Classic American - October 2019 - Preview

N I W ET TICK S

PHOENIX FROM THE FLAMES '58 CADILLAC

BEST 'VETTE YET? MID-ENGINED C8

'32 FORD MODEL B COUPE

NO LETTER CAR '63 CHRYSLER 300

CORVETTE YOU NEVER KNEW RONDINE THE R

Ben Klemenzson

Viewpoint

Y

THE END OF SMART?

ou may have read at the weekend about a lady from Sheffield who intends to sue Highways England for the death of her husband after he was killed on a stretch of smart motorway on the M1.

He and another driver were killed when they were hit by a lorry after stopping to swap details after a minor collision. I have spoken before in this column of my concerns about so-called ‘Smart Motorways’ and that’s not just some hang up of mine – I genuinely think that for owners of classic cars, which are more prone to breaking down than say a brand-new Golf and which don’t have hazard lights, it’s a really, really serious issue – even more so if you have your family in the car too.

I was shocked to read that a report from Highways England itself revealed that CCTV operators took an average of 20 minutes to spot stranded vehicles before closing the lane* versus the target time of three minutes.

Highways England plans to expand the current smart motorway network from 416 miles to 788 by 2025; however I would question whether that will actually

happen as it would seem almost inevitable that more of these types of fatalities will be inevitable and bring the whole ‘Smart Motorway’ concept into question…

On to happier topics, namely the contents of this month’s magazine, which is chock-a-block with all sorts of interesting American vehicles for your delectation; from the brand-new mid-engine C8 Corvette, to the unique one-off Corvette Rondine and the superb ’32 Model B Coupe that graces our cover. We’re also, in conjunction with the organisers, giving away 10 pairs of tickets to the NEC Classic Motor Show – details of how to enter are on page 6 and just remember: You got to be in it, to win it! *Sunday Telegraph, September 1.

Ben Klemenzson, editor bklemenzson@mortons.co.uk

If only our motorways really were this empty!

classic-american.com 3

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cpark@mortons.co.uk

EDITOR

Ben Klemenzson bklemenzson@mortons.co.uk

PUBLISHER

DE SIGN

Sue Keily

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Jonathan Schofield, Paul Fincham CO NTRIBUTORS

Nigel Boothman, Simon Browse, Axel Catton, Richard Coney, Huw Evans, Keith Harman, Richard Heseltine, Greg Jarem, James Mann, Ian Shipley, Tony Oksien, Mike Renaut, Matt Richardson, Will Shiers, Jonny Smith, john Isaac, Rob Woodall, Zack Stiling, Steve Havelock, John Kennedy, Christopher Tilley, Paul Bussey PRODUCTION EDITORS

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47

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News Here to Obscurity Across the Pond Muscle Car Files Subscription Offer Letters CA Shop Scale Autos Reviews Discoveries Club News Service Directory Drive Buy Private Classifieds

EVENTS 91 97 103

Rally of the Giants Mopar Euronats NSRA Supernationals

WORKSHOP 80

Tech: Handbrake & Rear Brake Overhaul

AMERICAN AND MODIFIED

F E AT U R E S 27 36 47

72 85

1977 Pontiac Firebird Dan Short Project Beauty Pala

1958 Cadillac 1963 Chrysler 1963 Corvette

12 56

American & Modified News 1932 Ford Model B

W W W. C L A S S I C - A M E R I C A N . C O M WIN TICKETS

PHOENIX FROM THE FLAMES '58 CADILLAC

BEST 'VETTE YET? MID-ENGINED C8

Independent publisher since 1885 '32 FORD MODEL B COUPE

No. 342 October 2019

NO LETTER CAR

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'63 CHRYSLER 300

CORVETTE YOU NEVER KNEW RONDINE THE R

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Classic American

News

CLASSIC MOTOR CLA SHOW IS TOP TRUMPS! T

he Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, is the event not to be missed for any classic car owner, collector, enthusiast, car club member or anyone with a passion for classic cars. The show brings together the world’s largest gathering of 300 car and motorcycle clubs with more than 3,000 iconic classic and vintage cars and motorbikes on display across seven halls at Birmingham’s NEC, November 8 to 10. As well as admiring these amazing vehicles, you’ll have the opportunity to shop from the UK’s largest indoor autojumble and specialist traders to source parts and tools for your maintenance and restoration needs.

