A few months ago, I wrote an article highlighting seven electric motorcycle companies that were innovative enough to be worth keeping an eye on. One of those companies was Mission Motors, an electric superbike startup that was developing two all-electric bikes for the market. The cheaper version, the Mission Motors R, was expected to cost a little over $30,000, which is expensive for a motorcycle but isn’t unthinkable when you consider the technology included with the bike.
At the time, bikes hadn’t been delivered to customers, but the situation looked at least somewhat hopeful thanks to a post on the company’s Facebook page that promised a “Huge AWESOME update” coming soon. That update could have been an announcement that production had begun and that customers who had pre-ordered their bikes would be receiving them shortly.
Sadly, what ended up happening was that production got delayed again while the company restructured to become Mission Electric, a company that would compete in the automotive space, as well. Most people missed it, though, and I wouldn’t even have noticed it if a reader hadn’t asked me to check into whether or not the company was ever going to deliver his bike.
In August, it looked like Mission Electric was barely alive, so it didn’t come as much of a surprise when NorthJersey.com reported it had officially filed for bankruptcy. Whether or not any bikes were ever produced is also still unconfirmed.
According to the report, the situation at Mission was much worse than anybody would have thought.
“Mark Seeger, CEO of San Francisco-based Mission Motorcycles, Inc. said in a letter to the court that the company has so little money it can’t afford an attorney, and he is in the process of filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy,” reports Hugh Morely.
“I have struggled to rescue the business to find a buyer for the assets,” wrote Seeger, including that “to date, we have not earned any cash/revenue of any kind.”
Source: Mission Motors
This news is obviously disheartening for anyone who put down a deposit on a Mission R or a Mission RS and the employees who worked for years to bring these products to the market, but it’s also disappointing for the motorcycle industry in general.
By all reports, Mission’s motorcycles were awesome bikes. They were’s just great electric bikes. They were truly excellent motorcycles that happened to be electric. They were pushing the boundaries of what a motorcycle could do, and if Mission had succeeded, it would have had a major impact on the motorcycle industry.
Two of the companies I mentioned in the original article, Energica and Lightning Motorcycles appear to still be soldiering on developing electric superbikes, but Mission Motors has so much potential, it’s sad to see it go.
The good news is that the remnants of the company will be up for sale soon, and someone with real money could end up getting a great deal on some electric motorcycle technology. The two companies that immediately come to mind are Polaris and Yamaha.
Polaris already bought the electric motorcycle company Brammo, and considering its purchase of the electric vehicle manufacturer GEM, it’s clearly interested in electric transportation. Perhaps it would make sense for Polaris to buy up what’s left of Mission Electric so it could sell an electric superbike alongside the Victory Empulse TT it picked up from Brammo.
Yamaha has also been developing electric motorcycles that it intends to begin selling in the near future, but perhaps buying up what’s left of Mission Electric would give it a technological jump on some of its competitors.
You might think Harley-Davidson would want to get in on the action after the LiveWire concept it showed off recently, but the company has already said it has no interest in buying an existing electric motorcycle company and instead wants to develop electric bikes entirely on its own. Harley-Davidson promises it will begin selling one as soon as the battery technology is there to create a satisfactory ownership experience.
While the death of Mission Motors is certainly not the end of the electric motorcycle, it’s still disappointing to see the company that built a bike with so much promise go down due to a lack of funding. There’s certainly more that went down behind the scenes, but it still would have been great to see them succeed.
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Buying a winter coat is a serious investment, particularly when funds are in short supply. You need to keep warm, obviously, but you also want something that represents value for money and, no less importantly, offers a modicum of style.
As with most things in fashion, there are no hard and fast rules when shopping for a suitable coat.
There are, however, guidelines that can reduce the margin for costly errors while maximising the likelihood of sartorial success.
Click image to open gallery
Fabric
The best fabrics to keep you insulated are wool and cashmere. Cashmere is significantly warmer, but you’ll pay for the privilege and will have to contend with its inferior durability compared to the relatively hard-wearing, if rather less luxurious, wool.
If protection from the rain is the priority, there’s usually a compromise on aesthetics involved. Waterproof, breathable coats in high-vis colours and with tapered seams don’t exactly score many style points, but they will keep you dry.
Fit
It’s got to fit properly. To find the one that’s most appropriate for you, simply go up one size over your typical suit jacket size – this will allow you to move easily without the layers binding at the shoulders and neck.
