The Decline of the American Auto

If you haven’t been living in a closet over the past decade or so, it should be apparent that the glory days of the American automobile are indeed long over. Especially in these times of economic turmoil and high gas prices, the trend has become even more apparent. General Motors is bleeding money like a hemophiliac, Ford is struggling, and Chrysler appears to be on its last leg. Instead of the “classic” American auto on the road, foreign autos such as Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda are starting to dominate America’s roadways. What is the cause of this trend?

The first culprit, in my opinion is the ever increasing price of gas. It seems that the price of oil reaches a new high on a daily basis, which in turn hurts consumers at the gas pump. Traditional American vehicles, especially high performance, V8 vehicles (what we are known for) are not exactly economical at $3.30 a gallon. Instead, imports from the above mentioned companies have taken the cake in regards to fuel efficiency. 4 cylinders and smaller V6’s are definitively cheaper to own than say, a beefy 350 (cubic inch) Chevy motor. Someone with a family and other financial responsibilities would rather get 25-30 mpg, rather than 15-20 mpg.

American automakers have attempted to retake the market by bringing back classic muscle car names from the past, such as Dodge’s new “Challenger SRT 8” model. The new Challenger has classic “box like” styling with classic weight (4200lbs) and power (425 horses). Chevrolet has brought back the classic Camaro namesake, as well. The trouble with these cars and many others is that the average American cannot afford them. If this were 1975, sure, everyone could afford these cars, as gas and the car itself were dirt cheap. But Joe Blow cannot afford to pay $40K for a car and on top of that to keep it filled up.

Congress and the EPA have also instituted new “mpg” specifications of 35 mpg by 2020. It is rumored that American automakers will start to work towards this new standard starting in 2012. Ford even has a top end Mustang model in the works for a turbo charged V6 to meet the new standards. When I read that, I immediately thought back to the 1981-1982 Mustang that had a top horsepower rating of 125 horses. I’m not sure about you, but I’m not ready for the V6 Mustang to be Ford’s namesake car in the market. Personally, I enjoy the thrill of a classic American auto. I enjoy getting in my “mach 1” and putting “the peddle to the metal” and acquiring whiplash (if I could marry my car, I probably would).

Granted, I may be spouting out a new tune in 10 years when I’m carting around my numerous prodigies (that's a whole new set of issues) in the latest and greatest minivan (it will be a cold day in hell when you see me driving one of those). I’m young and my responsibilities are minimal, hence my slight bias in all of this. But neither I nor America is ready for the thrill of driving to be taken away from us. I would want future generations to enjoy the thrill of good ol’ American muscle. At the same time though, I am not a fan of warring over oil or opening up ANWAR for drilling; I am aware that certain sacrifices must be made. What those sacrifices are, well if I had the answer, I would be a billionaire.