get out your slide rule

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 9/20/2002 3:33:59 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> *It has always intrigued me that so many American marque sterotypes 
> are rooted in the 1970's--what is so special about the '70s??

Oo - an easy one!

But in two parts:

Part One:

That is when the baby boom came into its own economically and started to be 
the core market for new cars.  That is when most of the people who can buy 
(lease) new cars formed their initial, and most lasting, impressions.

As in all of history, this too shall pass.  But right now, you are stuck with 
it for a while longer.

For a graphic example, read "The Little Prince" and pay attention to the 
drawing of the snake who has swallowed an elephant.  

Part B:

Prior to the 70s, there was little to no impact on the US new car market from 
"foreign" makes; it was Detroit's show all the way.  Starting in the 70s, and 
for reasons partly having to do with Part 1, above, imports began to clean 
the clock of the fatsos in Detroit.  Go figure.  The first blush of this 
"foreign invasion" was a brilliant ad campaign of the mid 60s targeting 
boomers and selling VWs as the antidote to your father's Detroit iron: Think 
Small.  

Charlie
LA, CA, USA
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