Where did the variety go?

Even though I wasn't alive back in the day I know you could find one model of car in a plethora of body styles from el camino, to wagon, to sedan, to coupe, to hatch, to convertible, etc.

Where did all the variety go? The internet full of images makes yesteryear look like it had some cool options, especially for sleepers. Even the camry used to be available in a few flavors, hatch, two door, wagon, etc.

I just watched a video of an older 626 wagon (non-US) with a giant turbo running a 12 second quarter mile. That sort of odd ball stuff is awesome and dying out.

You should post a link to that video.

You know, to help get the ball rolling

I was thinking about this the other day. Nowadays the closest you can get is 3 series (coupe, sedan, wagon, convertible), CTS (coupe, sedan, wagon), and E-class Mercedes (sedan, convertible, wagon... coupe?).

I hear the stories from the old-timers of going down to the (Enter Your Make Here) Dealer and ORDERING the car they wanted and waiting a couple months for it. I've heard it all, everything from a base model car loaded with every accessory possible or a factory hot rod with dog dish hub caps. Nowadays you virtually have to buy whats on the lot. You have to make compromises and settle for something you didn't want.

Oh and BTW, I like that in that picture, the difference between the Sport Sedan and 4-Door Sedan is a b-pillar.

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid:

Me too. I remember back in '95 trying to get the S10 I wanted. It was nothing special 4.3, 5spd, 3.42 rear gear, 2wd, regular cab, and short box. I really didn't care on exterior color, wanted blue-ish tho, but had to be gray interior. Went to the biggest Chevy dealer in the area, Berger Chevrolet btw, met a sales person while out in the lot..... If you didn't figure it out by now, totally got blown off with a lot of "can't do that"'s. I pushed for a locate but no go. Too bad he lost out on a guaranteed 15k sale, as I already needed a vehicle after rearending an Astro van and was ready to pay full retail for it or close to it.

Now, I wasn't privvy to dealer sales, but with the "Big" Three, I believe they only get a certain number of vehicles they can order per quarter/year. Their only way to get more vehicles to to sell more vehicles. I think that is why you see so many blah, boring slushboxes on the lots. They are getting what that 90% of the population will drive.

How does this square with the mantra we keep hearing (every ten years, if it's Chrysler) that "From now on, we're turning over a new leaf: we won't build a car unless somebody orders it"?

Or is this just bafflegab and it's really still Business as Usual?

A friend of mine has a 1973 Formula 400 that was a special order by it's previous owner.

Firebird 400

4-speed

Ram-Air package

3:90 Safe-T-Track rear axle (posi)

That's it.

Don't take it out in slippery conditions

Is that a Chevy or Pontiac? I had a 70 Pontiac that looked disturbingly like it. The Sedan version, that is.

You should still be able to order a vehicle, at least from the domestics. A guy that I work with spec'd and ordered a new Chevy truck last year. He had to wait about two or three months for it and, naturally, he wasn't happy with it when it arrived.

Of course, he's an enormous shiny happy person.

That's why I like MINIs....order exactly what you want, weight 8 weeks...get car.

Per

I hear Ferrari will let you order anything you want right down to hand-made parts, mixed custom paints, hand stitched interiors and matching luggage and apparel to go with it. In fact - they will even breed you an Ascot with complimentary pigments.

You can get your appliance in Refrigerator White, Avocado, or Harvest Gold. What more do you want?!

Per Schroeder wrote: That's why I like MINIs....order exactly what you want, weight 8 weeks...get car. Per

I'm assuming that the misspelling is your subconscious agreeing that they weigh too much. :)

Nah, he has too much Irn Bru pumping through his bloodstream this morning.

You can still order cars. Most people don't because they want it NOW. If the dealer you go to won't order one, get on the horn and call others.

