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Economies of scale: Finding the balance between too small and too big
The failure of individual automakers is invariably grounded in an inability to maintain adequate economies of scale. However, debates about what is the ideal shape of the American auto industry are heavily informed by competing […]
Auto Paedia
Halo cars are popular but not always a good idea
Halo cars tend to quite popular — even wetness inducing — among auto enthusiasts. That’s because the mission of halo cars is mostly to generate a positive buzz about a brand rather than high sales. So […]
Media Analysis
Did a rumor cause the downsized 1962 Plymouth and Dodge?
A few years ago Paul Niedermeyer (2017a) questioned the conventional wisdom that the downsized 1962 Plymouth and Dodge were an 11th-hour accident of history. In an epic essay, the Curbside Classic publisher poked holes in […]
Fake Design
1965-66 AMC Marlin: How to fix beginner’s mistakes
The first-generation Marlin gets no respect, particularly compared to the two-seater AMX. The Marlin tends to be treated as one of American Motors’ biggest flops. Meanwhile, the AMX has been lauded as a valuable halo […]
History
How American Motors abandoned its uniqueness in the second half of the 1960s
The most strikingly quality of American Motors’ car designs developed in the mid-60s was how quickly the automaker ditched the Rambler look in favor of styling mostly indistinguishable from the Big Three. This was a […]
Auto Paedia
Beltline hasn’t always given cars character in obvious ways
The beltline is the transition area between the bottom of a vehicle’s side windows and its body panels. It might have a piece of chrome or a crease, but until recently you were unlikely to […]
Current Events
Surveys find sexism still powerful in auto industry
When I started reading Automotive News in the mid-70s, one thing that struck me was how few women were in leadership positions. Only one or two would be listed on two-page displays of industry “all […]