That is a 50-year old question that has scratched the heads of those of us who lament and laugh of these cars. In particular, how do we map the advent of a new class of American car to today’s automobiles?
The year 1977 was a watershed moment in the automotive industry. The OPEC Oil Crisis was already over. However, the lessons learned from the crisis began to trickle down into the products North American automakers rolled out.
The turn of the 1970s was a time of transition. It was clear that Richard Nixon wasn't going anywhere. His administration oversaw the first landing on the moon by human beings, but the escalating war in Vietnam dogged his leadership. In 1968, many thought Nixon was the peace candidate for President. He would end up sending more USA troops into Southeast Asia.
It is with historical context, however. It was ten years removed from a war that should have ended all wars. Unfortunately, a spat between Korean partisans turned into an international affair splitting the peninsula in half. The same trouble was brewing in Vietnam, a soon-to-be former French colony. Even those within the Soviet Bloc weren’t buying into the new world order as envisioned by Karl Marx. Hungary was a year away from challenging Moscow on whether it should be their superpower or not.
Supercars are an interesting thing to discuss here. I bore witness to the not-so-rare Lamborghini on the streets of the San Fernando Valley, Beverly Hills and everywhere else in the Los Angeles basin. Hot Wheels and Matchbox sold plenty of Miuras to the fascination of many car-loving children. Heads snap upon sight of a Silhouette, Jarama, or an Urraco. The rarity of early Lamborghinis adds the mystique of the cars that wear the badge sporting the iconic bull.
There was a time when the future of the automobile was exhibited to the public as a "concept." A concept vehicle was truly a vision of the future for which a few components would be present in new models within a few years later. Others were just straight out of science fiction with none of the concept's ideas brought to market at all.
I know that you cringe over hybrid gas-electric driven automobiles. It is easy to blame Toyota and the popular acceptance of the Prius during its second generation. That particular vehicle was the darling of Hollywood at the time. How many of your favorite celebrities owned a second-generation Prius?
Here we go again! Round 3 of this year’s roundup of vehicles that I worked with but appear elsewhere in the mediasphere. Sometimes, it is hard to track which vehicles were published where. However, CarSoup.com has been getting the lion’s share of my work lately. It is with intention, as they try to build traffic for vehicle reviews before site visitors select which vehicles they should choose from. It works that simply. But, hey, at least V&R gets some traffic on here for our (er, my) reviews. You’ve read them, right?
In the past few days, the late Lee Iacocca was named a "visionary" and one of the "last automotive tycoons." All of these were apt to describe a man who drove change in the automotive industry while savings entire companies and brands. His legacy is still felt today.
TweetHave you ever looked at a vehicle out on the road – or in a parking lot – and wondered "why would anyone own such a thing?" Sounds judgmental, right? It is…or, not. The big thing about the vehicles we drive is that we choose it for a reason. Maybe it's the interior space. Maybe, …