While 1973 wasn't exactly a banner year for the United States, it did kick off one of the biggest changes in the automotive industry. A period most people would wish to forget. However, this period would end up changing what we know as personal cars forever.
"That's what's wrong with this country; nobody asks questions anymore!" -Rob Reiner - "All In The Family"
It's always good to look at history before delving into the details. While there are many speculative reasons changes came about, many of them are still disputed to this day. The most agreed upon cause was the 1973 Oil Crisis. Similar to the unrest still found in the Middle East today compiled with the ongoing Cold War (at the time) caused countries to take sides. As the United States was a supporter of Israel, this created even more tension with the Soviet Union and its supporters (Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, and Qatar). During the time of the Yom Kippur war where the US aided Israel, the previously mentioned countries raised oil prices by 17% and announced production cuts. Three days later, Libya announced an oil embargo to the US with Saudi Arabia and other Arab oil producers to follow suit the next day. Following this, the US decided to engage in fuel rationing which resulted in lines at gas stations.
Another more speculative reason was the 1973-74 stock market crash. In the period from the beginning of 1973 and the end of 1974, the New York Stock Exchange lost over 45% of its value which came after 1972's 15% increase. With this crash, also came a 2.1% drop in the US's GDP growth, and a 12.3% increase on inflation.
"Big cars mean big profits!"
1973 was a time where American automakers offered anything from a a 1.6L I4 found in the Ford Pinto, all the way up to an 8.2L (yes, that's right) found in the Cadillac Eldorado. The idea of big cars mean big profits was a common mantra among the big four Detroit Automakers, and previous failed attempts of small cars made the Motor City nervous from straying away from their proven method of making full sized cars.
However, once the oil embargo took place, Americans realized they couldn't stand by cars which got 15mpg at best, and ended up flocking to the Japanese automakers and Volkswagen which had already set a foot stateside with small efficient cars. The American automakers immediately reacted, but the damage was already done. Unable to shed the big cars mean big profits idea, and having no foresight into the impact of the oil embargo, the foreign automakers took market share away from the Americans who were scrambling to come up with something to compete.
"This is a massive 'Oh cock!' " -James May
We can look back now and ask ourselves: What the hell were we thinking? And rightly so. In response to the Asian invasion, the Americans came up with some very, very, very questionable decisions.
From AMC came the Pacer. Ford unveiled the Mustang II. From GM came the Chevette. And from Chrysler was a plethora of rebadged Mitsubishi products.
*mega facepalm*
With the surge to buy small cars, automakers had to make their midsize and full size cars more appealing by offering: sport packages, unique paint schemes, faux-luxury trim in base model cars (read Brougham and Landau packages), and other unique features which the competition didn't have. But the poor fuel economy and poor performance, due to new emissions legislation (Thanks
"Things that make you go hmm..."
But was this all bad?
When people typically think of malaise-era cars, it's typically towards the effects on the muscle cars: Mustang, Challenger, Javelin, Corvette, Camaro, Trans Am, etc.
The idea of a Mustang with 130hp out of a 5.0L isn't steller. Period.
But there were three groups which changed the face of the auto industry in this time.
Muscle cars. Big cars. Small cars.
"Hey Little Cobra, don't you know you're gonna shut 'em down!"
Ford pulled off fast with the offering of the Mustang II. As much as the car is poo-poo'd today, it ended up as an amazing seller for the Dearborn automaker. Just under 300,000 ponies were sold in 1974. A feat which has only been beat once (1979) since then.
GM followed with a more aerodynamic muscle car lineup across the board.
Lesson learned? For all of the American automakers, it forced engineers to look at a new approach for high performance engines. Anything under 10mpg was no longer acceptable. While it took quite a while (1985 to be exact) for them to get the formula somewhat right and offer performance cars which put out over 200 hp, but still get semi-respectable fuel economy. This is one of the industry's strongest lesson learned as it's still a mission to get maximum power and fuel economy. (Yes, legislation has a large part to do with this as well)
"This isn't your father's Oldsmobile"
Ford LTD. Chevrolet Impala. Dodge Monaco.
