ACtion Magazine - July 2013 - (Page 12)

Leonard’s Law Why we buy Keith N. Leonard Esquire ow many readers remember “muscle cars” – a two door sports coupe with a powerful engine designed for highperformance driving? The heyday of muscle cars was in the 1950s and 1960s, when gasoline was leaded and priced at under thirty cents a gallon. While the popularity of muscle cars has waned substantially since that era, muscle cars are still being sold. The Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Charger, and Ford Mustang are still on the road; though most often as models produced in the last few years rather than as maintained in classic form. Among the recognized classic muscle cars are the 1968 Pontiac Firebird, the 1969 Dodge Charger, the 1970 Ford Mustang (and the 1967 Shelby Mustang), and the 1969 Chevrolet Z28 Camaro. There are multiple potential answers to what led to the dropoff in the production of muscle cars beginning in the 1970s. One answer is the energy crisis of 1973 when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) dramatically cut oil exports to the United States. The result was an almost immediate shortage of gasoline and the beginning of regular increases in gasoline prices. It also became significantly more expensive H 12 ACTION • July/August 2013 to insure such high performance cars. Stricter environmental regulations have also been adopted, resulting in a number of power-sapping measures in cars including lowered compression ratios and more restrictive intakes. The American public then began demanding more fuel efficient vehicles and cheaper cars; which often meant import cars. Among those foreign manufacturers is the Toyota Motor Company, and its first Americanized car was the 1964 Toyota Corona PT20. This car had a 90 gross-horsepower engine with a top speed of ninety miles per hour. By comparison, the Mustang (first introduced that same year) was produced with horsepower ratings of from 101 to 271. And the 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 had 355 horsepower. Within three years of introducing the Toyota Corona PT20, Toyota had become established in the United States, producing cars with a good balance of performance, gas mileage, and comfort. The 1973 energy crisis, followed by another crisis in 1979, only fueled the search and demand for more fuel efficient vehicles. In the 1980s, there was a resurgence of sorts in the demand for muscle cars (which did not last). Due to a lack of choices in imports characterized as muscle cars, most of the demand then was focused on General Motors (the Camaro and the Firebird) and Ford (the Mustang). Technology also allowed manufacturers to get better performance from cars even with less horsepower in them. Has the decline in the popularity of muscle cars simply been due to fuel economy with gasoline prices approaching $4.00 per gallon? Many early Mustangs get up to 20 MPG on the highway. Chevrolet muscle cars of that same era commonly get between 10 and 17 MPG. The Ford F150 is currently the most popular pickup truck sold in America and the average MPG for the 2013 model is around 16. The 2013 Honda CR-V averages closer to 27 MPG. Instead of gas mileage alone, maybe age and practicality apply as well. Two door muscle cars are just not a great fit for car seats and the latest trip to Sam’s Club. Moreover, some fifty-four percent of the American population is between the ages of 15 and 54, with only about twenty-five percent being over 55 years old. Thus, most Americans of driving age have lived when fuel economy is inevitably touted when buying a car; a merger of marketing and environmental consciousness. Regardless, you find yourself staring at a muscle car whenever one passes by and thinking of the fun of driving one. ❆ Remember that laws are constantly changing and are often not uniform throughout the United States. Do not place unqualified reliance on the information in this article. Always contact legal counsel for detailed advice. If you have a particular issue, law or problem you would like to see addressed in a future column, please contact me at KLeonard@ LeonardSciolla.com, or Leonard, Sciolla, Hutchison, Leonard & Tinari, LLP 215-567-1530. , http://www.macsw.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - July 2013

ACtion Magazine - July 2013
Contents
Outlook
Freeze Frame
Virtual View
Leonard’s Law
Cooling Corner
Member Profile
News & Updates
Motorhome Air Conditioning
How Low Can You Go?
Quick Check
Association News
Classified
New Products & Services
Last Watch

ACtion Magazine - July 2013