ALTHOUGH THE LEAFS STYLING
ALTHOUGH THE LEAFS STYLING WILL CERTAINLY NOT WIN ANY AWARDS, IT CAN BE SAID THAT IT IS FORM FOLLOWING FUNCTION AT ITS BEST; THAT CAN HARDLY BE CONSIDERED UGLY SO LETS APPLY A DIFFERENT ADJECTIVE. ITALIANS CAN BE CREDITED WITH CREATING THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AUTOMOBILE DESIGNS THAT ARE EVERYTHING BUT PRACTICAL FOR THE MASSES. THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE FIAT 500 WHICH, TO ME, HAS THE LOOK OF A CARTOON CAR - LIKE THE SMART FOR2. ANY CAR DESIGN IS ESSENTIALLY AN ART FORM EXPOSED TO SUBJECTIVITY. THUS "BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE" ETC., ETC. OBJECTIVELY, MOST CARS ARE UGLY WITH A RARE FEW THAT WILL PLEASE THE EYE AS THE YEARS PASS (I'M THINKING JAGUAR XJ-E).
I'VE HAD AN INTEREST IN EVs FOR SOME TIME AND RECENTLY TEST DROVE A LEAF. THE DRIVE WAS A JOY - IT TOOK THE REST OF THE DAY TO GET RID OF THE SMILE ON MY FACE. THE PERFORMANCE, HANDLING AND "AHEAD OF THE CURVE" TECHNOLOGY OF THE LEAF IS NOTABLE AND A LEAP INTO THE FUTURE. IT'S NOT JUST ANOTHER (INSERT ADJECTIVE) FACE BUT A BEAUTIFUL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.