If it’s a good fit, a coat’s shoulder seams should fall just over the edge of your natural shoulder.
Single or double
Double-breasted overcoats are having what’s known in fashion circles as “a moment”. They may look great on the likes of Harry Styles and Bradley Cooper (pictured right), but that’s not to say they’re suitable for everyone.
A single-breasted overcoat is generally the more practical choice since it can be worn open or closed, whereas, by the letter of the fashion law, a double-breasted coat should always remain closed.
Furthermore, a well-tailored single-breasted overcoat is more slimming – a definite plus in the colder winter months when most of us are carrying a few extra (insulating) pounds.
Size matters
While the fit and finish can make or break a coat, it’s equally important to consider its length. A man’s height, as well as his personal taste, will dictate whether it’s best to go for cropped blouson-style coat, something a little longer or a full- or three-quarter-length coat.
A full-length overcoat, which should fall around the lower level of the shins, tends to look smarter than a three-quarter-length design. This style of coat works particularly well on taller men, rather than their shorter counterparts, as longer overcoats can make the vertically challenged look stockier and shorter than they really are.
A three-quarter length coat, meanwhile, should fall anywhere between the lower part of your knee and the lower part of your trousers’ pockets. Increasingly prevalent on both the high-street and in designer collections, it’s the style of choice for the younger, fashion-conscious man. Fit for purpose That suede bomber may look the business draped artfully over the shop mannequin, but is it really going to prove insulating and impervious to the November rain as you pedal furiously down Pearse Street? Thought as much.
If you’re looking for something that you can throw over a 9-5 suit, a roomy overcoat is a smart choice.
If your working wardrobe is more casual and you’ll be wearing your coat with, say, jeans and trainers, consider a lightweight mac or a structured pea coat, which will convey casual cool without compromising on smartness.
Consider the long-term
It’s not necessary to break the bank to score the perfect winter coat, but don’t scrimp needlessly on an inferior quality item if you can afford to upgrade. Granted, the initial expenditure of a high-quality coat can sometimes be daunting, but remember: you get what you pay for.
Think of a coat as an investment and spend as much as you can. The blow-the-budget stuff tends to last longer (often much, much longer) if you look after it properly. Stay classy There’s a good reason that classic menswear brands such as Burberry usually stick to a tried-and-tested palette of grey, tan, navy and black when it comes to winter coats: they’ll always look good.
Granted, they may not have the look-at-me appeal of, say, a Paisley print parka, a lime green down jacket or a technicolour number that would be the envy of the cast of Joseph, but they can be worn week after week, month after month and they’ll go with just about anything.
2015 Goodwood Revival: A Gallery Of Living History
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Imagine a magical place where Ferrari 250 GTOs race against Jaguar E-Types, where legendary drivers pilot vintage cars they’ve never driven before, where cars that belong in museums swap paint with equally valuable rivals, and, for a touch of class, where the vast majority of spectators dress in period garb. That place is a gearhead’s dream. It’s the annual Goodwood Revival in southern England.
Held on the grounds of a former airfield that was active during the Battle of Britain in World War II (and now owned by the Earl of March), the Goodwood Revival is more than just a car show. It’s a celebration of the Allied victory in World War II, the cars it spawned, and the freedom those cars represent.
Thanks to the hospitality of that noted “British” automaker Subaru, I had the opportunity to experience Goodwood for the first time. The Revival is held annually in September, and this year’s event took place the weekend of the 11th to the 13th. The first day, Friday, featured mostly practice sessions, as well as one long race for sports cars from 1952 to ’55. Saturday and Sunday had far more racing, with 16 races in total. The races were grouped by class and era, with cars as old as a 1929 “Blower” Bentley and as new as a 1967 Ford GT40, and everything from everywhere in between.
Though there was far too much to see and do to report on the entire event, I snapped a few hundred pictures (as did Subaru’s much more talented photographer), saw a lifetime’s worth of historic race cars, and witnessed some unbelievable racing during my two days at the Revival. Here are some of the highlights:
-On Saturday, the one and only Ferrari 250 GTO SWB “Breadvan,” racing hard in practice for Sunday’s RAC TT Celebration race, smacked into the back of a Jaguar E-Type. Why? Because it was in the way. The Ferrari team taped up the car had it ready to race on Sunday. The war wounds shouldn’t hurt the value of this unique piece of racing history. It just has a little extra provenance.
