More on the Auto Industry from Wayne Goldman

Here’s an additional conversation with Wayne Goldman that I thought readers would find interesting. I happened to have rented an Audi A4 diesel when I was in Spain a couple of weeks ago that got well over 50 MPG. I remember wondering if we’re so concerned about gas mileage why we couldn’t have such a car in the US. But I forgot about that until Wayne wrote back to me as follows:

I’ll put together an outline of an article for your feedback…actually, I’m down on the entire automotive industry…I’ve been a car buff since the 50’s when I was driving a supercharged street rod…I’ve owned a wide assortment of classic sports cars and have seen the auto industry push the gimmicks rather then the technology…I was in California in the mid 50’s when the Volkswagen Beetle became the hot car…I could not believe how a car that was so different from the typical Detroit iron became such a fad…I bought one in 1956 and I started to believe that honest engineering would succeed…we really don’t need 3,000 to 4,000 pound vehicles as commuters…

We will only be able to live on this planet when we accept the fact that we are throwing away our resources by designing and building homes and cars that are not liveable…If Lotus can build a sports car with an 1,800 cc Toyota engine that can compete with Corvettes and Ferraris…and the Europeans are getting 50 MPG with their diesel powered cars…why can’t we utilize existing proven technology in this country…we’re the wealthiest country on earth and we don’t have high speed trains…something is wrong…I’m 75 and still riding my motorcycle…Sorry but I had to get that off my chest…I feel better already…

I wrote back: Yes.  Something, indeed, is wrong.