The cultures and philosophies that govern Europe and Japan are so far removed from one another it is impossible not to see the distinct differences even if you throw in the uniting forces of the iPad mono-culture. So how in the hell did the design styling of the all new Skoda Superb end up looking like a Lexus LS? Not only do the LS and Superb look similar from the side profile but the similarities in design are most prominent from the rear-quarter angle. The Europeans used to say, under their collective breaths, that far eastern countries were inclined to ‘borrow’ the best of Europe. It now seems there has been a reversal in fortunes. Or design trends. However the similarities between the exterior designs are not necessarily shared with the underlying technology or cost. The entry level Superb will cost you £18k with a 1.4-liter TSi engine to boot. The Lexus LS? entry level costs at least £71k and rises too over £100k for the V8 hybrid versions. The top spec Superb will set you back £33k. We have called out our European cousins for having a superiority complex when it comes to specifically choosing whether to go for a Mercedes S Class or the Lexus LS. In Europe most people able to afford one over the other will always opt for the S Class. Now that choice has widened because when we first set eyes on the new Skoda Superb we said “Lexus, all the way”. So why does the European superiority complex sniff at Japanese luxury saloons and say “HELLO!” to anything Mercedes, BMW, Audi and inadvertently now Skoda. We don’t know what the underlying issues are, well actually we do but our lawyers instructed us not to use a certain word to describe what for us is quite clearly ‘favoritism’ or as Bob Geldof would say “automotive f..king discrimination”. We would like to point out that Bob, as he is known to his elite and wealthy, out-of-touch friends, has never said what we just relayed. However design similarities between the Superb and LS are a bit too close for our liking, it could all be just coincidence. Yes the Superb is sharper looking but for all intents and purposes so could the replacement for the next current generation Lexus LS. So what is going on? Errmmm…we don’t really know but we are sure that the designers and stylists over at Lexus will be scratching their patent pending heads. Hai! (はい!)