-Saturday’s St. Mary’s Trophy Part I saloon race pitted cars as varied as Mini Cooper Ss, Ford-Lotus Cortinas, Alfa Romeo 1600 GTAs, two 1963 Ford Galaxie 500s, and a 1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt against each other. It was surreal to watch the big Fords running against those tiny European cars. Even more sublime was the job nine-time 24 Hours of Le Mans champion Tom Kristensen did in the Thunderbolt. Kristensen started at the back of the pack and passed the field to win the race. Not bad for a Dane in an American car that was built to go drag racing.
-At this year’s event, every Cobra Daytona Coupe ever built was on hand. These beautiful and ultra valuable machines didn’t race per se, but they did get out on the track and hit triple digit speeds in a spectacular exhibition.
-The preferred parking lot outside of the event proved to be the best car show I’ve ever been to. Vintage car owners from all over Europe drove their best machinery to the event, seeding the lot with Maseratis, Aston Martins, occasional bits of American metal, and more Jaguar E-Types and XK120s than you can shake a stick at. If you go to Goodwood, you must seek out this parking lot.
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A man who’s goal it was to raise $10 for a McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets meal said he did it to ridicule unnecessary crowdfunding campaigns, according to a UPI.com report.
Jacksonville State University student Michael Panik met his GoFundMe page goal after a donor named Michael Brown gave $10.
As of Thursday morning, Panik even exceeded the goal, with $20 of donations.
Donors left comments saying the campaign is a “truly moving story. Another man who gave $5 said he laughed so hard that he had no choice but to donate.
Here’s Panik’s description for the campaign:
“Ever since I was a child, I’ve wanted to do something truly great in life. Each human on this earth has potential for greatness; to achieve their goals. I am no different. My name is Michael Panik, and I WILL devour a 20pc Chicken McNugget Meal from McDonald’s restaurant. I understand the risks involved. I understand this is no small undertaking. I am, however, devoted to this concept, this one thought: twenty of the whitest, freshest, breaded chicken nuggets powering down my digestive tract at full force, followed by two large fries, and two ice-cold Coca Colas. Some people call me crazy. I just call them ‘chicken."”
Suunto Core Watches, the all-in-one outdoor sports instrument containing essential outdoor functions in a light plastic case. Suunto is a leading designer and manufacturer of sports precision instruments for diving, training, mountaineering, hiking, skiing, sailing and golf. Prized for their intuitive design, accuracy and dependability, their precise instruments combine the aesthetics and functionality of watches with sport-specific computers that help athletes at all levels analyze and improve their performance. Features include: Altimeter with altitude log memory and altitude difference measurement, Barometer with storm alarm and weather trend indicator, Automatic Alti/Baro switch, Compass with semi automatic calibration and a digital bearing, Depth meter, Multiple watch, date and alarm functions with dual time and countdown timer, Sunrise/Sunset times for over 400 locations worldwide, Digital thermometer, Menu based user interface in English, German, French and Spanish, Accessory straps, and User-replaceable battery.
With just two motorcycles, a tent, a change of clothes and $100 in their pockets, UT alumnus Barron Peper and his lifelong friend Jacob Hoeffner began their journey west.
Their expedition, Shift West, will cover eight states and 10 national parks in a 45-day journey. From Waco to the Pacific Northwest, the duo will share stories of people they meet along the way, hoping to inspire their blog followers to “shift west” themselves.
Their graduation from college left Peper and Hoeffner questioning their future and longing for adventure. After a motorcycle ride to the park one day, the two realized they could begin their journey west on wheels.
“We used to sit around and cook up ideas, thinking about what we wanted to do with our lives,” Peper said. “We knew we wanted to do a big trip post-graduation. We wanted to explore more of the U.S. and what our home has to offer. All of the places we wanted to see and things we wanted to do were out west.”
Peper said they both acknowledged the struggle their trip would entail, but they were ready for the challenge. Before leaving, the duo created a GoFundMe account and raised $2,720 to purchase helmets, jackets and Kevlar pants to help prepare them. Now, they find work along the way to support themselves. Their blog features a detailed log of their expenses from the start of the trip, which includes donations given to them from people they meet.
“Sometimes it seems like the stars align, because we think, ‘How the hell is this working?’ It’s almost like someone has gifted us,” Peper said. “What has made it worth it has been meeting great people and engaging in communities.”
