Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Weight of Modern Sports Cars

[Rick Lindsay (rolindsay]

Nice Larry,

1900-1930 - The era of barely functional automobiles.  Slow and designed for 
wagon roads.  The driver had to also be a mechanic, or at least know the car 
inside out.

1930s - The era of engineering explosion.  In the '30s technology bloomed and 
very many new ideas were tested and implemented.  Drivers still needed to know 
their cars, and now they need to know the quirks of their specific car.

1940s - the era of engineering standardization.  In this era, best practices 
grew out of the engineering diversity of the '30s.  Drivers began to enjoy the 
comfort of their cars.  Style became important.  Streets and highways are 
becoming crowded.  Most travel is still local.  Hot rodders emerge bringing the 
first motorheads to the scene.  They are looked down upon by "decent" society.

1950-1970 - The era of power, comfort and doo-dads.  Technology advanced with 
automatic transmissions, air-conditioning and 8-track stereo.  Cars are BIG and 
with the advent of the Interstate system, Americans hit the roads.  Highway 
speeds increased and distance-traveled increased.  More people died in highway 
accidents.  Most drivers didn't need to know much about their cars beyond 
monitoring the fuel gauge and infrequent oil changes.  Bald tires are 
recognized as bad things.  Muscle car owners follow in the footsteps of the 
hot-rodders of the '50s.  They are only marginally better accepted as decent 
citizens.

1970-80 - The era of DOT, EPA and OPEC.  The federal government finds it 
important to legislate automobiles. This action when combined with oil 
embargos, causes cars to be emasculated and former muscle cars to be castrated. 
 Japanese cars flood onto the scene to take advantage of the economy car 
market.  European cars come onto the scene to replace the muscle cars.  
Knowledge of the mechanical workings of an automobile is equated to red necks 
and people who can't afford modern cars.

1980s - The era of totally useless American cars.  Japanese cars flood the 
market with reliable if boring transportation.  Driver knowledge of the 
workings of the car diminishes even further.

1990s - The re-emergence of EPA and DOT control.  Cars, while growing in power 
again, are legislated to be "clean" and "safe".  Its now illegal to touch any 
system on the car that might affect emissions.  In essence, that includes 
everything but the cigarette lighter.  Mechanical knowledge drops even further.

2000s - The era of safety and MPG.  The cigarette lighter is now also (mostly) 
illegal.  Federal mandates push fleet mileage requirements higher and higher 
causing automakers to introduce at least one or two ultra-milers with the 
styling elements of Jelly Belly.  Some muscle car clones reemerge but are heavy 
versions of their earlier selves.  Owners all-but totally ignorant of the 
mechanical attributes of the car - just as the automakers want it.

2010s - The automobile, technologically unknown to the owner, with power plant 
compartments sealed from owners and non-dealer shops and illegal to force open. 
 Control of operation mostly in the hands of onboard computers synchronized and 
in communication with highway management computers.  Illegal, if not impossible 
to attempt to operate the car under manual control.

Well, its just my opinion, I guess..

Rick ;-)