Spring Fever

I find this to be an exciting time for the auto industry. Maybe it is the beginnings of spring fever, but the idea of a new, hot car as the seasons change is an exciting prospect. This is the season of auto shows and the buzz this year is all about the new hot car from Dodge; the return of the Challenger, to premiere simultaneously at the Chicago and Philadelphia shows in February. The reemergence of the Chevrolet Camaro is soon to follow.

I refuse to be discouraged by the doom and gloom that is so prevalent in the media. Sure, the domestic manufacturers are going through a period of adjustment. They once again must reinvent themselves in order to cope with foreign competition, more government emission and mileage requirements, and the ever changing tastes of the consumer.

This is nothing new. The domestic auto manufacturers went through similar changes in the late 70’s when the oil embargo and federal emission requirements killed the muscle car. The consumer discovered the economy of Honda and Toyota; their cheaper purchase price and better gas mileage. Now these cars are the main stream. The Accord and Camry are just like any other car. They are expensive to buy, not all that great with fuel economy and they all look alike. Eventually, the consumer tired of being main stream and flocked to SUV’s. The domestic manufacturers were rediscovered in a niche market of trucks and the SUV. Profits were made as the buyers’ tastes changed.

Buyers are there if there is a product the customer wants to buy. Ford began a successful transition in 2005 when they captured the spotlight with their retro redesign of the Mustang. The buzz was immediate. A beautiful car retaining the best of the styling cues of Mustangs past, but with present day state of the art technology. Once again, buyers streamed to the showrooms…and the quality was there too, winning Mustang (and Ford) the 2007 JD Power Award for Best Initial Quality, even beating out the Toyota Solara. Foreign and domestics found that, “What is old is now new again”, and that it sells cars. Foreign manufacturers continue to succeed with BMW’s return of the Mini Cooper, along with VW’s new version of the Bug.

Domestic and foreign manufacturers have proven that they can deliver exciting, well made cars that the consumer wants to buy. While I have always been more of a Mustang fan, the buzz around the Dodge Challenger and the eventual Chevrolet Camaro is loud, and they will find buyers. The first Challenger off the line sold for $400,000. The price at the gas pump won’t matter; these cars will sell proving again that if manufacturers design and deliver a product the public wants to buy, money can be made.

As cabin fever sets in during this long, hard winter, fantasies of a summer drive in the latest and greatest car design takes over. Spring brings a change in seasons, and the premiere of the new Dodge Challenger will bloom into showrooms. I am excited about what lies ahead for the auto industry. Maybe this is a good time to finally think seriously about a Mustang for me. The only question is what color.

Enjoy the ride!