Discovery: celebrating the off-centre number plate

To much fanfare and razzmatazz, the 2017 Land Rover Discovery has been unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. Land Rover spent a few quid at the local party discount store, invited a few close friends (having paid them lots of money) and told the world to look at its shiny new Disco, complete with off-centre number plate.

That's right, folks: in a nod to the Discovery's heritage, dating back to 1989, Land Rover has decided to retain the off-centre number plate, despite the fact that the new Disco doesn't feature a spare wheel mounted on a side-hinged tailgate. It's likely to be one of the car's more controversial features, although it does draw attention away from the fact that it's probably the most underwhelming reveal of recent years.

Harsh? Perhaps, but there's a sense that we've seen it all before, not least because it looks like a larger version of the Discovery Sport. And, well, Land Rover has been teasing the new Disco for a little while. But hey, the off-centre number plate is cool, right?

While the big book of motoring history isn't exactly littered with examples of plates mounted to the left or right, there are enough for PetrolBlog to produce a gallery of some of the best (or worst, depending on your point of view). Let's face it, the off-centre number plate is either a quirky dream or an OCD nightmare.

Some plates are mounted off-centre to allow for the fitment of a spare wheel, while others – specifically at the front – could be to aid cooling. In the case of Alfa Romeo, it's simply because they look cool. There's a conspiracy theory that centres (centres – geddit?) on the fact that a number plate is mounted to the left or right, depending on the political leaning of the carmaker's CEO at the time.

Others think that a number plate mounted off-centre is good for an extra 50hp, while some reckon that if you rock up in a car with a plate that isn't centred, a girl will immediately remove her top and go on a date with you.

Whatever, in true PetrolBlog style, let us celebrate the joy of the off-centre number plate – the perfect accompaniment to the single wiper. Another feature to add to the perfect PetrolBlog car? Discuss…

This list is by no means exhaustive – it's early and not enough coffee has been consumed – so if you have an asymmetrical hero of your own, get in touch. Enjoy, but don't have OCD nightmares.

All photos © manufacturers, except Avanzato © PetrolBlog.

