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HomeIndustry conformity

Industry conformity

1955 Plymouth Belvedere 2-door hardtop
Quotes

Motor Life had mixed reactions to 1955 Plymouth’s wrap-around windshield

August 9, 2025 Steve 3

(UPDATED FROM 7/20/2023) Motor Life hinted at the dangers of not slavishly following the styling trends of the largest U.S. automakers — and particularly General Motors. The 1955 Chrysler lineup did not adopt the vertical […]

1958 Buick grille
Current Events

Could U.S. regulatory rollback lead auto industry to repeat of late-50s backlash?

July 3, 2025 Steve 8

In key respects President Trump’s budget legislation represents a huge Christmas gift to legacy automakers. Although it may take time to better understand the many ramifications of a bill that stretches more than 900 pages, […]

1968ish Mercedes-Benz 280SL rear quarter
Current Events

Is the decline in distinctive national approaches to car design a bad thing?

October 14, 2024 Steve 6

(EXPANDED FROM 5/18/2022) Karl Ludvigsen has a website called Why Cars Are So Bad. A few years ago he posted on it the text of a speech he delivered back in 1989. Included in his […]

Parody ads about the auto industry and media
Our Sponsors

Collectible Cars: If you had to choose one?

December 9, 2022 Steve 0
Quotes

GM set its prices for a 25-percent return on investment in 1950s

March 30, 2022 Steve 2

“But if its return on investment averaged 25 percent for 1950 through 1955, well above the corporation’s target and the highest return in American industry, why couldn’t General Motors reduce the prices on its cars, […]

Quotes
Quotes

Vulpine: Detroit can force people to buy cars they don’t want

November 6, 2020 Steve 0

“Obviously you can, since the truck I’m driving is pretty close to 20% larger than I wanted, in overall dimensions. Nobody makes a proper ‘small’ truck for the US market as yet and hasn’t done […]

  • 1962 Ford Galaxie 500
    Did the 1960-64 big Ford sell so poorly because of cannibalization?
    October 16, 2026 37
  • 1969 Ford Thunderbird 4-door Landau
    Was 1969 the beginning of the end for the Ford Thunderbird four-door Landau?
    October 14, 2026 7
  • Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
    October 8, 2026 21
  • AMC Pacer clay model
    Why does Joe Ligo’s PBS series sanewash AMC’s mid-70s recklessness?
    October 6, 2026 21
  • 2026 Ram pickups
    A pyrrhic regulatory rollback and how poorly the 1978 Matador coupe sold
    October 2, 2026 12
  • 1962 Chrysler 300
    Did the 1962-65 Chrysler 300 ‘dilute’ the letter series?
    September 29, 2026 12
  • 1968 Ford Mustang
    Three rules led to a stultifying level of conformity in 1960s U.S. car design
    September 24, 2026 12
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 146
Society of Automotive Historian award to Indie Auto

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