Will we see the end of car culture within our lifetimes?

"Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez" (apidaonline) 05/29/2014 at 10:00 • Filed to: FUUUUUTTUUURREEEE!

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Here's a reality for many car guys: You pull up next to a Prius at a stoplight and look over at the driver with a mix of pity and condescension. You think to yourself "You have the money for a new car and you buy that?! You could've had a dozen Miatas/Fox bodies/busted-ass E30s for the money!" Then you roar off in your $3500 scrapheap, winding out the first few gears to remind them of their mistake and offset their carbon neutrality. Automotive enthusiasm comes with a bit of smug superiority. And, at this point in history, we've never been more on the defensive.

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The car guy is a dying breed. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , with AAA finding that only 44% of eligible teens get their license within a year of turning 16. Crash test regulations are putting more glass, metal, and plastic between the coddled cockpit and the road; never again will we comfortably rest our elbows on the driver's side sill on a windows-down day. And the average complexity of a car has evolved to the point that an electrical engineering degree will soon be required to change spark plugs. Imagine the aspiring tinkerer opening his hood and seeing this:

Pictured: Nothing to see here, time to go watch Netflix.

The nail in the coffin to all of this is the sinister workings of the occultist convent known as the EPA. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Technology will catch up and make this a feasible goal in the next eleven years, but one thing is almost certain: the cars ain't going to be fun to drive. The green world has no place for those who enjoy the sonorous sounds of combusting fossil fuels.

To put it bluntly, the automotive scene as we know it has an end-date. And while it may not be completely in the ground by 2025, you can bet that we will attend the wake in our lifetimes. I see !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! as the slowly-lowering pendulum. Can you imagine the company happy hour of the insurance industry the day their lobbyists manage to push through legislation requiring all cars to be automated? At least the analysts won't have to drive themselves home drunk.So hoo-rah, the car is dead. Stick a fork in 'em, let's move on to the next big thing (my money's on sex-boxes that directly interface with porn websites).

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Or is it? Let's put down the gravedigger's shovel to look at the positives here. The most obvious is the promise of decreased traffic congestion. Automated driving may be just the thing to get oblivious motorists out of the damn fast lane. With every subsequent new crop of young drivers caring less and less about cars, that means fewer shit-for-brains teenagers texting/Tweeting/playing Xbox while driving. Moreover, with more people riding public transportation, the massive SUVs of the world may stay in their garage a bit more often. Economics will be in our favor. A decreased demand for gasoline will coincide well with our growing domestic oil output to make gas cheaper. With the price for electric and hybrid cars coming down, it's possible that people will unload their obsolete internal combustion vehicles for bargain-basement prices. Younger vintage car lovers have something to look forward to: as the boomers fade away, their prized classics will pass through the hands of apathetic relatives and into the ownership of enthusiasts.

Pictured: "Willing to trade for iPad"

The final solace is a grim one: we need to face the probable reality that the best cars have already been made. With today's legislation and consumer preference, what company (besides the boutique brands) would take the risk of producing a car with a rotary engine or a V12? Hell, even the V8 has been backed into a corner by a horde of boost-crazed V6s. Take no heed of the rumor of the week; it's unlikely that we'll ever see a 2400lb Miata or 9000rpm S2000 ever again. With the exception of a few outliers like the FR-S, the analog joy of driving has being forced out of existence by consumer preference.

Some will say this is an overly-pessimistic viewpoint, and they'd have a strong argument. Nothing has replaced the car as the ultimate expression of individuality; a cool iPhone case or cheeky graphic tee doesn't have the impact of a handbuilt engine or a 3" suspension lift. You'd have a right to question the likelihood of the average consumer relinquishing control of the steering wheel to an automated system. Couple that with the geographical reality that public transport isn't a viable option for many people and you could make a case that the car will never die.

To the doubters, I offer this retort: technology will prove you wrong, and the average American will let you down. The horse had its strong points when the intercontinental train system was introduced, and the train system had the same when air travel began. As tastes change, a DIY attitude towards cars will be looked at as an eccentric obsession even more than it already is. Capitalism forces change, and we're just tagging along.

