<VV> Not quite

[Padgett]

>"Overnight (Jan 1, 1968) two entire classes of cars were completed wiped
>out in the US. Small lightweight economy cars and low slung sports cars,

Not really, they just evolved. The Vega/Pinto series were both intended for 
the '70s and were smaller than the Corvair/Falcon. That both the Pinto and 
the Vega had fatal flaws was not the issue (I have had several Vegas, a 
steel-sleeved Astre wagon that I really liked, and a V-8 Sunbird (glorified 
Vega) I kept for over 20 years).

The problem was that the bulk of the American public did not and never has 
wanted truly small cars (and apparently still doesn't).

Now the rule changes of 1968 really did not take effect until the mid-70's 
though GM was usually a year ahead in compliance. True, some of the early 
measures were really crude (lowered compression and retarded timing) but by 
1980 were pretty much understood and today's computer cars are a world more 
efficient than the cars of 1973 (which had the worst CAFE AFAIR,  something 
like 12.5 mpg).

Also bumper laws had a noticable effect on "low slung sports cars" which 
was not all bad (had a good friend very seriously injured when his Lotus 
Elan ran under a Lincoln). Many european companies just decided there were 
no enough sales in the US to justify one-market models. Convertibles were 
always a "loss leader" (in the mid-70s *all* GM convertibles used the same 
top and made by the same non-GM company. It was cheaper to farm them out 
than for GM to build a small number). Today they have come back because the 
carmakers have time again but only in specific model lines.

So each element is really complex when you look at all of the pressures and 
federal regulation were just part (and often an excuse).

Padgett