There are also plenty of exciting things to enjoy – why not take on one of the driving experiences with HERO Arrive and Drive or

Sporting Bear’s Dream Rides? You could buy your very own classic car from the outstanding range of dealers, or at Silverstone Auctions – or just watch the spectacle of the bidding!

Get up close with a host of motoring celebrities at the talks and interviews on the Discovery Live Stage; learn new skills on maintaining and restoring the classic beauties at the Restoration Theatre; and cast your vote for winner of the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership honour. You can explore the Meguiar’s Club Showcase, and of course, most importantly, taking pride of place in the American section, is the Kingstown Shipping and RH Insurance Car of the Year competition on the Classic American stand.

New for 2019 the organisers will also be hosting one of the challenges of the RAC Rally

TEN Chances to Win!

10 pairs of general admission tickets.

To ENTER: visit www.classic-american.com and fill in your details before October 17.

6 classic-american.com

of the Tests on the Saturday afternoon. Visitors will be treated to seeing competitors complete a speed and agility test within the halls.

The show’s theme this year is Top Trumps – everyone’s favourite classic car game played over the past 40 years! Visitors can buy the show’s special edition Classic Car Top Trumps packs when they purchase their tickets and then see how clubs and exhibitors have interpreted the theme when they visit the show.

The show is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year so there’s a special focus on cars launched since its 1984 debut, meaning you can explore a ‘Modern Classics’ Hall showing a timeline of cars since 1984 and how motoring trends have changed. For more information, ticket options and booking details, visit www. necclassicmotorshow.com

There are no cash alternatives available. The winners will be the first 10 names drawn at random. Terms and conditions apply. To view the privacy policy of MMG Ltd, publisher of Classic American, please visit www. mortonsmediagroup.com/privacy

More than

£500

worth of prizes to be won!

Historic racer.

Mike Brewer.

The Stig.

Meguiar’s Econoline van.

Kingstown Shipping & RH Insurance Car of the Year Heat 7 The winner of the final heat, number seven, of this year’s Kingstown Shipping and RH Insurance Car of the Year competition is this simply superb 1970 Challenger T/A belonging to Gavin Shaw. You can read more about this stunning Mopar in our Mopar EuroNats coverage, starting on page 97. iving Best in Show and Gavin Shaw with son Ellis rece hy. trop Year the of Car the

classic-american.com 7

Classic American

News ws Words: Huw Evans

MID-ENGINE CORVETTE DEBUTS! After six decades of rumours, General Motors has finally done it – delivered the first ever mid-engine Corvette.

L

aunching as a 2020 model, with production slated to begin at the Bowling Green, Ky, assembly plant in late 2019, the eighthgeneration ’Vette represents a new direction for the original America’s Sports Car. According to GM president Mark Reuss, GM had essentially reached the limits of performance with the traditional front-engine Corvette and in order to move forward, a new direction and concept were needed.

“Our mission was to provide a new type of sports car, combining the successful attributes of Corvette with the performance and driving experience of mid-engine supercars,” said Corvette executive chief engineer Tadge Juechter.

Styling and ergonomics

Given its mid-engine configuration, in the styling department, the C8 Stingray looks radically different from any Corvette before. Some will no doubt see Ferrari-esque overtones in the car’s sculpted lines, though in a manner that dates back to the C6, the car arguably looks far more like a Corvette from the rear than the front.

Key design elements included low-profile, projector headlamps, hidden door handles and a large intake on each flank designed to aid both engine cooling and also aerodynamic efficiency.

The greenhouse itself is said to take inspiration both from Formula 1 cars and modern jet fighters, notably the F-22 and F-35. The pièce de résistance, however, is the engine cover. As has become a trend in mid-engine sports cars, the cover itself doubles as the rear hatch, exposing the powerplant for all to see.

It also serves to emphasise that the new LT2

8 classic-american.com

small-block V8 is the focal point of the 2020 Corvette and according to GM, the design necessitated the final appearance of every bolt, fastener and wire on the engine to achieve the cleanest look possible. Inside, the new Corvette boasts three different seat options: GT1, GT2 and Competition Sport. GT1 is a sporty seat designed to optimise driver comfort while providing good support during more spirited wheelmanship.

The GT2 option, which is new, embraces a more competition look for the seats but also incorporates dual-density foam to maximise comfort over longer journeys. They boast heating and ventilation, as well as carbon fibre trim and Napa leather inserts.

