Bangle had helped them out ;-). Most notably, the Amanti's grill is hideous. I think Kia is trying to look *similar* to Mercedes, but MB drivers can breath easy.

-Steve Makohin | Reply to snipped-for-privacy@interlog.com | (hotmail acct is spam catcher)

: The Japanese sense of aesthetics I referred to earlier is a : cultural characteristic, not a genetic one. I wonder if you'd : be equally quick to describe a car designed by an American : native of European ancestry as "German-designed," "Italian- : designed," or whatever.

Er, I don't follow you. What about it?

(I remember reading in C/D that it has French-made seats, and that's the only thing vaguely European about it that I know of.)

Geoff

Saw one at the dealership I purposely went down there to see it. I think more Benz customers go in to look at it than anyone else.

That was a bad move by the Korean's Toyota pulled it off back in the days but it was the interior copy of the Accord. Whoolie. not the whole front of a signature image.

I hope they don't loose to much money.

I believe that Toyota's Mega Cruiser was never imported into the USA because AM General threatened a suit for copying the Hummer's appearance.

As to the issue of computer software and cars, if someone built a car that crashed a couple of times a day, I'm sure Microsoft would sue.

Kia is owned by Hyundai, which explains sharing of Sonata parts. Hyundai has also had ties ti Mitsubishi for years, Mitsubishi is controlled by Daimler-Chrysler, if I remeber right this gives mercedes something like a 10% ownership of Hyundai. TTFN, Bob