The decline of civilization

[Peter Coomaraswamy]

Walking out of my local supermarket I spotted this beauty and it occurred to me that with all the modern technology we posses we can't equal the beauty we created just 20 years ago. I only wish I was a better photographer.

 

[autokunst]

Love the 740! When it came out, it seemed HUGE to me. But as cars these days keep getting bigger, my perspective has been tempered and it looks more manageable (sporty) to me now. I worked at a BMW dealership back when the E32 7 series chassis came out - it was so comfortable, like driving around in your living room.

 

[aearch]

though you meant a women looking for pics

 

[Markos]

I only wish I was a better photographer.

Agreed. You could have at least walked around the 535i and the Ford Edge before snapping the pic:

Okay so 20 years old. I can hardly make it out. Is it a 1999 Toyota Camry? I see the quintessential missing front hubcap. Was there a dent under the drivers-side tail?

 

[Ohmess]

Worse than the lack of either styling or soul are the design features being incorporated into new cars. From black boxes that track how we drive to nanny systems that, without being invited, interject themselves into the driving process to entertainment systems that become more and more distracting with each passing year.

My wife's E Class has a collision avoidance system that chirps at me if I don't slow as much as it thinks I should when folks in front of me depart my lane. It also has a lane departure system that grunts and pulses the steering wheel if I attempt to use all the available tarmac.

And I am told all new cars being sold in Europe will soon be programmed so as to be incapable of exceeding the speed limit. I'm no marketing genius, but I'm guessing the market for an ultimate driving machine that always obeys speed limits is pretty small.

 

[CSteve]

Worse than the lack of either styling or soul are the design features being incorporated into new cars. From black boxes that track how we drive to nanny systems that, without being invited, interject themselves into the driving process to entertainment systems that become more and more distracting with each passing year.

My wife's E Class has a collision avoidance system that chirps at me if I don't slow as much as it thinks I should when folks in front of me depart my lane. It also has a lane departure system that grunts and pulses the steering wheel if I attempt to use all the available tarmac.

And I am told all new cars being sold in Europe will soon be programmed so as to be incapable of exceeding the speed limit. I'm no marketing genius, but I'm guessing the market for an ultimate driving machine that always obeys speed limits is pretty small.

My first instructor at the track told me, "Use the whole Track!" And I do. On empty two lane country roads, on entrance and exit ramps, anywhere I can, "Use the whole track."

Doing that in your wife's E Class would create a symphony of chirps, bells, whistles, pulses, scolds, breaking and god knows what.

No thanks, I'll pass. Literally and figuratively.

Steve