High gas prices, air pollution

will raise demand for economy cars

THINGS HAVE a way of going in cycles in the automotive industry.

The large cars of the “60s were replaced by smaller, more fuel- efficient cars of the “70s. In the “80s, cars gradually vot bigger, heavier and more power!ul avain.

Now that the price of gasoline is on the rise and the ecanamy is slowing down, the trend in’ the 90s is likely to be cowards smaller cars. Out of cconomic necessity and a certain enlightened concern for the environment, consumers will once again turn to small cars to supply their basic Cransporta- tion needs.

Unfortunately, there is very lit- tle ‘basic’ transportation available these days under $10,000 and vir- tually nothing under $8,000.

Automobile manufacturers and dealerships don't make much profit on cars in this price range, so few are offered. However, if

someone were to introduce a ‘people’s car’ that everybody wanted because it was cheap,

practical, and reliable, consumers and manufacturers could both profit.

You may think U'm out in left field here, but a lot of people laughed when they saw the first Beetle. Though the Beetle was noisy, ugly and underpowered, more of these charming tittle bugs were sold than any other car in history. More than 20 million of

them. And they're still being manufactured in Mexico. As you may well remember,

economy cars of yesteryear were quite spartan compared to today’s models. They often had no interi- Or Carpets, no vinyl! dashboards (ust painted steel), no cloth or velour-covered seats, no intermit- tent wipers, no clearcoat paint, and very little sound insulation. And heavens, one would never have thought of adding cruise control, power mirrors or pinstriping.

Safety, performance and com- fort standards have risen significantly since the Beetle and a ‘people’s car’ for the '90s would certainly be more sophisiicated.

What would it be like? Like the Beetle, it would have to be simple, tugged, economical, and cheap to

maintain. Ideally, the design would be a hatchback, the most practical

design for carrying people and cargo. But like the Beetle, it should have character and indi- vidualiiy and make a statemem about your frugality.

To keep costs down, our econobox would have two doors, five passenger capability, vinyl seats, and a four-speed manual transmission. A durable iron block, single overhead cam, small displacement four cylinder engine would be adequate for city driv- ing, where this car would spend most of its time.

There’s no need for a radio (in- stall your own), tinted glass (wear sunglasses), hubcaps (unnecessary glitter), interior trunk/fuel filler releases (get out and do it yourself), or a fancy paint job

/ (who are you trying to impress?). / Most importantly, this car / should be simple enough to main- tain) yourself, Today's front wheel-drive economy cars are often difficult to maintain because special tools and diagnostic cquipment are required, For that reason, | believe a new

Friday. September 28, 1990 - North Shore News - 23

AUTOMOTIVES

‘People’s car’ likely to return

Greg Wilson

AUTOMOTION

people’s car should have the engine and transmission mounted longitudinally in the front, driv- ing the rear wheels. Though this configuration is heavier chan front-wheel-drive phiforms, parts are easier to access and remove for repair.

See Return Page 24

in the ous

Fe:

tT

= STEWS photo Neil Tucente ECONOMY CARS, like the Volkswagen Beetle shown here, may make a comeback as motorists watch the price of gasoline soar.

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