Wednesday, July 26, 2006
And on the automotive front
For the first time EVER, import brands have outsold the Big 3 domestically. Why is that significant? It signals a serious change in the collective mindset of America. As long as I have been alive, the Detroit brands have been making predominantly uninspired cars, suffering quality control issues, lacking innovation and more often than not, coming up way short in the car lust factor. Aside from the Corvette and a few aftermarket/speciality Mustangs and Camaros, there haven't been any domestics I would be tempted to test drive in years, forget about desiring or yearning to own. Apparently, I haven't been the only one.
Twenty-nine years on and things have gotten nothing but worse. The only domestics I have any interest in owning live well above the $50k ceiling, have two seats and are only good for going fast or looking good. I'd love to drive a Corvette Z06, Detroit's only REAL super car, but would joy ride a Dodge Viper, if the opportunity presented itself. Of course, I'd have to be careful getting in and out, as people have reportedly been burned by its tranny tunnel and door sills...you can only ask so much for $70k.
But those two beasts are ultimately irrelevant, as neither of them can keep the domestic ship afloat on their own. They may turn heads, but they are not putting asses into seats, which is what car manufacturing is all about. With lineups like Impala, Fusion, Stratus, etc, it's really no surprise that the import cars are now overtaking their US competition. Camry, Accord, Altima, these are all good cars that sell in huge volumes. They're reliable, practical and affordable, in short they are everything GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler's mid-market cars should be, but aren't. And the Asian/import market continues to pump out increasingly better cars, while the domestic brands tread water, at best.
It's a shame, but you won't find me shedding a tear. This is capitalism, this is what America is all about. Bring a superior product to market on time, en masse and on budget and you're bound to win the war. Right now, the Japanese are winning battle after battle, it's only a matter of time before they win the larger conflict, barring some drastic change of direction by what's left of the Big 3. Somehow, after all this time, I doubt that is going to happen.
Looking back, it's a tragic thing, because the Big 3 once produced some of the coolest and most desirable cars in the Western Hemisphere. The 50s and 60s Corvettes, the early Camaros, early Cadillacs, the Dodge Hemi cars of the 60s, etc and so forth. I think it's clear to everyone that innovation is out, recycling ideas is in, just check out the coming Dodge Challenger and their constant reminders that this "thing's gotta Hemi" as glaring examples. Old is new in America, while the foreign makes are finding new ways to create "new" over and over again.
I'd love to own and drive a Z06, but Corvette is functionally a brand unto itself. The Big 3 deserve to lose the market share they're shedding and until they wake up to what is going on, things are not going to change.
Check the Autoweek article here for further details.
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What about my Ford Escape? Now that's "cool" and "desirable." After all, I nicknamed it "the beast" so how could it not be badass? Sometimes I get really daring and drive it up to 50 mph.
Yeah, don't worry..."the beast" is cool, or something. And at those speeds, you're liable to shed sheetmetal if you're not careful! :o