While the NAIAS is going on, there was a much more significant autoshow happening in Scottsdale, this being the Barrett Jackson auction. As someone who actually doesn’t care much for most classic cars (Packard’s are not pretty, nor is the Mercedes-Benz gullwing, sorry. Plus I like comfort, seatbelts and navigation), this is one of few enjoyable things to watch while football ceases to exist. Here we see automotive failures that are now successes and designs that can no longer exist because of safety and fuel standards. It also shows a bygone era of when it seemed that cars were built by trial, entrepreneurship and whimsy rather than by computers. It also proves just how important design is (i.e. the Mustang), in that all you need to do is get it right once, and then just modernize the style. There’s a reason why design is so important, once it works, it will last forever.
When I sold cars in college, I used to hear men of certain age complain that they don’t build cars like they used to. I always corrected them and said, “You’re right, they build them much better today”. This holds true when watching the Barrett Jackson auction; the way the doors thud, panels looking like they fit, vehicle safety, 5.0 liter V8’s putting out 3 times the horsepower, amazing accessories, comfortable interiors (try driving a Talbot more that 10 miles, boy does that look uncomfortable) etc.… It’s been amazing to see how far we’ve come when comparing the new Corvette to the many Corvettes from the past wheeled onto the stage. At least the modern ones will last 30,000 miles. But the hardest part of this all is knowing that economies of scale have essentially killed the classic car that we can all yearn for when we’re older. No more special models that aren’t just trim lines, no more race on Sunday, sell on Monday or dealer specials (Yenko Camaros). Can you even think of one modern car outside of an M version of a BMW that might be classic (although, for me, the last collectable M was the V8 M3)? You really want a M4 with a turbo? Boring. I dread those electrical and turbo issues in the future. Hyundai Velostar in 20 years? No thanks. I can’t think of any Honda Accords I would want in 30 years, but an old Ford, you bet.
Globalization of the auto industry has brought us amazing vehicles that will last a very long time and will rarely break down, yet to us, they are really just seem like an appliance. Everything looks the same. You can barely tell the difference between a Mercedes, a Kia and a Toyota. The Barrett Jackson is an auto show that gives us the opportunity to see a time when cars had personalities, unique designs and when companies took risks just to be different and competitive. Now I can just plug my car in like a microwave.
manandhiscars 