So let's enjoy the ride. Drop the clutch when you're next to that Prius. Take the turn at twice the posted limit. Live out the twilight days of the machines we love with as much fervor as possible before they pry the keys out of our cold-dead hands. Just because we're living in the end of an era doesn't mean we have to go quietly.

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The Transporter > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:06

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I'm not too worried about all of this. My uncle has a country place that no one knows about.

RazoE > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:08

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Car enthusiasts will never disappear. Numbers will dwindle, but still, there will be a few of us. Hell look at Civil War buffs. The War ended 200 years ago and they are still reenactments.

Brian Silvestro > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:08

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we need to face the probable reality that the best cars have already been made.

Wow that hurt me bad.

Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez > Brian Silvestro 05/29/2014 at 10:09

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Crocket Bernet > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:09

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The liberal Nazi scum can have my cars and my guns when the pry them from my cold dead hands.

-50% of my town

Diesel > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:10

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I look to Japan as inspiration of our future car culture. We may be pimping out K cars or doing ridiculous things to motorcycles, but we will not all give in to a future where our car is an appliance. It's not in our blood.

Brian Silvestro > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:10

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*cries*

THERE IS NO GOD

PushToStart > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:10

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I car culture waning? Probably. Will it die? Not a chance.

For instance, black powder rifles are extremely outdated by newer and more accurate weapons, yet there are entire clubs and organizations still alive to this day dedicated to antique weapons. In fact, many of them also wear period correct clothing while shooting. Sure, it's not a large population, but it's still alive, and as long as there's people on the Earth, there will be enthusiasts for almost anything.

jkm7680 > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:14

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I'd say that no, there will always be those who are interested in cars. The end is near, but not that near. It's a seemingly complicated matter, I believe that yes. Car culture will eventually diminish, but no. It won't happen within our lifetimes.

Sn210 > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:18

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I don't think so. I believe there are plenty of gen-x and/or millennials who will keep car culture going past our life-times. It may end with the generation after. The general population will shift toward driver-free cars, but a lot of us young enthusiasts will be hitting that sweet spot of disposable income by that time. My plan is to have a toy car by the time I hit thirty, which gives me 40-50 more years of accumulating, restoring, and preserving the cars I love. Look how Baby Boomers impacted the classic muscle car market. Now they have the extra money to buy the cars they loved as kids. Same thing will happen with us, but your e39 M5, anything SRT8, VW Phaetons, and mx-5's now!

Jedidiah > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:19

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There will always be car enthusiasts; There will just be less of us. It will be a lonely future, but not a terrible one.

McChiken116 - Patrick H. > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:25

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I'd be inclined to agree with you, but this is just all rubbish. Nice scare piece, try again. The era isn't over, BMW just committed to the manual. Ferraris and Porsches will always be there, and enthusiast cars are now a niche that is marketed too. I know more car guys in high school than I bet you know in your circles of friends.

Agrajag > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:38

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I think the enthusiast will always be there, but that actually keeping a car will become so cost prohibitive that only the rich will have them. Every car show will be like a concours event with pristine barely driven examples of cars.

Forgetful > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:39

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Nevermind that horses as a hobby are a huge business.

I think there are more horse enthusiasts now, compared to the era when they were our main method of transportation.

Nibbles > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:40

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Will we see the end of car culture within our lifetimes? Highly doubtful.

Will we be involved in what could be considered an evolutionary shift in the car culture ethos? That's much more likely.

Kate's Dirty Sister > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:43

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Car culture have been around since a few thousand years already.

The machines will continue to evolve, the culture will stay. People that are unable to cope with change will die bitter and live a miserable life.

Toyotathong! > The Transporter 05/29/2014 at 10:43

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He says it used to be a farm before the Motor Law

Wow, who knew that Red Barchetta would be so prophetic. The Camera Eye as well.

The-Ever-Socially-Apathetic TBAL > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:44

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Saw it coming from a mile away.

ILovePickeldEggs > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:44

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That's like your opinion man.

