Mammal-mobiles or "When dinosaurs no longer rule the earth"

[Buzz]

Following recent catastrophic changes in the global economic climate, the US auto industry as we know it appears doomed to go the way of the diplodocus. But disheartening as this may seem, the optimist in me sees the dawning of an exciting new era in automotive design. The dinosaurs are dead and while the old rebadged and facelifted beasts will become iron fossils for future automotive historians; the better, smarter, faster and more evolved cars currently hidden in the design studios and gestating in the minds of the designers are gradually going to be seen; few at first, but growing in numbers as a new era is born and the stage is set for a rebirth of innovation and creativity.

Japanese military aggression awoke a sleeping giant in December of 1941, and America showed the world what it was made of. All became well again and the giant grew fat and complacent and went back to slumber. The gradual market assault by the Asian automotive products has been kicking sand into his face for decades now. Overweight, lazy and reflexes slowed from lack of exercise, the giant's reaction was lame and ineffective.

The staggering flash-bang and fallout of this latest economic cataclysm, however, may finally serve to ignite a fire under the arse of the mighty but stagnant industrial juggernaught and the pissed-off giant will shape up, shed a few pounds and come out swinging, backed up by a wealth of untapped ingenuity and the indomitable fighting spirit that America has shown time and again.

Manufacturers, forced to fight for survival in a different climate will shed the old obsolete business models and compete in a broader, tougher and more demanding environment by relying on technology, innovation and performance. No longer will they try to placate and beguile buyers and enthusiasts with illusions like vinyl (fake convertible) roofs, faux wood trim, simulated air scoops, racing stripes and "Euro style" accents draped over ancient, heavy, lumbering platforms and watered-down, half-baked "new" ideas. Natural selection of favourable traits and survival of the fittest will be the order of the day and cars better suited to thrive in the new age will be rolled out for public consumption.

Don't take all of this to mean that the economic and environmental concerns of the day will turn all new cars into tiny, neutered, fur-bearing lil' critters that cocoon their occupants the safety of airbagged wombs and secrete milk from their tailpipes. Hell no! Passion and performance have always and will continue to be major driving forces in automobile design. While the drive to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and clean up emissions practically ensures a proliferation of enviromental-mammal-mobiles, remember that even after the last of the awesome but inefficient thunder lizards expired, the really slick, fast and deadly predators survived and the world remained host to sharks, killer whales, flying raptors and saltwater crocodiles. Because we humans that ultimately drive the market are what we are; fast, beautiful and luxurious cars will remain in demand and for the auto manufacturers to survive, they will continue to build them. They will just have to make them better and more appealing and produce them more efficiently, that's all.

[Ron61]

Darn Buzz, that is a well written piece. You covered everything very well.

Ron

[427 S/O]

Good argument for all to have their dream car (or replica) for sunny, have fun days and, the other sensible go-to-work-pick-up-the-kids-milk-eggs-bread car.

[Buzz]

Thanks Ron.

Perry, I think the dream cars will live on ol' buddy. There are some amazing new technologies out there that will revolutionize the auto industry. Lightweight composite construction techniques/materials and exotic new stuff like carbon nanotubes (that's a little ways away) and other advancements have not begun to be exploited yet. The potential for better, faster, lighter AND cleaner cars has been around for some years now but the initial dollar cost of switching over to a new way of thinking and operating in the industry has always been a deterrent (or maybe an excuse?). Now that the poop has hit the propeller, the cost of NOT revolutionizing the product will become more of a factor.

I also think that once the industry gets the wake up call, it will be clear to them that marketing hype and creative packaging is no longer enough to impress and hold the American consumer. They need to deliver. To recover the market share lost to the European and Asian cars, and to mount a counterattack on their own domestic markets, the US auto manufacturers will need to come out with some real, substantial heavy hitters in all segments of the market - economy, luxury, performance and utility.