The Competition seat option features aggressive side bolsters, designed to keep occupants in place during spirited track driving, as well as Napa seating surfaces and special performance textile inspired by Kevlar vests.

Proving you can have your cake and eat it; th they’re ’ also l b both th heated h t d and d cooled l d units. it

Styling is more reminiscent

Greasy bits

Under the skin, despite the radical redesign and new configuration, some familiar aspects of previous Corvettes remain. Key among them is the ‘tunnel’ backbone chassis.

A centre spine, running from the front to the rear wheels, the tunnel allowed Juechter and his team of engineers to create a light, stiff structure, enabling the Corvette’s suspension to be optimised for both ride and handling, while enabling such features as a removable targa roof panel and eliminating the need for bulky rocker panels which serve as structural reinforcements on a number of other mid-engine cars.

Given current Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, saving weight was a key consideration. As a result, the 2020 Corvette uses a mixed-material structure, using a main section made from die-cast aluminium panels, plus a dashboard as well as front and rear luggage tubs made from a material called ‘float’, l / i a fib fibre glass/resin

of European exotica.

LT2 is rated at 495bhp and 470 lb ft of torque.

material that is deemed to be so light it actually ‘floats’ on water.

A major change can be found in the suspension, which now uses coilover dampers both front and rear. A clever touch is a front suspension lift system that can raise the nose of the car by 40mm in just 2.8 seconds. It’s designed to ensure the fascia is protected from scrapes and damage from steep driveways, potholes and other road obstacles. There’s also faster ratio steering (15.7:1 up from 16.25:1) and e-Boost brakes designed to deliver better stopping power, feel and tunability.

At launch, a Z51 handling package will be offered; specifically tuned suspension with manually adjustable spring seats, bigger front brakes, enhanced engine and brake cooling, specific rear axle ratio and performance exhaust.

Propulsion

Since 1955, the Corvette has offered a pushrod small-block V8 and the 2020 version continues this trend. The LT2 incorporates a low-profile oil pan and dry sump

lubrication, plus a lower mounted crankshaft that links it to the car’s rear transaxle – all conceived to achieve a lower centre of gravity and maximise handling prowess.

GM has rated the LT2 at 495bhp and 470ft-lb of torque when equipped with a performance exhaust system and Jordan Lee, global chief engineer of GM’s small-block engines, said it was designed for flexibility – maximising both low-end grunt and high-end horsepower. As is the current trend in performance cars, the Corvette’s transaxle incorporates an exclusive eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox in lieu of a conventional manual, with steering wheel paddles to allow the driver to hold gear manually.

There’s even a double-de-clutch feature that allows decoupling of the clutch by holding both paddles simultaneously. According to Tadge Juechter: “The performance shift algorithms are so driver-focused, they can sense when you’re doing spirited driving – regardless of driving mode – and will hold lower gears longer for more throttle response.” ❯❯

20 x 11in alloys at the front.

classic-american.com 9

2020 CHEVROLET CORVETTE STINGRAY

Classic Length:American

News

DIMENSIONS 182.3in 76.1in 107.2in 64.9in 62.4in 3336lb

Width: Wheelbase: Track (front): Track (rear): Weight*

ENGINE Type: 6.2-litre LT2 Small block V8 Construction: Cast-aluminium block and heads Valvetrain: OHV, single camshaft, two valves per cylinder Fuel system: Direct fuel injection with active fuel management Bore & Stroke: 4.06 x 3.62in Compression ratio: 11.5:1 Max Power** Max Torque**

495 bhp @ 6450 rpm 470ft-lb @ 5150 rpm

TRANSMISSION M1L 8-speed dual-clutch transaxle SUSPENSION Independent short/long-arm double wishbones, coilover monotube dampers (available Magnetic Selective Ride Control) Rear: Independent short/long-arm double wishbones, coilover monotube dampers (available Magnetic Selective Ride Control)

The dual-clutch gearbox also features an electric selector, meaning there is no mechanical interface between the gear lever and the transmission and an ultra-low first cog, as well as close ratio two-through six-speed ratios are designed to maximise peak engine power, while tall seventh and eighth cogs are designed to promote relaxed freeway cruising.

of the engine and gearbox too.

