The Renault Megane: Another French Failure

October 19, 2008 · Filed Under Bad Design, Cars, Factory-Direct, New 

So we admit it: the US car industry is not doing so well. But that’s because the whole economy is down, people are spending less, gas recently became very expensive, etc. There are reasons that are out of the manufacturer’s control. Despite all of this, you can’t say that US car-makers have consistently produced hideous-looking cars. Although not all, most cars would pass the “ok, that looks fine” test. But what the heck is it with these European car markers (except for many of the German brands/models, of course). We’ve already seen how the Italians can mess up, how a German car made it on the list, and how the French created something that doesn’t even look like a car. You’d think that those were isolated instances – but no ma’am. Here the French go again with the Renault Megane.

2006 renault megane front1 The Renault Megane: Another French Failure

From the front, the car doesn’t look all awesome and amazing, but it could fly. Typical and plain, but it doesn’t necessarily kill your eyes when looking at it. Sure, why extend the headlights toward the center with some ugly black plastic? Why not just let the metal hood wrap fully around the lamps, which are rather nicely contoured and have that “aggressively slanted” look that people tend to like? Who knows. But it must have something to do with the fact that the rest of the car is incredibly ugly, so they probably couldn’t leave too much of a contrast with a front that would otherwise be just fine.

2006 renault megane side The Renault Megane: Another French Failure

Now will you just look at that ass! Damn! If this were a woman, and you were a back-lovin’ man, then we’d agree that this is one booty-licious ride. We all know that Sir Mix-a-Lot loved big butts and he couldn’t lie, and we can’t deny that when a girl walks in with an itty-bitty waist…

But who knew that the French, with their butter and croissant loving habits, all happy on their wine-and-cheese diets, were so fond of large behinds? Did they decide to target the American hoods with this ride after getting a rough (and clearly butchered) translation of Mix-a-Lot’s famous song? This car look way deformed. That thing in the back is bigger than the hood on some other cars out there. This little Renault is sporting a tumor that’s been overlooked for quite some time – having grown to such proportions that you’re not sure where the front of the car is. If you can’t really tell how unappealing this bump in the back is, here is another perspective:

2006 renault megane bump The Renault Megane: Another French Failure

Who would guess that this is the back of the car, just by looking at that picture? Hardly anyone (although the wiper, window, wheel trim, and bumpers kinda give it away…). It makes the car look blatantly awkward. Like it’s bloated and needs some serious relief – or medical care. What’s the purpose of it anyway? Clearly can’t be aesthetic (although maybe for the French it is). And it can’t serve much of a “space adding” function since you’ve only got some extra clearance horizontally on the bottom of the trunk. We should all be grateful that Renault is not sold in the United States. We would all be worse off.

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Comments

4 Responses to “The Renault Megane: Another French Failure”

  1. Jonathan Bydendyk on October 21st, 2008 9:45 am

    You have not lived until you have experience driving this car. Fugly is a matter of opinion. US car are boring dull and tasteless!!!

  2. FuglyRides on October 21st, 2008 9:55 am

    Thanks for the input. I don’t doubt that this car might handle very well and be great to drive. But why sacrifice looks? Would it drive worse without that bump in the back? Look at the BMW M3. Universally agreed that it grips the road perfectly and is amazing to drive – and yet it also manages to look very appealing.

  3. Lorelai on May 29th, 2009 7:06 am

    oh, i’m sorry renault doesn’t make cars that look like cubes on wheels, or better like a huge lcd box, because that’s how i see the american cars: huge and with no other shape than, you guessed, square. the gas is getting more and more expensive, but you still use huge cars that “eat” a lot of gas and pollute our environment.
    i preffer a smaller car with a big for which i tend to forget the date of filling the tank, than to drive one of your hideous, straight, polluting cars, because you know what? the only big ass in my familly is my car’s and th einterior feels very comfortable for a normal size person. i guess this is why you hate the europena ones, they have too small seats for your huge asses after eating all that fast food.

  4. zzz on June 1st, 2009 2:47 pm

    the americans are the most spupid people in the world. everybody knows

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