We salute the car manufacturers that still fight to create lifestyle vehicles… and/or vehicles that break away from what’s become the usual monotonous mold. Because today, EFFICIENCY is driving the automotive industry – from design, to production, to final MPGs/range. And it’s reached an obsessive, borderline delusional level. Because while we all want a relatively efficient, earth-friendly vehicle, there’s a broader inconvenient truth that we need to address: Well… two actually.
1) Your/our compassion for the earth has been deceptively exploited & turned into a scare tactic. Sorry. And 2) “Efficiency” is the antithesis of artistic expression. It poisons passion & shackles creativity. And it’s uninspiring. While that’s not true in every case (efficiency & art CAN combine), it’s true enough to be of serious concern for the automotive culture right now. Want proof? Look no further than most modern crossovers and/or sedans, where the only courageous design left… is the shape of its daytime running lights. Efficiency is always a factor, but it’s not ‘the factor’ that adds the most color & awe to our world. So here’s a cold warning…
If the automotive industry can’t find a way to break free from this efficiency chokehold soon…
Modern vehicles are destined for the appliances isle… having lost the deeper allure, fascination, and sense of freedom/expression that drew humans to cars since the beginning. This is critical. We’re now (less than) 1 generation away… from almost no turning back. And I don’t think the automotive industry is ready for what happens when people don’t care anymore. Solutions?
Well… the automotive industry needs backbone again…
We need strong leadership over weak compliance. Stop the nonsense; stop the empty virtue signaling; stop fostering lies about a sustainable future. And stop allowing the spice of automotive culture be paralyzed by political & social pressures. The automotive industry needs to stand up and BE the professionals in this arena. CEOs need to have as much passion for their company… as they do the quarterly profit statements. They need to respect their heritage & fanbase… as much as they kiss-the-ass of their investment firms. A major component to this, is the fact that car companies are being controlled & manipulated by investors who very well may not have the company’s best longterm interests at heart.
The automotive industry needs a reset…
A fresh start if you will. Reintroduce the joy of automotive enthusiasm to the masses… as it once existed. Inspire people to make their vehicle part of their lifestyle again. To once again appreciate the love of the drive, the open road, and the sense of freedom & perspective it brings. Or – prepare to be an appliance, and expect the kind of brand loyalty & enthusiasm that comes with that.
Care about the earth? Sorry, never bought into the hippie claptrap, I basically say run emissions free and not give a f*** about the environment.
From now on, only time I wanna hear about the environment is how it was a crock of s*** we were forced to care about, not pretend we all actually do