The Nail In The Coffin For American Cars

18. August 2008 by Michael.

I love cars. I love modes of transportation in general. Planes, trains, automobiles; you name it. For me, it is not merely a means of getting from point A to point B. It is a journey to be experienced. Driving is an experience for me. I enjoy it.

It is this connection that draws me to cars. I love every nuance about them. I get excited about them. It doesn’t even have to be a new car. It can be a car new to me. I get excited getting into someone else’s car if it is one I have never been in before. I feel a rush of excitement as I explore every detail of the cabin and study every line of the body.

Recently as I watched the Olympics, I saw a car commercial for something new. As this new car graces my screen I had to pause and rewind the DVR to view the full commercial. Low and behold, it was the Hyundai Genesis. This is significant for 2 reasons:

1) I have dealt out a lot of shit to others (sorry Chris) for owning a Hyundai. Frankly I have dealt it out to others for even defending the desire to own a Hyundai.

2) Hyundai has done something that neither Ford nor Chevrolet could do: they inspired me to take a second look

I’m going to focus on the 2nd point here because I do not see myself becoming a Hyundai owner anytime soon. Now, we do not yet know if this car is a legitimate car or a pile of rubbish. It really doesn’t matter. Hyundai has produced a car that I would like to see in person. I want to touch it. I want to smell it. I want to drive it. There is not a single car in the Ford or GM stable that allows me to make the same statement. Believe me. I looked. I wanted to find one. I’m going to exclude the 2009 Chevy Camaro and the 2010 Chevy Volt from this exercise because they are not currently on the market. The Corvette is by far the best value for your dollar sports car in the world. That being said, the rear end wobbles in the wind due to no structural support and the interior is made of Tupperware. I am not paying $60k+ for that. The Mazda RX8 was inspiring when it debuted, but it is the sort of car you want to rent for a weekend. It isn’t a car you want to really own.

Where is the magic? Where is the inspiration? How can Ford and GM designers sleep at night knowing that their companies are falling into a endless pit of despair while they turn out the same old uninspiring garbage while Hyundai can produce something like the Genesis? What is worse is that it will probably be cheaper, have a better warranty, and be more fuel efficient than anything in either the Ford or GM fleet.

American cars have lost their sense of value. They have no passion. They don’t put a smile on your face every time you strap yourself in behind the wheel. We have to reclaim that.

Here is my plan:

1) Hire a German for engineering. Their stuff actually works.

2) Hire an Italian for upholstery and design work. Italians know style.

3) Pay Steve Jobs whatever he wants to design the entire cabin and all user interfaces. If Steve knows anything, it is how to make technology look sexy.  (see iPhone)

If you can’t beat ‘em, steal their stuff and claim it as your own.

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