How come previous generations had cooler cars? Cars are no longer cool thread got me thinking (2013, auto)
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Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duster1979
Next time you hear some old dude talking about how much cooler cars used to be, ask him how much he misses pumping the accelerator pedal and hoping that the choke would set correctly when it's -10 outside.
I never had to do that because it never got that cold anywhere I have lived, but I remember the choke days fondly. Some of my cars even had a manual choke, pulled a knob on the dash, pushed it back in after warming up (1973 Ford Courier Pickup for example).
For the years 1966-72 many cars were cool, and were very affordable. I remember test driving a 1967 Chevelle, with 327 V8, 4 speed, and bucket seats in 1972 with only 40,000 miles on it for $800. I test drove one almost just like it in 2016 that was for sale at $26,000. My teacher in 4th grade bought a brand new 1964 Corvette, which seems extravagant for a teacher, but it was only $4,252. A new Corvette today is over $60k. My brother rented a 1970 Dodge Challenger for the junior prom at his high school, today you can't rent a car if under 21.
For the years 1966-72 many cars were cool, and were very affordable. I remember test driving a 1967 Chevelle, with 327 V8, 4 speed, and bucket seats in 1972 with only 40,000 miles on it for $800.
For every "cool" Chevelle 2 door with a big 4bbl V8 there were a dozen "uncool" Chevelle Malibu 4 doors with the I6 or 2bbl V8... People tend to forget all the boring, staid, blandmobiles that were out there at the same time.
For every "cool" Chevelle 2 door with a big 4bbl V8 there were a dozen "uncool" Chevelle Malibu 4 doors with the I6 or 2bbl V8... People tend to forget all the boring, staid, blandmobiles that were out there at the same time.
True.....BUT....consider that "back then", you had more a'la'carte, individual options on the sheet, rather than the "option groups" that prevail today. Therefore the same basic car could be outfitted either as a "boulevard terror" or "grocery getter", depending on what boxes you checked off. I remember, as an example, that a local Chevy dealer, back in '69, special ordered a fullsized station wagon for a customer. Typical "family hauler", you think?? This Kingswood was equipped with a 427/425 engine, a 4 speed Muncie "rock crusher" transmission, and a 3.73:1 ratio, 12 bolt rear axle, sitting on G-70-15 redline tires. Think you could spec one of those out today?
For every "cool" Chevelle 2 door with a big 4bbl V8 there were a dozen "uncool" Chevelle Malibu 4 doors with the I6 or 2bbl V8... People tend to forget all the boring, staid, blandmobiles that were out there at the same time.
That still looks better than a ton of what's out there.
So why aren't there cool cars?
Like others said, regulations first and foremost, especially global platforms that have to comply with the Euro pedestrian crash regulations.
New generations are more enamored with technology than design so that's where mfrs spend their money. Sorry but Tesla builds ugly (except for one) plastic looking vehicles. Kids at my daughter's HS are more interested in a lifestyle (they love Jeeps) or an image of saving the planet (how a teenager can want a Prius blows my mind) or status (dad bought me a BMW)
Marketing and executives are trying to appeal to a wider audience. Look at Cadillac, they're simply marketing to women at this point, so of course the designs are going to start reflecting this. I'm not saying women don't appreciate design but a marketing department's interpretation of what they want tends to water down elements. (Kudos to GMC for actually understanding a woman may actually think a pick up is cool. And a huge shout out to Ford as the designer of the Bronco is a woman.)
Speaking of pick ups, this is where the cool factor is being used. Right now guys like trucks, they're the masculine statement, the statement of independence, toughness and honestly luxury right now. Ford, Ram, and GM are spending all their time in this segment.
Profits. With all the tech going into these things companies are less likely to take chances, or to majorly reinvent a model due to cost. Remember, back in the 60's and 70's the big 3 had about 80% of the market share, today it's about 20% so they could be creative and take more chances.
I think a recent story about BMW says it all. In every car guy's opinion BMW has lost the plot, model after model is uglier than the last. A ton of people on social media pointed out how bad one of the new vehicles looked and BMW's response was "OK Boomer". Yep some 26 year old decided to alienate a big section of their market by telling them they were old and out of touch.
Subjective opinion, but that car only looked good on the showroom floor. After a couple years of use, it was just another 4 door grampa's hoopty.
Most cars were just boring. We only think they aren't now due to rose colored glasses...
Sure there were the basic family cars the station wagons that were not sports cars and muscle-cars. Still I have seen young people still soup the old standards up and to them ... hio and cool today. Loud engines jacked up wheels. Not much different then when decades ago previous generations did their souped up Hot Rods and Coupes.
Nostalgia for even 60s 80s 90s Rock forms of music and old cars are seen as Cool and Hip today. Once it is seen we lost something we had? There is always new generations that still want a piece despite still what today provides.
Coolest cars are the priciest that most of us will never own. Concept cars that some never get built en masse. Time will tell if the SUV's of today are seen as Cool and Hip in the future? Maybe some Sadan's made far less more and more might?
We have all them TV shows of restoring old cars and trucks from a shell to Cool and Hip. This is done not because we need to maintain old cars as if not building enough new ones. It is done for Nostalgia and love many have of the Old designs that even were just common.
Some will never be one of them. Like a old AMC Pacer LOL Some did rust to nothing in no time not under-coated etc and some were labeled lemons anyway like the Pacer and early US makers trying small cars to go up against the Japanese makes with a lot being more crappy then not.
They still have classic car drives though my small city a few times a year. People come out to see old sedans to muscle-cars brought back to life and souped up making them Cool and Hip to many of all ages lining the street to see them. Small city America still reveres them apparently.
I never saw a sedan that I thought was cool. Convertibles, roadsters and a few wagons, yes.
I have, but they were German and Italian sport sedans starting in the '60s and '70s. Those were the cars that made sedans cool to own. The '80s brought them to their peak, with the AMG Hammer and the original M5.
These were ultimate driver's cars with incredible performance. And very, very cool.
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