One of their favorite stories they picked up along the way was from Durango, Colorado, where they met “All-American Randy.” Randy served as a flight surgeon at Bosnia, Desert Storm and Afghanistan. War stories soon turned into talks about his travels to New Orleans to help with reconstruction after Hurricane Katrina and other memories about his life.
Another encounter in Telluride, Colorado, led them to the “Boulder Brady Bunch,” a group of women who share a passion for photography. Peper and Hoeffner said meeting these people motivates them to move on to the next town.
“We have the freedom to spend time with who we want, but it’s not as easy as it seems,” Peper said. “We’ve created a lot of strong friendships, which have turned into hard good-byes.”
For Peper and Hoeffner, Shift West is about living in the moment and experiencing life with the people they encounter along the way. As they move on from their current destination in Moab, Utah, the duo plans to end their trip in Seattle.
“It’s exhilarating to do something that is unexpected,” Hoeffner said. “It is like riding a surfboard. You shouldn’t think it’s possible to ride on top of water, but it is.”
George Zimmer, the founder and former CEO of Men’s Warehouse, isn’t done with the men’s fashion world yet. In fact, he’s getting more into it.
Since his controversial exit from Men’s Warehouse in 2013, Zimmer (who’s most recognized for the TV commercial tagline “You’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it”) has launched two new ventures: zTailors, a personal online tailoring platform and app, which rolled out at the end of May, and now Generation Tux, a suit and tuxedo rental company that opened its digital doors this week.
Generation Tux is joining a growing market of online high end menswear purveyors like Combatant Gentleman, The Black Tux, Menguin and SimpleTux. Meanwhile, Men’s Warehouse merged with Jos. A Bank last summer and in 2014, the company reported earning $443 million from the tux rental part of its business.
With Generation Tux, customers can rent a suit or tuxedo, shirt, tie, cummerbund, vest, shoes, socks and cuff links in a range of colors for $150 with free shipping and returns. Unsurprisingly, Zimmer’s putting a big emphasis on a guaranteed great fit, including style concierges and free tailoring services from zTailors as part of the service.
With zTailors, Zimmer wants to be the “Uber for tailors,” and has partnered with big names like toldTheNew York Times this week the company is “still losing millions of dollars.”
However, if Generation Tux takes off the way Zimmer hopes, that customer base could translate into more clients for zTailors. For Generation Tux, Zimmer has raised $50 million from investors like Salesforce Ventures and has reportedly invested more than $6 million of his own funds to start shipping 30,000 tuxes to customers from a 200,000 square foot warehouse in Louisville, Kentucky.
Here’s how the world works: Asia’s known for high value, compact cars that handle well; America builds cheaper versions of European cars that are fast in a straight line but can’t go around a corner; and Germany…Germany is responsible for the fact that I can’t seem to write a single article without making at least one WWII reference.
But, that story is old and well-known — much like the well-known automotive paradigm we’ve all become accustomed to over the years. But the stereotypes that we’ve gotten used to over the years don’t entirely bear out under closer inspection. That’s true looking back over history, and even more so today. Yes, there was a time when America was known for luxury and handling, Europe straight-line speed and Japan tough trucks. But time marches on, and today is a lot more like the distant past than the decades most of us might remember.
In this article, we’re going to explore some of the myths and stereotypes we’ve built up over the years, and check how they compare to modern reality. For sure, the 2009 recession shook the settled order like a snow-globe of expectations, and we’re in a different world now. How different?
Depends on how you look at it.
Continue reading for the full story.
Japanese Cars are Small, Light and Efficient
When Japan first debuted as a car maker in the United States , it was as a budget-price competitor to offerings already on these shores. Budget priced in terms of buy-in, but more importantly in running costs. Just after The War, Japan was still very short on the oil reserves that started the whole thing to begin with. With fuel in short supply and not many major manufacturing reserves left, Japan began to specialize in smaller, cheaper cars that used as little fuel as possible.
Most Americans scoffed at that idea until the oil crunch hit in the 1970s — that’s when Japan found itself in an ideal position to provide rides to one very thirsty nation. Makes like Toyota , Honda and Nissan (sold as Datsun here) quickly rose to prominence. America fell in love with Japan’s take on fuel efficiency and practicality.
