Your Comments on the New Ram: The Latest Vehicle Styling Trend, the "Extended Hexagon"

[TDRComm]

Hexagon – A six-sided figure with the sides being equal in distance.

Extended Hexagon – Term used by the TDR editor to describe the shape of the grille used by far too many automotive stylists these days.

While I’d like to pretend that I am qualified to talk about automotive styling…

Alright let’s get this straight, you’re reading the opinion of a pretender. Care to continue?

First, here is a picture of the Ram’s new-for-2018 extended hexagon grille.

2018 Ram
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Where did this shape originate? If you walk by the Audi booth you would swear that they were the first EHers. However, a look back several years ago shows only four sides to their grille that sloped inward like a V. Somewhere along the way they added the two extra sides.

2006 Audi R8


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2018 Audi R8
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Hyundai/Kia: Seems all of their designs have the EH look.

2018 Hyundai Veloster N



Custom Veloster, but still keeps the grille shape.


Wait, the current design chief at Hyundai/Kia is a former Audi designer. I get the current connection to Audi. Remember, Hyundai/Kia are the originators of fugly. Remember this?
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Kia Amanti
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Ford: We may be getting a little warmer here. Recall that Ford owned Aston Martin from years 1991 to 2007. Take a look at this rounded grille from a 1957 Aston Martin DB Mark III. Staying true to the six-sided shape, look at the 2005-2017 Aston Martin Vantage that was designed when Aston Martin was under Ford ownership.

Aston Martin DB3


Aston Martin Vantage

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I have a friend that is a fan of British sports cars and specifically, Aston Martin. It is still my pleasure to poke fun at him every time I see a Ford Fusion or Fiesta (or others) with the EH grille design.

Ford Fusion
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Oops, now the new Ram 1500.

2019 Ram 1500
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Oops, the new Ford Ranger:

2019 Ford Ranger
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Oops, that’s the new Fiat 124:

FIAT 124
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Here we go, Toyota:

Toyota Tacoma



Toyota Sequoia

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Need more? Genesis:

Genesis G80

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The all too familiar Audi grille:

Audi A3

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Even Mercedes:

Mercedes Benz EQ


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Finally Chevrolet, with a double stack of EH grilles.

Chevy Malibu


Chevy Trax
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(Wait, I forgot about Subaru):

Subaru Forester


Subaru Legacy

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Now, do you understand my disappointment in Ram’s exterior design. Me too, perhaps? How hard would it have been to stay true to the rounded, crosshair design?

Guess I’m a bit too traditional. The young crowd calls it stodgy.