A Wednesday rant about offset number plates!

Every Wednesday a member of the DesperateSeller.co.uk will try and document the things that annoy them about cars or just motoring in general. This week the subject is offset number plates.

In all honesty I was finding it difficult to think of anything to rant about for this week’s edition of our Wednesday rant. That was until I had to pick up the kids from school. On the journey home the car in front of me, a Porsche 911, had an offset number plate. The owner had actually decided to off-set his or her number plate at the rear of their car. So, what’s so bad about that you may ask? I don’t know if it’s just me but I’m a stickler for symmetry on a car. If I could place the steering wheel in the middle of my car, like the McLaren F1, then I’d probably do it. I’m just a firm believer that a number plate should be in the middle of a car with the lights each side.

I fully appreciate that some cars need to do this for functional reasons. The Land Rover Discovery being a casing point. Apparently Jaguar Land Rover did this for two reasons. Firstly, it was so owners could still put a spare wheel on the tailgate. Secondly, it was sort of tipping its hat to the Discoveries of the past. I’m sorry but no one places a spare wheel on their tailgate anymore and there comes a point where we need to move on. Playing homage to the past has resulted in the Discovery looking like it’s had the automotive equivalent of a stroke. I absolutely love the look of the Discovery but the rear has to be one of the ugliest around – just my opinion of course.

Then you have the Alfa Romeos. There’s little argument in my mind that Alfa design some of the most beautiful front ends ever created. Just look at the Alfa Romeo 4C it’s absolutely stunning. However, it’s clearly obvious that accommodating a number plate is never in their thinking. So what do they do? They just plonk it on the side like a pot of salad at the edge of your plate!

Thinking about this a little more I think I can excuse the manufactures doing this. What I can’t understand though is why on earth someone would off-set their number plate on purpose! Rant over.