Retainer arrangement for panels

A retainer arrangement is disclosed for securing two or more panels with highly dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion to an underlying support structure. In automotive applications, for example, the retainer allows the use of body panels of a material such as flexible plastic having a differing coefficient of thermal expansion than the support structure, typically constructed of steel, without inducing distortion, i.e., rippling or buckling of the body panel, as the assemblage is subjected to widely varying temperatures. The retainer comprises a strip mounted to the support structure and is configured to hold an edge of the overlay body panel to perform the retention function, allowing relative linear movement between the retainer and the overlay body panel.