Attack Of The “Clones”

Our good doctor laments the increasing homogeneity of automobiles.

JOHOR Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s magnificent blue 34-year-old, original specification Proton Saga puttered its way to the Senai International Airport, resplendent with colour matched wheel hubs.

Through the open passenger side window in full view of the gathered press photographers radiated the unmistakable grin on the Prime Minister’s face.

Of course he was having fun. This veritable automotive icon was his brainchild, and has become the immediately recognisable symbol of his country’s fulminant economic and industrial ambition.

So imagine my disappointment when I turned up at the rental counter at Penang International Airport, booking for a Saga in hand, and was handed the keys to a Nissan Almera.

What exactly is the point of a Nissan in Malaysia? That’s like visiting Sydney and giving the Opera House a miss.

With rentals, though, that is par for the course. The contract does after all state that you get the car you chose “or similar”.

Something similar happened in the Atlanta, when I had booked a Dodge Challenger.

I looked forward to burbling into a drive-thru burger joint, aviators on and with arm dangling casually out the side in my muscle car.