Nitroracer wrote: Even though I wasn't alive back in the day I know you could find one model of car in a plethora of body styles from el camino, to wagon, to sedan, to coupe, to hatch, to convertible, etc. Where did all the variety go? The internet full of images makes yesteryear look like it had some cool options, especially for sleepers. Even the camry used to be available in a few flavors, hatch, two door, wagon, etc. I just watched a video of an older 626 wagon (non-US) with a giant turbo running a 12 second quarter mile. That sort of odd ball stuff is awesome and dying out.

Ah.... you've probably found "jesiotrot," i see....

I want a 626 wagon BADLY. I wish they had brought them here.

But we still got variety. We got the coupe (MX6 88+, still called 626 coupe prior to that), we got the 4 door sedan, and the 4 door "touring" hatch, in either manual, automatic, n/a, or turbo, with or without 4ws. Any combination was possible. We were only missing the wagon.

But yes, it's dying out, and i hate it.

You used to have a wide variety of exterior colors, not just silver, gray, blah, and white. You also had your choice of interior colors.

Of course that did create some issues on the dealer level when they found themselves stuck with an unpopular combinations.

There's still variety. A little, at least.

Coupe, Sedan, Wagon, V6, V8, manual, automatic, AWD, RWD...options. Be sure to bring your checkbook.

I'm sure there will be a convertible CTS eventually.

I remember test-driving a turbocharged 626 4 door hatchback back in the late 80's. Haven't seen one of those in nearly forever.

My friend's dad had a '70 Catalina wagon with a 3 on the tree, custom ordered. In the '80s they converted it to a 4 on the floor, but the only way they could get the linkage to work was to reverse the pattern. It was awesome.

A little newer, my friend ordered a 360 Dakota exactly the way he wanted it in the very late '90s. You just have to find a dealer that is interested.

The 4th Gen Civic came as a 2-door coupe, 3-door hatch, 4 door sedan, 5-door wagon, and 5-door crossover with AWD. Plus it had special economy (HX) and sport (Si) versions and could be had with a manual or automatic.

I don't think we are as far away as you think though, the automakers are just better at mixing platforms. Look at the Lancer, Lancer EVO, Lancer Sportback, and Outlander Sport.

Hrmmm.... 5th gen Celica came as:

ST Coupe
GT Coupe
GT Hatch
GTS Hatch
AllTrac
GT Convertible

4th gen actually had more...

ST Coupe
GT Coupe
GT Hatch
GTS Coupe
GTS Hatch
GT Convertible
rare GTS convertible
AllTrac

I still REALLY want a 4th gen GTS Coupe.

I walked into many Chevrolet Dealers in the Chicago Western Suburbs and asked to order a 1994 S10 Blazer under the GM Employee discount plan with a special front bench seat (60/40).

Sure, give us a $1,000 deposit.

I walked into the Elburn, Illinois Chevrolet dealer.........deposit? nah, we'll order it for you. Four weeks later I had a new S10 4x4 Blazer.

Offering too many options and versions is one of the reasons that the Big Three didnt make it intact to 2010. Economically, the one size fits all model works. It just aint much fun and doesnt fit if you are on the extreme edges of the model. By definition, that is the bulk of GRM readership.

the last car i remember having that was special ordered(i didnt order it but sticker was still in glovebox with the order #) was a 1991 cutlass supreme. it was your basic 4 door sedan. manual locks and windows, no cruise, am/fm radio only, manual seats. basically a zero option stripper get you in the door for $9995 to sell you the $14995 model. however, this one was ordered with the big 3.4L DOHC engine, floor shift with buckets, and the sport suspension with 16" wheels instead of the base 14's. it was pretty cool actually.

Dealers used to offer their own options too - the Yenko Camaro is a fine example.

The way BMW, Porsche, etc handle this is thru a department where buyers can pay a premium (BMW == $1000 + option costs) and get something different special ordered. It lets the 95% 'ers order from the menu and the minority pay and wait. That way they make money catering to a few. The big three made it SOP and could not afford to keep it up.