“This is the Motor City, and this is what we do.“
The Chrysler ad featured during the Super Bowl was inspiring. Just not in a way the producers of the ad may have been thinking.
Instead of pimping a distinctly mediocre Chrysler 200 (formerly Sebring) sedan that was unconvincingly shown as the ride of choice for rapper Eminem (a car that NO rapper would be caught looking at, let alone even driving), the Big 2.5 (Ford, GM, Chrysler) perhaps should consider going in together on this effective imagery and voiceover as an ad for Detroit and all American brands in general.
Despite the fact that much of Detroit (Big 2.5’s) plight is directly attributable to the ineptitude of both owners, labor unions, and *gasp* government during the 70s, 80s, 90s, I remain a sympathetic supporter to the current plight of the American auto companies and their workers. “Why?”, you may ask. Because this country is broad and varied and reflected in the vast network of roads found. Driving is an inherent part of the modern American life and landscape, there’s no escaping it, and that is why this country has more jobs and people and taxpayers working in the auto and auto-related industries than any other. Our love of automobilia is so great, we have made multiple long-standing national sports of the auto.
Therefore, I don’t appreciate a government, that is supposed to represent said people, seemingly bent on proselytizing itself to the unrealistic vision of an automotive future purported by those who think everyone should be driving ultra-eco-friendly pudwagons (Toyota Priuses, et al.) simply because (of course) they ‘know best’. I don’t appreciate a government whose myopic motoring vision fails to understand or account for varied driving environments and requirements in the 98% of area found between the coasts. No one type of vehicle is the solution. Can the factories produce these government-blessed pudwagons? Yes, of course. Why don’t they? Because few people actually buy them. Why? Because they are far from the best value for the money and because they don’t do what the driver needs. One-size-fits-all is never a good solution (outside of a communist regime that is), and for government to shame-and-blame ‘Detroit’ is the perfect solution for gnawing on the digits that provide your sustenance.
Demand dictates supply, not vice-versa, so to our governments – SUPPORT them all and allow them the space to retool and rebuild what was once the envy of the industrial world. To the remaining American marques – go out and race and learn on a variety of tracks and take that knowledge to the showrooms of America. For a more clearly stated thought on racing in America, I submit you to the Autoextremist Peter deLorenzo and his current thoughts on the subject.
Work together, for a better motoring tomorrow, because if we don’t, someone else will, and when they do, it will be at our own demise.
