Monday, September 24, 2018
Is it recessed in here, or is it just you?
Crappy convective thought.
Reading a Collectible Auto article on GM's annus horribilis in 1958. Lots of detailed facts and figures.
We normally assume that "a recession started" in October 1957, and the recession drastically cut down car sales.
The facts and dates actually fit a different causation.
GM's horrible cars came out in Oct 1957. All of them were dramatically uglier and worse than the '57s. GM suffered worst from "the recession", and its millions of indirect employees suffered along with it. Ford was somewhat less horrible, but Edsel's front cunt ruined the corporate reputation. Chrysler products were attractive, but their '57s were poorly built so the '58s sold badly.
Rambler didn't have a recession. Rambler had a BOOM in 1958, which continued through 1962. Even after the Big Three introduced their own compacts, Rambler sales kept increasing. It wasn't just about price or size, it was about a superior product.
If people are actually losing money, they are less able to buy NEW CARS in general. They don't suddenly start buying a different type of new car.
Was this another result of GM owning the conversation? GM's failure can't be GM's fault. It has to be a mysterious spiritual thing called a "recession".
Labels: Constants and Variables
¶ 4:53 PM
