The
decline in American Automobile sales continued through the 1980s and 1990s and
foreign automobile manufacturers were taking over. From 2000 to 2008, US auto
manufacturers had improved their quality using Lean Management Continuous
Process Control and employed better designs and automation. Automobiles used to
last 100,000 miles and now they last 300,000 miles.
During
the 1980s - Modern
era
The Toyota Corolla is the
world's best-selling nameplate.
The modern era is normally defined as
the 25 years preceding the current year The modern era has been one of
increasing standardization, platform sharing, computer-aided
design, to reduce costs
and development time and increasing use of electronic for both engine
management and entertainment systems.
Some particular contemporary
developments are the proliferation of front- and all-wheel drive,
the adoption of the diesel engine,
and the ubiquity of fuel injection.
Most modern passenger cars are front-wheel-drive monocoque/
unibody designs,
with transversely mounted
engines.
Body styles have
changed as well in the modern era. Three types, the hatchback, sedan, and sport utility
vehicle, dominate
today's market. All originally emphasized practicality, but have mutated
into today's high-powered luxury crossover SUV, sports wagon and
two-volume Large MPV. The rise of pickup trucks in
the United States and SUVs worldwide has changed the face of motoring with
these "trucks" coming to command more than half of the world
automobile market. There was also the introduction of the MPV class (smaller
non-commercial passenger
mini-vans),
among the first of which were the French Renault Espace
and the Chrysler minivan versions in the United States
The modern era has also seen rapidly
improving fuel efficiency and engine output. The automobile emissions
concerns have been eased with computerized engine management
systems.
The economic crisis of
2008 cut almost a
third of light vehicle sales from Chrysler, Toyota, Ford, and Nissan. It also
subtracted about a fourth of Honda's sales and about a seventh of sales from
General Motors.
Since 2009, China has become the world's
largest car manufacturer with production greater than Japan, the United States,
and all of Europe. Besides large growth of car production in Asian and other
countries, there has been growth in transnational corporate groups,
with the production of transnational automobiles sharing the same platforms as well as badge engineering or
re-badging to suit different markets and consumer segments.
Since the end of the 20th century,
several award competitions for cars and trucks have become widely known, such
as European Car of the
Year, Car of the Year
Japan, North American Car
of the Year, World Car of the
Year, Truck of the Year,
and International Car of
the Year. Also, a Car of the Century award was held in which in the US
the Ford Model T was named as most influential car
of the 20th century.
Exemplary modern cars:
1966–present Toyota Corolla – a
Japanese saloon/ sedan that has become
the best-selling nameplate of all time, with over 40 million sold across
11 generations through July 2013.
1966–1992 Oldsmobile Toronado – Introduced
electronic anti-lock
braking system, and airbag First
modern-era American car with front wheel drive.
1973–present Mercedes-Benz
S-Class – Seat belt pre-tensioner,
and electronic traction control
system
1975–present BMW 3 Series – the 3 Series
has been on Car and Driver magazine's
annual Ten Best list 17 times
1977–present Honda Accord saloon/sedan — a
Japanese sedan that became popular in the United States
1983–present Chrysler minivans – the
two-box minivan design nearly
pushed the station wagon out of the market
1984–present Renault Espace — first mass
one-volume car of non-commercial MPV class
1986–present Ford Taurus — this mid-sized front-wheel drive
sedan dominated the United States market in the late-1980s
1997–present Toyota Prius, launched in the
Japanese market and became the best known hybrid electric
vehicle and
also the world's top selling hybrid.
1998–present Ford
Focus —
one of the most popular hatchbacks and Ford's best-selling world car
2008–present Tata Nano — an inexpensive
(₹100,000, ≈ $2200), rear-engine, four-passenger city car aimed primarily at
the Indian domestic market
2008–2012 Tesla Roadster — first
highway-capable all-electric vehicle in serial production for sale in the
United States in the modern era. Sold about 2,500 units worldwide.
2008–2013 BYD F3DM – first
highway-capable series production plug-in hybrid, launched in China in
December 2008, sold over 2,300 units.
2009–present, Mitsubishi i-MiEV – first
highway-capable series production all-electric car, launched in Japan in
July 2009 for fleet customers, and in April 2010 for retail customers. Rebadged versions of the i-MiEV are sold in Europe by PSA Peugeot Citroën (PSA) as the
Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero.
2010–present, Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt — all-electric
car and plug-in hybrid correspondingly, launched in December 2010, are the
world's top selling mass production vehicles of their
kind. As of early December 2015, global Volt sales totaled over
100,000. Nissan Leaf global sales achieved the 300,000 unit milestone in
January 2018, making the Leaf the world's all-time best-selling highway-capable
electric car in history.
2012–present, Tesla Model S – Introduced in
2012, the Model S quickly climbed up sales. It was ranked as the world's best-selling
plug-in electric vehicle in 2015. It was also named car of the century
by Car and Driver.
Comments
The Toyota Prius introduced in 2000
was a game changer. It was the first real hybrid, powered by a gasoline engine
and a bank of batteries. The 2005 Prius
was upgraded and got 60 miles per gallon. We sold our Cadillacs and bought two
2005 Prius cars.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party
Leader
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