You know this really grinds my gears. The insight had the teardrop shape first, in 1999, while Prius did not get that shape until four years later. (And of course the CR-X had the shape loooong ago in the 1980s.) Also mis-shifting in my Civic Hybrid..... that really grinds my gears too.
If you don't mind me asking what is the point of posting this here and on insight central? I have nothing against you but you have started discussions about this before irc and now you are again and doing it on multiple forums. Just curious?
The shape of all of the above, and many other cars before the hybrid era, derive from pre-WWII German design: Kammback
Starting new random threads to stir discussion about Insight and Diesel is a pattern we noticed a looooong time ago.
I didn't see it here for a very long, until you dredged it up. You should have posted your complaint where you saw the claim, not here.
I've got other things to worry about. And yes, Toyota doesn't own the patent on the aerodynamic wedge shape. Neither does Honda. It's nearly 2014...I don't think many people care who was first with whatever. Yeah, I'd give credit to Honda for using the shape "first" with their Insight. But Toyota used it "best" from a commercial selling standpoint. Toyota with Gen 2 Prius turned that shape into an Icon....they made it into a Monopoly playing piece. But really? From a global problems standpoint? I don't care about this. Seems to me, the "shape" is pretty much a wind tunnel design. Aerodynamics really aren't the exclusive property of either Honda or Toyota. If the same shape was an aerodynamic anchor? Then neither Prius nor Insight would be adopting it. Let it go man...let it go....
I just get tired of hearing "Insight G2 copied the Prius". Truth is the Prius shape is a clone of Honda's CRX from circa 1990 (but people act as if Prius invented the shape & every other car is copying):
It will continue to bug you for years to come. Prius has equally frustrating misinformation from long ago. Choose your battles. Why are you constantly fighting this particular issue? It has no relevance to what happens now anyway. It is a moot point.
The truth is...nothing succeeds like success. Both of the cars that you mentioned (G1 Insight and the CRX) have been edited out of Honda's DNA, else they would still be in production. I personally liked the first CRXs a lot....in the 80's. The G1 Insight? Looks like ugly sex between a Civic and a bobsled....but I guess they HAD their followers too. The CRX is a usta-car. They may "reinvent" it like the Dodge Dart for old farts that want to relive their youth, but unlike a Corolla, a Civic, an Accord or other more successful vehicles? The X just didn't make it. Neither did the bobsled. It's like the manual transmission. Old school. I don't like it either, but you either evolve (like the Insight is trying to do, with mixed results) or you wind up on the extinct species list. You can either get over it or go and outbid some 18year old kid for a ragged out CRX or aging hippie on a G1 Insight. Then? Your gears will be ground down for another reason.
Cut him a little slack, guys. He does have a point. If the GenII Honda Insight had truly copied the Gen II Prius, it would have even remotely approached the same fuel efficiency. So I think we're safe in saying that they are not even on the same playing field.
theres a thread right now that says "Accord hybrid clones Toyota prius". The CRX shape was revived by Honda for the 1999 insight, again for the Clarity fuel cell car (circa 2002 to present) and again/again for the insight 2 and CRZ. Honda did not copy Toyota..... Honda copied itself (their previous design). Oh and I agree that insight 1 was ugly..... but I get over it when I see the 89.8 mpg on my dash. Even on my second insight, which I drive fast, I still get 60mpg at 80 miles/hour. It saves me money.
