They Don't Make 'em Like They Used To

I was in a conversation recently, the subject of which was along the lines of "they don't make them like they used to." My point, naturally, was that indeed they don't make them like they used to and that's a good thing. Today's cars are so much better in every way (other, arguably, than styling) that older cars can barely be compared in any useful manner. Anyway, that got me to thinking about all the choices there are today (over 430 cars, light trucks, minivans, etc.) compared to 50 years ago, so I thought I'd compile a list of what was available back in 1949. Here it is:

Domestic Cars

Buick
Cadillac
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Crosley
Desoto
Dodge
Ford
Hudson
Jeep
Kaiser
Lincoln
Mercury
Nash
Oldsmobile
Plymouth
Pontiac
Studebaker
Packard
Tucker
Willis

Foreign Cars

Rolls Royce
Bentley
Jaguar
Peugeot
Mercedes
Volkswagen
MG

Of the domestic cars, only 10 brands survive. Foreign makes, however, only lost one brand: MG. Granted, VW only sold 2 or 3 cars in the U.S. that year, but you can't help but notice that all of them were European. There were 28 marques sold in the U.S., versus 34 today. Domestic makes such as DeSoto, Plymouth, Olds and Studebaker have been replaced by Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Suzuki and Subaru. Korea has given us Kia and Hyundai.

A fairly substantial number of makes, even foreign, have come and gone over the past 5 decades. Peugeot, Renault, Daewoo, Diahatsu, Bricklin, DeLorean, Sunbeam, Triumph, Healey, Borgward and even the little Amphicar have left the marketplace, each leaving its distinctive mark.

What all this means to me is that it isn't the end of an era, just more like the passing of a baton. Automotive history is rich with stories of startup companies that had a lifespan of a few years or a few decades at most. The "norm" in the industry is one of sprinters rather than long distance runners. Those brands that have been around for 50, 60 or up to or slightly over 100 years are the exceptions rather than the rule.

Besides, doesn't the fact that a given car isn't made anymore make it all the more desirable?