17th Nov 2012, 08:59
The late 70s and 80s were pretty hopeless as far as any brand new fun sports cars I would want to own. The smog, pollution controls and government restrictions kept me away until 1998 when GM introduced the new Corvette convertible with the LS1.
Cadillac has done a great job. The new Challenger is sharp. The new GT500 at 50k plus at over 600 HP. Any Vette after 98 and up. I wish I could do some more design work on the Camaro, but it's fast too.
Other than the Trans Am mid 70s and the Mustang Fox Bodies, it was pretty sad for quite a while. I kept my 69 SS Camaro x code 4 speed throughout that period. The luxury barges were popular with my parents and great on trips. I drove their Town Cars, looking over the hood that seemed like the deck of an aircraft carrier.
Anybody driving a 59 2 door finned Cadillac would not be driving it in the rain, and with parking concerns. It's a show vehicle. My only concern would be fitting that in my garage.
17th Nov 2012, 13:38
The "stupid gimmicks" in modern cars are purely to win over the younger crowd; they're actually a distraction from the road and a bit dangerous. I advocate that car companies not focus on them as a selling point so much.
Sadly, the market doesn't want anymore V8 sedans that aren't German, and American companies aren't about to put down money and take a gamble on importing an Australian model. They'd rather sell you ugly 3 cylinder Crossovers.
The new Caddys may be V8 RWD sedans, but instead of being about insane fins, a good ride, and distinct styling, they're about running lap times around some big German track. That's great if you're a race car driver, and pointless if you live in the real world.
Older cars aren't necessarily better than modern stuff, but sometimes they're the only alternatives to those who just want a decent ride without the "sporty" gimmicks.
I can only blame this era of pseudo sportiness on silly consumer tastes; people expect their grocery getters and Mommy-Daddy sedans to be "fun" like the Nissan GTRs that they drive in Gran Turismo. It's this attitude and stingy car companies that killed station wagons.
Like styling, soft or stiff suspension is a subjective taste, but it would be nice for people to have soft riding alternatives.
But in these days of only catering to the majority and 3-year major re-designs, car companies aren't about to make cars for people who just want a nice ride.
17th Nov 2012, 20:02
If you are serious - that is scary!
Ever hear of something called "The Constitution"?
How about "The Bill of Rights"?
18th Nov 2012, 00:27
"now we have 100 times the technology, but seem to lack that type of vision."
Well said.
18th Nov 2012, 14:56
There seems to be 2 schools of thought here. Those who appreciate large luxurious, soft riding cars, and those who appreciate small, sporty cars with good handling and high horsepower, but stiff rides. Some appreciate both; myself I prefer the first type of car as I prefer comfort over speed and handling. For the life of me, I can't figure out why people who love the latter are coming onto a thread about a 1978 Lincoln and criticizing us, but to each their own.
I miss seeing big American cars with distinctive styling that just exude substance. These are obviously personal tastes, and I will be the first to admit that tastes in the automotive world have changed. But I also know that there are still a lot of people who would pay for a reasonably priced, big traditional American luxury car. A car like the Lincoln Town Car failed because it was far to similar to the Mercury Grand Marquis, and for $50K it was just a joke. I don't know who in their right mind would pay that when you could pick one up with less than 10,000 miles for about $25K.
Those of us that appreciate these kinds of cars are just very frustrated, as in our opinions, the great American car is hopelessly gone. More power to those of you that love cars like the Corvette, Camaro, and Mustang. Detroit has done a great job reviving those models, but I just wish they would put some of that energy into the more average sedans and luxury cars.
19th Nov 2012, 10:18
I have both. I like the Corvette, but it's not driven November to April in the Northeast. Most have either a nice SUV or a sports sedan, even with good weather, to go to malls, out nights and getting around. The Cadillac in my opinion is the best for room and performance. There are luxury imports too. I think there is a market for a true full size. The technology with overdrives can produce some high MPG. I don't actively check mileage, but it's on the displays.
19th Nov 2012, 14:08
Yup, and they're 100% useless nowadays!
The bill of rights does not protect you against NDAA '12, "extraordinary rendition", "enhanced interrogation", and "without the right to correspondence".
And to everybody else and back to the real topic at hand, I think that the high performance cars like the Mustang have their market, but big car companies should at least field one big, luxury car to at least keep their foot in the market.
The Japanese automakers do this and reap the rewards, in Asia of course. The Toyota Century, Nissan President, etc. are both high-end, big, classically styled vehicles that are essentially "foot in the door" models that sell in respectable numbers for their exorbitant price ranges. They are the perfect fusion of modern and older technology that creates a great car.
The interesting paradox American full sized cars have gotten themselves into is simple, but not for the CEOs of Ford, GM, and Chrysler. The big cars don't sell because their parent companies don't pour enough money into them to make them competitive, and people don't buy them as much anymore because they're not competitive and not enough money was invested into them. The Big 3 have to take a risk or simply abandon the market for another large car maker to monopolize in the future.
As has been said before, we have the technology to make these big cars decently efficient and competitive enough to compete in many ways. We just have lost the vision that made these older cars great and so memorable. Older styling and more modern technology combining could make a truly great luxury car that would sell decently. Obviously it won't be selling 150,000 cars a year, not many people these days can afford new luxury cars, but it will at least sell enough to be a respectable vehicle.
17th Nov 2012, 08:50
And what about YOUR personal opinion? "Cadillacs from the 90's to early 2000's were utter jokes". Nope, back then they actually had something for everybody from FWD and RWD full-size, to the sporty Seville STS and the sharp looking personal luxury Eldorado (better looking than the jelly bean Lexus SC 400). As far as reliability, just be careful you don't overheat the Northstar motor. I had a 1993 DeVille with the 4.9 and it was great.
Also there are many of us who are a little ticked off about the full-size car not existing anymore, it's not because of "consumer taste", but yes the CAFE standards. The only one left is the Chrysler 300, and I see a ton of them everywhere, so what does that tell you?
Anyways, I'm not worried about the abundance of a real full - size car, my 1996 Town Car is doing just fine at 170k. After that I may purchase a 2003 model, and after that a 2010 model. Hell, I'm good to go for many years to come.