Team-BHP - Guide: Distinguish Cars More Effectively!

Exclusive Guide: Distinguish Cars more effectively

You're taking a walk around minding your own business. You hear a distant sweet deep-humming sound of a V8 gradually filling up the sky. You look around only to find a Mercedes SL whiz past you. You know its the SL, and not a modified C Class, and you don't have to look at the rear badging either to reassure yourself. Its just something in-built in you. To spot a car you've seen before somewhere - maybe in a car show, on the internet, or in magazines - at sometime in your life and identify them by a name - it comes like a stock equipment in you. Well if you cannot, then just knock something on your head.

The same thing happens when you see an E Class and S Class. You know the difference because they are completely different models. However, most often we cannot tell the difference between different variants of the same model. But mind you, if you paid more attention, you can - really.

"Fakes, common all over the world, can seriously decieve a person". For example, I have a lot of friends who love cars. And they know the names of many auto manufacturers and their cars. They tell me about the cars they see on the road like - "Hey, I seen the new S Class today" OR "The BMW 7 Series just whizzed past me". Thats all great. But they, like us, want MORE details. They, like us again, are concerned about what lies under that hood, or what variant of the car was spotted, etc.

There is another serious problem. Fakes, common all over the world, can seriously decieve a person. I once seen a BMW 3 Series badged as a M3 and almost believed it as one. But later realized it didn't have the traditional side grille of the M3. The concept seems to be "If you cannot have it, fake it". Dealers use this technique to sell the cars to people who have limited knowledge about cars. And how?! The "2R Concept". Rebadge or Redesign. Some cars are actually rebadged - for example, a BMW 3 Series rebadged into a M3. While some are redesigned - Toyota Land Cruiser converted into Lexus LX470 to decieve potential buyers.

Also. Some lower variant cars, are loaded with optional accessories. Yeah, they look good and all. But sometimes, they are rebadged after adding the optional extras. This can also hinder your judgement.

However, it may become difficult for us too, to know what variant of a car we see, whether it went under the "2R Concept" or not. This is a small guide on the minor exterior differences you can spot to recognize a variant or at least come close to it.

Thread Locked. PM your ideas/pictures to Gordon.

We start with the Porsche Cayenne. Recently, this car is the most spotted and is causing a lot of confusion about whether Turbo or not.

This is also an example of how you can post your ideas.

The Cayenne V6 has multi-reflector halogen lights whereas the Turbo as Xenon lights.

The Cayenne V6/S have a single center grille and 2-piece air-dams whereas the Cayenne Turbo has a 2-piece center grille and a sigle airdam on either side (just the opposite).

V6 and S have a flat bonnet whereas Turbo has bonnet scoops.

V6 / S have twin exhausts | Turbo has quad exhausts.

Thanks to V12

Just like AMG and non-AMG Mercedes', BMW's M Series also have a lot in common.
Lets look at the 5 Series and M5. The M5 is a specially designed 5 Series with exceptional performance and F1 technology.

Front bumper is different.

Side mirrors are different. M5 has a small grille with ///M5 badge.

Like most M cars, this M5 has huge wheels. These wheels are standard on M5's. The M also has cross drilled disc brakes.

Rear bumper is different with a scoop in the M5. Stock 5 Series has twin exhausts, while M5 has quad exhausts.

Thanks Maverick5490 for M5 pics.

A four-door 3 Series is out of the question, because all M3's are two-door. So what we are talking about are the 2-door 3 Series compared to the mighty M3.

Multi-reflector on 3 Series. Xenon's on M3.

M3 alloys set them apart. Wide M3 wheel arches extend almost till the bonnet.

Bumpers are different.

3 Series has twin exhausts. M3 has quad exhausts.

Side grille behind front wheel arch not present on normal 3 Series. Only M3's have them.
Also notice that the side indicator light is on the side strip for the M3, while its above the side strip in the normal 3 Series.

Most of you may already be bored looking at the title. But this is the most interesting part. All over the world, you could easily make out the two. Out here in Mumbai, there is nothing such as a Land Cruiser or LX470. This is one city, where there is absolutely no difference. And this is again one city, where you'll find a range of "Mix-N-Match" Toyota's and Lexus'.

This is rebadging and redesigning gone absolutely MAD!!!!

There are very very very limited chances of identifying a LX470 from a Land Cruiser. The easiest method is - "All Toyota Land Cruisers are Toyota's, but not all Lexus LX470's are Lexus". Most Lexus' are in fact Toyota's rebadged and redesigned.

A Lexus LX470 is a more luxurious version of a Toyota Land Cruiser. It has a 4.7 Litre V8 petrol engine. Toyota Land Cruiser's are diesel SUV's, with the exception of the Amazon and Cygnus versions.

Lets look at the BASIC exterior differences between the two. You can't rely on them because most of them are redesigned completely.

Quite frankly, I've been banging my head on just about everything to find differences between these two to help you identify them.

Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470

Lights are different.

Tail-lights are different too.

Number plate area has a chrome border.

Wheel-design is different. Also, Lexus' come with 18" alloys

Also Lexus has a wood-finish interior, and also a wood finish steering wheel. Another almost very reliable method is to check what steering the SUV has. Whether there is a "T" or a "L" on the steering. This will tell you what SUV it originally is.