In those segments, Japan’s cars are usually no smaller, lighter or more efficient than any other.
Fast-forward to the 1990s, and that was still true in terms of reputation. But Japan had already begun plus-sizing with cars like the Nissan GT-R , Infiniti Q45 and Lexus LS.
These days, Japan still produces loads of compact cars — but the simple fact is that Japanese cars compete in segments and classes like any other. They build cars to fit in all market segments — and in those segments, Japan’s cars are usually no smaller, lighter or more efficient than any other. In fact, many times considerably less so.
Exhibit A: The Nissan GT-R. While undoubtedly a masterpiece of design, the GT-R is the fat boy of its class. At 4,000 pounds and, 16 miles city and 26 mpg highway, it’s about 900 pounds heavier and 3 mpg (highway) behind Chevrolet’s Corvette .
Take hybrids out of the equation, and BMW’s excellent 328d diesel matches the tiny 2014 Scion iQ and non-CVT Mirage at 37 miles per gallon. And that’s a mid-sized BMW 3-Series , one of the best cars on Earth.
So, Japan still does small, light and efficient just as much as ever — but their best cars are none of the above, and Europe is as good (if not better) at all of them.
European Cars are Expensive, but Worth the Extra Money in Quality
What’s in a badge? Maybe not as much as you think.
Europeans like to say that you get what you pay for, and that’s why Euro cars are so expensive. Certainly Germany, long known for its engineering prowess, could make a case for that. But a funny thing happened on the way to Das Repair shop.
As a for-instance, let’s take a look at two often-compared rivals: Dodge and Mercedes . While they were recently part of the same company, Mercedes remains a shining example of European quality, while Dodge just makes cars for rednecks. Right? But then how would a redneck supercar like the Dodge Viper stack up against Mercedes’ best and brightest: the amazing 2015 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren ? It’s gone out of production now, but the SLR and Viper were produced contemporaneously by DaimlerChrysler. They were about the same size, and had similar performance. One was built in America for $80,000; the other in European laboratories for five times as much.
Seems like a pretty fair comparison of cost to quality — one, if anything, heavily weighted in favor of Europe. So, let’s take a look at the service histories of these two cars, starting at the number of technical service bulletins (known faults, but not to be confused with recalls) issued during the Merc’s production run.
2004: Viper has 4 TSBs, Merc has 16
2005: Viper has 4 TSBs, Merc has 21
2007: Viper has 1 TSB, Merc has 22
2008: Viper has 3 TSBs, Merc has 23
2009: Viper has 1 TSB, Merc has 21
Ouch. And it gets worse.
The Viper has never had a single safety recall in its entire two-decade history, let alone anything relating to catching fire. You’re apparently thinking of the 2006 SLR McLaren. Safety recall (#06V220000) states that high under-hood temperatures could cause the alternator to overheat and catch the engine compartment on fire. And this was just one of three of equal, um…importance.
So, to summarize: That’s zero recalls for the Viper in 23 years, and three major recalls in five years of production for the Mercedes. Which again, cost five times as much.
And lest you think I’m cherrypicking, rest assured that this scenario isn’t particularly atypical these days. Especially where performance cars are concerned: Porsche and Ferrari fare little better than Mercedes when it comes to self-immolating supercars .
However, anyone would have to concede that European cars typically have nicer interiors, better initial quality, and a habit of staying on the road for a very long time when properly maintained. When properly maintained. But American and Japanese cars will generally run on sawdust and hate for about 80 percent as long as most German cars maintained like Swiss watches. Yes, we do tend to build slightly lower-quality cars at the moment — but they’re nowhere near the primadonnas that European cars are.
Well, the ones that don’t burst into flame, anyway.
American Cars Don’t Handle or Brake
This is one of those stereotypes that Americans themselves (intentionally) helped to perpetuate. Brutal, thirsty musclecars have kind of been our thing for a long time now, and we’ve a long and proud history of building evil-handling, overpowered death machines. All the way up through the SUV era, we’ve had a kind of deliberate love affair with supercharged Hannibal Lectors. And even that’s not exactly accurate; “V-8 Ted Bundys” would probably be closer to the truth.
However, a few thousand SUV rollovers and another gas crunch later, and we’ve come to prefer our musclecars with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.