Mercury Grand Marquis. Oldsmobile 98. Some Chrysler Corp. variant.
Lincoln Continental. Cadillac DeVille. Chrysler New Yorker.
All full sized cars which were changed big time by the malaise era.
By the end of the 70's, the full size car was no longer 19 feet long with a gas chugging V8. By 1979, no automaker offered an engine larger than 400 in³ as standard equipment, and rarely anything larger than a 425 in³ as an option.
TIME magazine called it "an amazing shrinking act", an article which Ford used in 1978 touting the size of the LTD, before shrinking the car 15 inches the following year.
Lesson learned? Similar to the muscle cars, consumers shouted for better fuel economy as well as better drive-ability. Into the 80's, full sized cars averaged a length of 209 inches. Compared to 227 inches just a couple years earlier. Along with the smaller size, automakers also introduced smaller yet more powerful engines, which were still V8's. Automakers also stopped including uniquely 70's options such as retractable headlight covers, multiple interior colors, fender skirts, and landau roofs. Trim levels were also reduced to two or three per vehicle.
What does the future hold? For a full sized car, the future isn't too pretty. Ford produced the last true full sized car (body on frame) in 2011. With consumer desire for better fuel economy, and the growing acceptance of smaller cars and crossovers, the demand for full sized cars is waning, and could be extinct within the next decade.
"It's a Yugo. It's built for economy, not speed." -Samuel L. Jackson - Die Hard With A Vengeance
Small cars the biggest change to the American auto industry since the assembly line. Seriously. By the beginning of the 1980's into the 90's, The Big
After experiences with Honda, Toyota, Datsun, and Volkswagen, American consumers started coming around again to the Americans.
Small and compact cars exploded (literally in some cases, Ford Pinto) onto the streets from all automakers.
Ford had the Escort and Tempo. GM had the Chevette and introduced the Geo brand for economy cars. Chrysler had the K-Car party. All of the automakers had more compact and subcompact offerings than ever before. Despite a recession in the early 80's and economic tension towards the end of the decade, Americans started buying small cars, much to the happiness of the automakers.
Lesson learned? Offer something for everyone. Not everyone can own or wants to own a full sized car for a daily commute in downtown city traffic. Just because a compact doesn't offer as much profit as a pick up truck, doesn't mean it's not worth the effort. The other lesson learned in this category (which would catch on everywhere), particularly from the Japanese was the idea of platform sharing and being able to share components across multiple vehicles.
"What we're about to do is about as dangerous as... inviting your mum over for an evening on ChatRoulette" -Jeremy Clarkson
The malaise-era cars should never be forgot. There is a plethora of lessons learned which shouldn't be repeated ever again. Ever.
Appreciate these cars, as tacky and ridiculous as some may be. Drive one. Own one. Wonder why you bought one, and smile.
Love the cheesy yellow, orange, and brown stripe paint theme.
Adore the landau roof. Extra points if it's padded.
Appreciate the wall-to-wall porno red interior. Bonus for Naugahyde.
Lust over the absolutely unnecessary use of fake wood grain paneling, both on the interior and exterior.
Enjoy the precise handling comparative only to an ocean liner.
Hanker over the knowledge that the seatbelt is your only safety device, but feel reassured you're surrounded by two tons of steel.
Relish the anemic engine. Regardless of size, it's under-powered.
Cherish the abundant use of chrome. Everywhere. Again, unnecessarily.
Create a fondness for the ability to fix six adults in a car without someone shouting "move your damn seat up!"
Delight over the absolutely horrible build quality.
And respect these cars. For without them, we would still accept 9 mpg, everything would have a V8, quality would be worse than what comes out of China, and we'd still be looking as boxy as a UPS van.