Additionally, the 2020 Corvette Stingray also incorporates GM’s next generation infotainment system, wireless charging, learn-as-you-go voice recognition, better real-time traffic feature and a 12-inch customisable instrument cluster that works with all six driver modes.

Additional features

Despite its move towards a more exotic configuration, GM is adamant that the Corvette remains relatively affordable in sports car terms. Although final pricing has yet to be revealed, GM has said that the 2020 Corvette will start at under $60,000 US, which still makes for an attractive buy, considering the performance available. Stay tuned for further details as we edge closer to the car’s on-sale date. ★

Being the 21st century, the eighthgeneration Corvette also boasts its fair share of technology. There’s six driver modes, Tour, Weather, Sport and Track with a new MyMode and Z mode, the latter name inspired by the Z06, ZR1 and Z51 packages. These two new modes allow the driver to personalise settings for their most suitable driving style, while the latter allows specific calibration

Front:

Six driver modes are offered.

STEERING Bosch/ZF Rack and pinion with electric power assist

Front: Rear:

BRAKES E-boosted discs with Brembo four-piston two-piece calipers (monoblock on Z51) E-boosted discs with Brembo four-piston monoblock calipers WHEELS

Front: Rear:

19 x 5in alloy 20 x 11in alloy

Front: Rear:

TYRES 245/35ZR19 Michelin Pilot Sport ALS 305/30ZR20 Michelin Pilot Sport ALS

*Dry weight ** With Performance Exhaust

C8’s very angular styling is hard to ignore.

Pricing strategy

GREAT WESTERN RAIL Keith Harman drums up all the news, views and latest stuff on the hot rod and custom scene…

R.I.P. Captain America

For anyone living in the West Country, there is only one name when it comes to V8 engine rebuilding, drag race preparation and hot rod engineering in the area, and that’s Zane Llewellyn, at Zannatech Motorsports. We could fill a few pages with Zane’s accomplishments, including his own race cars, and the cars he’s built for other people. Since Zane is currently helping us with our own 327cu in small block, we’ve been paying him a few visits recently at his modest workshop near Wells in Somerset, and while we were there we noticed this totally cool nostalgia dragster.

If seeing the Elvis movie roadster was a seminal moment for future hot rodders, for bikers all over the world, a similar thing happened just 12 years later in 1969, when Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper rode on to the screen on their radical Harley-Davidson choppers in the movie Easy Rider. Not only did it turn a whole generation of two-wheel fans on to custom motorcycles, it also challenged and changed the Hollywood domination of the film industry by the big studios forever.

Sadly, mid-way through August we lost a hero of the 20th century counter-culture with the passing of Captain America himself, Peter Fonda. Coming from an established Hollywood acting dynasty, (his father was Henry Fonda, and his sister, actress Jane) he had already starred in several ‘B-movie’ biker flicks before he teamed

KOOKIE RIDES AGAIN! It’s certainly all about the iconic machinery this month, with the news that Roy Brizio Street Rods in San Francisco has completed the full restoration of Norm Grabowski’s T-bucket hot rod, the rod that inspired and started the T-bucket craze of the Sixties and Seventies. First built as the ‘Lightning Bug’ and painted plain black, the rod, driven by Grabowski, featured in a couple of black and white hot rod films, before being repainted blue and appearing on the cover of Life magazine in 1957 1957.

Kookie’s Car clone.

2 classic-american 12

The car is a fresh build that Zane has been working on and off for a couple of years, actually for two different owners, as it’s already changed hands once, though it is yet to leave Zane’s workshop. The style follows the early Sixties short wheelbase design, updated for modern safety regs, roughly based on the famous Mooneyes dragster.

It’s already been fitted with a Zane-built torsion bar mounted tube axle at the front, and a Ford nine-inch rear. The motor is a blown 1954 331cu in Chrysler Hemi, with a 6-71 magnesium blower, and it will drive through a GM Powerglide transmission.

Peter Fonda on Captain America at Goodwood.

up with Dennis Hopper to make Easy Rider, also an important movie for Jack Nicholson’s career.

If you never saw Easy Rider however, as a car guy or gal, you may have been introduced to Fonda in the movie Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry. With totally hot co-star Susan George, Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry sees him as yet another anti-hero, this time at the wheel of a thundering lime green Dodge Charger. If you haven’t seen either film yet, well, what can we say… you really should!

R.I.P. Peter Fonda (1940-2019).