[gallery size="medium" link="file" ids="eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9MYW5kLVJvdmVyLURpc2NvdmVyeS1vZmYtY2VudHJlLW51bWJlci1wbGF0ZS5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IjIwMTcgTGFuZCBSb3ZlciBEaXNjb3Zlcnkgb2ZmLWNlbnRyZSBudW1iZXIgcGxhdGUiLCJjYXB0aW9uIjoiIiwiYWx0IjoiMjAxNyBMYW5kIFJvdmVyIERpc2NvdmVyeSBvZmYtY2VudHJlIG51bWJlciBwbGF0ZSIsImRlc2NyaXB0aW9uIjoiIn0=,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9Ub3lvdGEtVGVyY2VsLUFXRC13YWdvbi5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IlRveW90YSBUZXJjZWwgQVdHIHdhZ29uIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IlRveW90YSBUZXJjZWwgQVdHIHdhZ29uIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9BbGZhLVJvbWVvLUdpdWxpYS1RVjEuanBnIiwidGl0bGUiOiJBbGZhIFJvbWVvIEdpdWxpYSBRViBvZmYtY2VudHJlIG51bWJlciBwbGF0ZSIsImNhcHRpb24iOiIiLCJhbHQiOiJBbGZhIFJvbWVvIEdpdWxpYSBRViBvZmYtY2VudHJlIG51bWJlciBwbGF0ZSIsImRlc2NyaXB0aW9uIjoiIn0=,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9TdXp1a2ktRXZlcnktVHVyYm8uanBnIiwidGl0bGUiOiJTdXp1a2kgRXZlcnkgVHVyYm8gb2ZmLWNlbnRyZSBudW1iZXIgcGxhdGUiLCJjYXB0aW9uIjoiIiwiYWx0IjoiU3V6dWtpIEV2ZXJ5IFR1cmJvIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9TdXp1a2ktSHVzdGxlci5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IlN1enVraSBIdXN0bGVyIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IlN1enVraSBIdXN0bGVyIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9BbGZhLVJvbWVvLU1pVG8tUVYuanBnIiwidGl0bGUiOiJBbGZhIFJvbWVvIE1pVG8gUVYgb2ZmLWNlbnRyZSBudW1iZXIgcGxhdGUiLCJjYXB0aW9uIjoiIiwiYWx0IjoiQWxmYSBSb21lbyBNaVRvIFFWIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9NaXRzdWJpc2hpLUxhbmNlci1Fdm8uanBnIiwidGl0bGUiOiJNaXRzdWJpc2hpIExhbmNlciBFdm8gb2ZmLWNlbnRyZSBudW1iZXIgcGxhdGUiLCJjYXB0aW9uIjoiIiwiYWx0IjoiTWl0c3ViaXNoaSBMYW5jZXIgRXZvIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9Ub3lvdGEtRkotQ3J1aXNlci5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IlRveW90YSBGSiBDcnVpc2VyIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IlRveW90YSBGSiBDcnVpc2VyIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9MYW5kLVJvdmVyLURlZmVuZGVyLmpwZyIsInRpdGxlIjoiTGFuZCBSb3ZlciBEZWZlbmRlciBvZmYtY2VudHJlIG51bWJlciBwbGF0ZSIsImNhcHRpb24iOiIiLCJhbHQiOiJMYW5kIFJvdmVyIERlZmVuZGVyIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9EYWloYXRzdS1Db3Blbi5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IkRhaWhhdHN1IENvcGVuIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IkRhaWhhdHN1IENvcGVuIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9BbGZhLVJvbWVvLUdpdWxpZXR0YS1RVi5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IkFsZmEgUm9tZW8gR2l1bGlldHRhIFFWIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IkFsZmEgUm9tZW8gR2l1bGlldHRhIFFWIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9EYWloYXRzdS1DdW9yZS1BdmFuemF0by5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IkRhaWhhdHN1IEN1b3JlIEF2YW56YXRvIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IkRhaWhhdHN1IEN1b3JlIEF2YW56YXRvIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9EYWloYXRzdS1TcG9ydHJhay5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IkRhaWhhdHN1IFNwb3J0cmFrIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IkRhaWhhdHN1IFNwb3J0cmFrIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9TdXp1a2ktV2Fnb24tUi5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IlN1enVraSBXYWdvbiBSIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IlN1enVraSBXYWdvbiBSIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9EYWloYXRzdS1IaWpldC5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IkRhaWhhdHN1IEhpamV0IG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IkRhaWhhdHN1IEhpamV0IG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9BbGZhLVJvbWVvLUJyZXJhLmpwZyIsInRpdGxlIjoiQWxmYSBSb21lbyBCcmVyYSBvZmYtY2VudHJlIG51bWJlciBwbGF0ZSIsImNhcHRpb24iOiIiLCJhbHQiOiJBbGZhIFJvbWVvIEJyZXJhIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9TdXp1a2ktRnJvbnRlLmpwZyIsInRpdGxlIjoiU3V6dWtpIEZyb250ZSBvZmYtY2VudHJlIG51bWJlciBwbGF0ZSIsImNhcHRpb24iOiIiLCJhbHQiOiJTdXp1a2kgRnJvbnRlIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9TdXp1a2ktRXZlcnktV2Fnb24uanBnIiwidGl0bGUiOiJTdXp1a2kgRXZlcnkgV2Fnb24gb2ZmLWNlbnRyZSBudW1iZXIgcGxhdGUiLCJjYXB0aW9uIjoiIiwiYWx0IjoiU3V6dWtpIEV2ZXJ5IFdhZ29uIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9BbGZhLVJvbWVvLTE1OS5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IkFsZmEgUm9tZW8gMTU5IG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IkFsZmEgUm9tZW8gMTU5IG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9MYW5kLVJvdmVyLURpc2NvdmVyeS0yLmpwZyIsInRpdGxlIjoiTGFuZCBSb3ZlciBEaXNjb3Zlcnkgb2ZmLWNlbnRyZSBudW1iZXIgcGxhdGUiLCJjYXB0aW9uIjoiIiwiYWx0IjoiTGFuZCBSb3ZlciBEaXNjb3Zlcnkgb2ZmLWNlbnRyZSBudW1iZXIgcGxhdGUiLCJkZXNjcmlwdGlvbiI6IiJ9,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9BbGZhLVJvbWVvLTE1Ni5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IkFsZmEgUm9tZW8gMTU2IG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IkFsZmEgUm9tZW8gMTU2IG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9Ib25kYS1DUi1WLmpwZyIsInRpdGxlIjoiSG9uZGEgQ1ItViBvZmYtY2VudHJlIG51bWJlciBwbGF0ZSIsImNhcHRpb24iOiIiLCJhbHQiOiJIb25kYSBDUi1WIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9BbGZhLVJvbWVvLTE0Ny5qcGciLCJ0aXRsZSI6IkFsZmEgUm9tZW8gMTQ3IG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiY2FwdGlvbiI6IiIsImFsdCI6IkFsZmEgUm9tZW8gMTQ3IG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ==,eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczpcL1wvcGV0cm9sYmxvZy5jb21cL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMTZcLzA5XC9Ub3lvdGEtVGVyY2VsLTRXRC1lc3RhdGUuanBnIiwidGl0bGUiOiJUb3lvdGEgVGVyY2VsIDRXRCBlc3RhdGUgb2ZmLWNlbnRyZSBudW1iZXIgcGxhdGUiLCJjYXB0aW9uIjoiIiwiYWx0IjoiVG95b3RhIFRlcmNlbCA0V0QgZXN0YXRlIG9mZi1jZW50cmUgbnVtYmVyIHBsYXRlIiwiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiIifQ=="]