Case in point, a certain comparison test published in the May 2014 issue of Motor Trend. If you’re a Camaro fan, you undoubtedly already know of it: 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 vs 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo S vs 2015 Nissan GT-R . This one article probably did more to herald a new day in the Battle of the Continents, overturning decades of assumptions and proving conclusively the premise of this write-up.
Chevrolet walked away with a first place finish over Godzilla and Ferdinand, at almost half the price.
The Camaro wasn’t the lightest car in this test — that was the Porsche by 150 pounds. And it was the least powerful by 40 horses behind the Nissan, which weighed about 245 pounds more. The Camaro was the slowest in the quarter mile (12.3 seconds), almost 1.5 seconds slower than the Nissan and Porsche. The 2.6-second Porsche decimated the Camaro’s 4.0-second 0 to 60 time, and the Nissan was right behind at 2.7 seconds. Both benefited from all-wheel-drive, while the musclecar made do with only its rear wheels.
All things considered, the $75,000 Camaro was set for a slaughter; it was simply outclassed by the $117,000 Nissan and $185,000 Porsche. And a slaughter it was.
Because the Chevy beat both of them around the Streets of Willow raceway.
Granted, it wasn’t by much, but the Camaro’s better handling and brakes brought it out ahead of Nissan and Porsche’s best. What? Better handling and brakes? From an American car? Yes indeed, thanks in no small part to the largest front tires ever fitted to a production car. Chevrolet built the Z/28’s entire chassis around those massive 305/30R19 Pirellis, which were the same width as the Porsche’s rear tires. Chevy was serious about racetrack dominance, and it showed in the Z/28. Chevrolet walked away with a first-place finish over Godzilla and Ferdinand, at almost half the price.
Based entirely on out-handling and out braking two of the best handling and braking cars in the world.
Again, this isn’t especially atypical nowadays. The Chevrolet Volt out-handles and out-brakes its Prius competition, Ford’s Focus out-slaloms and brakes the Toyota Corolla , and the Chevrolet Cruze almost matches the VW Jetta in skidpad, slalom and braking. It’s the same story across the board for American vehicles competing with Japanese and European cars, in almost every segment. It’s true, some people still prefer the handling manners and stability of European cars, and Ford’s Taurus still doesn’t hold up to a BMW 3-Series. Or even an Infiniti G37 , for that matter. But the field is getting so narrow at this point that Europe or Japan would have a hard time claiming clear victory on any front.
That said, let’s go on by comparing the Chevrolet Volt to its closest Japanese rivals, the Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius . Honda ’s system is mild hybrid configuration, which is effectively just a very powerful start/generator. It’s got a bit more juice than the average start/stop system, but it’s not terribly sophisticated. Toyota ’s parallel hybrid system is much more dedicated and elaborate, but it’s almost 20 years old now and it’s extremely limited in terms of pure EV mode. Chevrolet’s hybrid system allows the Volt to run in parallel, series or full plug-in EV mode, and can seamlessly switch back and forth between them. Of the three, it’s the most recent, powerful and sophisticated.
Who knows drones like America? We invented the Terminator.
As of now, the Europeans are a little ahead of the United States when it comes to tech gizmos and driver aids. America is sort of adopting safety and driver aid technologies Mercedes already uses — in that respect at least, very little has changed. It’s been an axiom in the industry forever: If you want to see what’ll be on your car in five years, look at what Mercedes is doing today.
However, stuff like radar cruise control, automatic braking and lane assist are already old news. They’re semi-autonomous driving functions. The real frontier today is in building fully autonomous cars ; roving robot drones that can operate without any kind of human involvement. And who knows drones like America? We invented the Terminator.
As of right now, Google and Tesla are furthest out in front in terms of bringing self-driving/auto-pilot cars to the mass market. But GM and Ford aren’t far behind. Indeed, the Germans are catching up, but only by partnering with American companies to finish and refine the technology. And, for what it’s worth, the two technologies most critical in making self-driving cars possible (GPS and LiDAR) are both from these shores.
American cars are also at least competitive with others in terms of technologies like interior gizmos and in-car entertainment.
Europe Builds the Fastest, Coolest and Classiest Cars
Fastest is an easy one to refute. Fastest truck and SUV in the world: Ford. Best handling front-engine/rear-drive car in the world: Chevrolet. The 2015 Dodge Charger Hellcat and 2015 Tesla S P85D are the quickest and fastest sedans around, in both electric and gas categories. And Hennessey’s 2014 Hennessey Venom GT is the fastest production car in the world, period. For now. Though, knowing Hennessey, if anyone trumps them by 2 mph, they’ll just crank up the boost and go 5 mph faster. It’s the Texas way.