From that, the eye-catching car soon found its way in front of the cameras again, starring in the TV series 77 Sunset Strip where it gained the nickname ‘Kookie’s Car’ after the young lead actor in the series. It was also the key to Norm himself having a career in the film industry, with many supporting roles played. Norm sold the car in the Sixties and it all but disappeared, the new owner adding his own less than complimentary modifications to the car, while also disguising its origins. In the meantime, several clones were built (our accompanying picture is one of them), but the real thing reappeared and was sold at auction in early 2018.

Fortunately the buyers chose to have the car restored to its former glory, and this was completed in August, in time for this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, which now allows historically significant hot rods alongside the high-end classics.

ELVIS’S CAR HAS LEFT THE BUILDING….

We expect the first time many English audiences first saw a genuine American hot rod anywhere was in 1957, when Elvis Presley roared on to the screen at the wheel of this cool 1929 Ford Model A Roadster in the film Loving You, Elvis’s first big-time starring role. The car was built by John Athan in 1938, and with a ’29 body on ’32 rails, and a Ford flathead V8 up front, it was the quintessential traditional hot rod with a look that is still popular and much copied today.

Apparently Elvis had tried to buy the car after filming was finished, but it was not for sale, and remained part of John Athan’s collection where it spent several decades in storage, though it was taken out and restored back in the Nineties, following which it was also on display in the Wally Parks NHRA museum for a while.

By the time you read this, however, the car will have eventually been offered for sale for the very first time, as it went to auction with Kruse GWS Auctions on August 31 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood. We can’t imagine what the final hammer price will be with an Elvis movie provenance, and since the auction falls after this month’s magazine print deadline, you may just have to wait until next month to find out!

All bets are off for the final hammer price.

Richard Heseltine

From

here to

obscurity

OLDSMOBILE J-TR The demise of GM’s Motorama travelling circus didn’t mean the end of wild and wonderful show cars, as this one-hit wonder from 1963 illustrates; meet the Oldsmobile J-TR, which enjoyed more than a little bit of custom European exotica…

C

oncept cars come and go, with only a few earning legendary status. The example pictured here wasn’t among their number, but it wasn’t without influence. The narrative stretches back to 1961 when General Motors shuttered its much-hyped Motorama travelling motor shows.

This also resulted in far fewer one-off flights of fantasy being made by the biggest of Detroit’s Big Three. Greater emphasis would henceforth be placed on presenting cars that foretold what would be appearing in showrooms in a few years’ time rather than in another half-a-century.

The Oldsmobile J-TR was one such offering.

While based on a standard F-85 convertible, it received a makeover under the watchful eye of GM’s styling czar, Bill Mitchell. Distinct from the production model, the J-TR boasted slender front quarter bumpers, and a minimalist grille, complete with rectangular headlights (French Cibie items). Simple ‘racing’ stripes were added to the hood and flanks, the sill rocker panels featuring faux louvres and stainless steel exhaust outlets (non-functioning, naturally…). The quarter bumper theme was echoed at the rear,

while the tail-light clusters were frenched-in. The wheels were elaborately cast alloys with knock-off hubs, the wheel arches having been widened ever so slightly, while the paint was a striking shade of metallic Fire Frost Silver.

Inside, the cabin was even more outré than the exterior, with a specially made instrument panel which housed four circular gauges in place of the rectangular items of the standard F-85.

Then there were brushed aluminium door cards and leather upholstery. And let’s not forget the wood-rim Nardi steering wheel for the full Euroexotic vibe, four bucket seats and the ‘full-length floor console’. As for the running gear, therein lies a mystery. The PR bumf hinted that it had a turbocharged, all-aluminium Jetfire V8 which was only offered on the coupe production model, but without explicitly admitting as much. No performance figures were proffered.

The J-TR was unveiled at the February 1963 Chicago Automobile Show, alongside the gold 98 convertible-based El Torero. Two months later, it was displayed at the New York International Motor Show where it shared the

stage at the Coliseum with the reigning Miss America, Jackie Mayer. Her, and El Torero and another show stopper, the Custom Cutlass.

The cars appeared in umpteen specialist car titles, with customising mags in particular talking up a storm about the styling tweaks. It wasn’t beyond the skills of talented metal-wielders to replicate such design flourishes, they reasoned, and you could argue that many did. Several historians are quick to point out how George Barris appropriated the headlight/grille treatment for the famous/notorious Sonny and Cher Ford Mustang makeovers.

