Modern Cars Essay, Research Paper

We ask ourselves every time we see heavy traffic, is there no variance

anymore amongst car models? In the old days, as a matter of fact only

five ore ten years ago every single car brand seemed to have it’s own

personality, today they look more like a cluster of copycats. What went

wrong?

One reason is that the automotive industry has certain trends it has to

follow, just like fashion designers and musical composers. In times of

recession and decreasing sales there is less room to take chances and

manufacturers are prone to follow the common pattern as a safer bet

rather than releasing a controversial product that might or might not

sell very well. This makes for different models to conform considerably

under the rules and regulations for the design of a car of this decade.

Another reason is that many manufacturers actually cooperate and by

contracts copy each others models. The Mitsubishi 3000 GT for example is

practically the same car as the Dodge Stealth, only the Mitsubishi is

made in Japan at the original factory and the Stealth is made in the US

at the Dodge factory. Apart from the two emblems respectively, very few

details differ the two cars. Honda who have been in need of a sport

utility vehicle in order to grab their share of that part of the market,

which has grown considerably the last decade have taken almost desperate

measures. They have simply bought the rights to re-badge the Isuzu Rodeo

as the Honda Passport and marketed it as an all new model.

The last and maybe the most logical reason is that all manufacturers

are striving towards ‘the perfect car’. All cars are supposed to offer a

maximum of performance, passenger room and cargo space, and a minimum of

fuel consumption and cost to manufacture and maintain. There are only so

many ways to technically achieve these goals. Cars tend to get more

rounded edges in order to be more aerodynamic. The trunk lid is high in

order to offer greater cargo space without imposing on the passengers.

The design of the trunk lid is also approaching the ‘optimal’ shape for

easy loading and access. Windows are large and pillars are thin for

better view. The lights, both back and front, are homing in on the

design for maximum visibility. The wheel base is decided on basis of

good turning ability both in the case of parking and at high speeds.

Everyone is simply trying to design ‘the perfect car’ so it is natural

that they are all headed in the same scientific direction.

Considering the facts that all car manufacturers seem to have the same

aims with their models, that they cooperate and use same parts, series

of parts and even the same models under different names it seems quite

natural that modern cars tend to look more and more alike.