It seems the Old World has gotten just that: Old.
So, it’s probably fair to say the U.S. has recaptured its speed credentials. What about style?
Europe might still corner the market on that one — it depends on your taste. If you prefer your cars as statements of form following function, the way some of us do, then the Germans win by a mile. If you like your cars ridiculous, hyper-modern and over-the-top, then Italy’s there for you. Sort of.
While Italy’s supposedly been on the cutting edge of style forever, the Italians aren’t quite as far out in front of the pack as they used to be. Ferrari and Lamborghini are both wearing last season’s fashions — and no words are a greater insult to Italians than that. But the same is true from Alfa Romeo to Zagato .
Part of the problem is that, ironically, the Italians are leaning a little too hard on traditional brand styling for their own good. For instance: Sure, the 2008 Lamborghini Reventon seems like a bold risk in terms of styling. But its styling was really just an evolution of the Murcielago’s, which itself was a direct evolution of the (Chrysler era) Diablo , which was derived from the Countach . The same is true for Ferrari; as “modern” as the 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari or 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB may look, both are essentially rehashes of the Dino and 308 GTB. Alfa Romeo used the same basic lines it always has, until recently, and so does Bugatti , Citroen , Maserati , BMW, Aston Martin , Rolls Royce , Bentley and plenty of other “style leaders.” Jaguar and Mercedes are notable exceptions — but they’re the exceptions. For the most part, European designs have gotten decidedly…safe.
The difference between America’s retro and Europe’s retro is the difference between Sexyback and back ache.
Of course, there’s nothing really wrong with that, and nobody would begrudge a brand for following its natural evolution. But style is about revolution. It’s about taking chances, and not even the Italians are really doing that these days. They’ve gone, if anything, a tad retro. And not in a cool way, either. Not cool the way Justin Timberlake wears a fedora; more in the way that old man sitting in front of the post office does.
Granted, America’s doing retro too — most obviously in the ponycar segment, with the Camaro, Mustang , Challenger et al. In the sedan segment, that would include the Charger and 300C , and Ford’s Taurus has picked up some of its looks from the new retro-ish Mustang. The same could be said for the latest Corvette Stingray , and the SS with which it shares some family resemblance. Even our pickup trucks are going subtly old school; the boxy and brawny lines of today’s F-series , Silverado and Ram trucks have a lot more in common with those great old rigs from the 1970s and ’80s than anything more recent.
But the difference between America’s retro and Europe’s retro is the difference between Sexyback and back ache.
Again, taste is subjective, and some are sure to disagree. But post-modernism is all about irony and perspective. It’s about commentary on the past, not re-living it. References to days gone by are fine, even encouraged — but those references have to come from a modern perspective. That’s what Chevy’s doing with the Camaro and Stingray, Ford ’s doing with the Mustang, and Mopar’s doing with…well, everything. Even the Viper, as you may recall, is a callback to the 1964-1965 Shelby Daytona Coupe .
These cars are commentaries on their forebears, and many of them came out of the blue as new models or complete redesigns. Sure, American retro cars wear the fedora. But they do it with chiseled abs and a smirk — not a pot belly and yellowed dentures.
It seems the Old World has gotten just that: Old.
Summary
This article could go on forever busting myths, and a second and third part may be due at some point.
Now, I know you started saying a long way back that certain writers around here have an unnatural bias toward American cars. And in everything but build quality, you’d probably be right. Mea Culpa. But the fact is that many of the changes we’ve seen in the last decade or so have been favorable to American automakers. Not exclusively, but largely. Yes, Japan is still doing high-tech gadgets, and building reliable and fuel-efficient cars. Europe’s still building solid autobahn cruisers with nice interiors. But American automakers are running on a world stage these days, and the bad times of a few years ago have pared all of them down to only the best and strongest elements.
Certainly, everyone suffered losses a few years ago — but very few of them came as close to getting wiped out of existence as GM, Ford and Chrysler . Call it survival of the fittest if you like, but this new automotive environment seems to have culled the weakest from our herds and left the best cars, engineering and build practices to compete.
So, to bust maybe the biggest myth of all:
American automakers are apparently still alive, fighting hard and coming back stronger than ever.