As to what happened to the Oldsmobile J-TR subsequently, that’s anyone’s guess.

Unsubstantiated rumours suggest that Mitchell used the car for a spell. This isn’t particularly fanciful given that he enjoyed ‘borrowing’ several GM concept cars. However, it is widely held that the car, along with the other Oldsmobile show queens from 1963, were destroyed on the quiet once they were of no further use.

Certain members of this parish would love to create a replica of the J-TR, mind…

Richard Heseltine’s weird and wonderful American cars from the past.

2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock.

Huw Evans

Across

the pond

RAM RENAISSANCE Evans looks at why ‘Classic’ models are a significant part of brand success…

A

lthough new vehicle sales in North America continue to cool, there have been some notable bright spots. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has seen demand for its Ram and Jeep branded vehicles surge in recent months.

In fact, during June, Ram sales reached almost 70,000 units – putting the truck brand squarely in Ford F-150 territory. Granted, the redesigned Ram 1500 has been receiving acclaim left and right, with its bevy of technology features appealing to a specific range of customers. But perhaps an even bigger success story lies behind FCA’s sales strategy for the Ram pick-ups – essentially, a two-pronged attack.

Alongside the current Ram 1500, dealers are also continuing to sell the previous generation ‘Classic’ model, which in some cases is making up as much as a third of all sales.

Having both trucks in the market at the same time is allowing FCA to broaden market appeal, enabling the new truck to go after potential conquest customers from Ford, Chevy, GMC and Toyota, while allowing the Classic to fill in potential holes in the market, including bargain hunters, fleet customers and buyers that simply aren’t ready for higher payments and greater complexity.

At the time of writing, FCA CEO Mike Manley hasn’t said how long the Classic will remain in production, but most believe it will be at least until the end of the year. Selling previous generation vehicles alongside their successors isn’t a new concept – GM and Ford did it with their mid-size passenger cars in the Eighties,

allowing proven rear-drive stalwarts to be sold alongside newer front-drive replacements, while a little over a decade ago, Ford continued to offer the evergreen Taurus alongside its erstwhile successor the Five Hundred (which was later renamed Taurus anyway).

With the Ram Classic however, FCA might just be on to something. Full-size pick-ups remain the bread and butter for Detroit automakers, especially as passenger car sales continue to decline and from some angles it makes sense to cover every possible sector of the market, whether it’s with your latest all singing, all dancing pick-up, or the old standby that’s been around since 2013.

A big advantage for FCA and its stateside retail network right now is that because the margins on the previous generation Ram are much greater, there’s more room for incentives, with dealers in some cases able to offer double the rebates on the Classic compared with the latest Ram 1500 and on a truck with a less expensive base price to begin with.

Besides pricing, another benefit is having a wider variety of options and features. As time goes by, it seems that fewer individual options are available on most vehicles as OEMs look to consolidate costs by grouping previous options into ‘packages’. Today, for example, it’s not possible to order a full-size pick-up with a manual gearbox, while traditional features such as bench seats, regular cabs and 8ft boxes are now few and far between, often replaced by leather buckets, full-length consoles and semi-useless

5ft beds. Yet given the opportunity, there are still a significant amount of customers that want the former rather than the latter, provided it’s actually offered to them.

Let’s say you’re a fleet buyer looking to procure a number of half-ton pick-ups for your contracting business. You need a batch of sturdy, reliable trucks at an attractive price point with a minimal number of frills. Chances are if you’re shopping around right now, you’d be hard pressed to come up with a better offer than a slew of regular cab, 8ft box Ram Classics through one of the current discount sales events on offer.

The success of the Ram Classic might seem merely a short-term ploy to boost the bottom line but I can’t help but wonder if there’s more to it than that.

In the last two decades, OEMs have been accelerating the amount of technology they pack into vehicles, as well as the redesigns of the cars and trucks themselves. Yet studies from research companies such as J D Power continue to show that many buyers are simply overwhelmed at the level of technology and features offered in the latest cars and trucks and this can have a decidedly negative impact on customer satisfaction ratings.

Furthermore, frequent vehicle redesigns and updates are not only expensive, they can also erode brand equity long-term if not carefully considered. Change is often good and needed, but change for the sake of change itself can be detrimental. As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

Huw Evans – news & views from North America

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