Just wear your damn mask... > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:45

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ZabiakFero > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:46

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there was no end of horse culture so no

Bluecold > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:46

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"Technology will catch up and make this a feasible goal in the next eleven years, but one thing is almost certain: the cars ain't going to be fun to drive."

Historically, it's always been the efficient lightweight cars that have been the most fun to drive. Currently, the cars that value 'economy' are usually quite dreadful. But the engineering that makes a car efficient and comfortable usually has the same goals as the engineering that makes a car fun to drive.

Kraftwerk Joe > The Transporter 05/29/2014 at 10:46

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Oh yeah! That place that used to be a farm, BEFORE the Motor Law.

Someone Else's Projects > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:47

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Turning the question around, the mere fact that there's enough nostalgia fuel to make the future look small and uninteresting by comparison just goes to show how lucky we are to have a rich car culture and history to work with. We may be seeing the end of easy-access (i.e. "mainstream") car culture, and the start of an era of more "car cults". I've gotten a head start on the cult thing by getting into Saabs.

Jerk Dently > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:48

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I don't think you should confuse car culture with driving enthusiasts. Liking car design of the past and present doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as zooming around deserted roads. There will always be car enthusiasts, but driving enthusiasts may start to decline.

GhostZ > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:49

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In 30 years there will be a group of 19 year old kids who are using their laptops to run their mother's 2025 Camry around a parking lot with lines drawn on it, at about 2 AM in the morning.

They will have spotters looking for cops, and kill switches that disconnect their computers from the cars.

Their worst fear would be a 30-mph collision due to poor programming

And I will be there, teaching them about slip angles and pulse tuned intakes.

Widget_Master > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:51

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As long as we are alive, car culture will remain. Jalops unite!

Dest > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:51

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I couldn't get past the first few paragraphs of bullshit.

Professor-Lavahot > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:51

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Nope! There's still people that make and/or collect medieval swords, flintlock muskets, horse-drawn wagons, trebuchets, stereoscopes, penny-farthings, vinyl records, you name it, there's a group of people who are into it and who will keep crafts alive. Most of them are just having fun and not waxing melodramatic about some bygone era. And with the impact that cars have had upon 100 years of generations of people on every continent and corner of the globe - yeah, people will still be into it. Kids will find and read endless material about cars and racing and want a piece of it, the same way that a kid can become an expert on cowboys, or ninjas, or The Simpsons. Quite frankly I think it'll be better because all the casual hipsters and laypersons will gradually be phased out, leaving only diehard fans and technical experts.

t_s > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:52

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I don't think so. The piano is no longer the instrument of choice for popular music. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist any more. It just means that it is mainly practiced by true aficionados. I actually hope that cars go in that direction and that they remain in production only for a core group of true enthusiasts. This should see the demise of Prii and all other niceties designed to facilitate the existence of people like that pair of fuckmooks who made that video of themselves singing while they were driving.

jgeisler > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:52

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The nail in the coffin to all of this is the sinister workings of the occultist convent known as the EPA. The 2025 fuel economy standards mandate an average fleetwide rating of 54.5mpg. Technology will catch up and make this a feasible goal in the next eleven years, but one thing is almost certain: the cars ain't going to be fun to drive.

This is extremely pessimistic. The Tesla Model S is considered quite a good car, is it not? I would think there are plenty of people out there that find it "fun to drive."

Surely, economy cruisers will not be fun, but that has always been the case. Even in the all-electric (or hybrid) future, there will be performance vehicles for those that want them. Instant torque combined with ever-lighter batteries and chassis materials will lead to some fun driving in the near future.

TheCraigy > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:53

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Unless all of us stop enjoying cars before we die, we won't see the end during our lifetimes.

Ben C > Brian Silvestro 05/29/2014 at 10:53

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I need to move, quickly. Sweep up all the Miatas and other goodies before they're gone for good.

ILovePickeldEggs > GhostZ 05/29/2014 at 10:53

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"In 30 years there will be a group of 19 year old kids who are using their laptops to run their mother's 2025 Camry around a parking lot with lines drawn on it, at about 2 AM in the morning.

They will have spotters looking for cops, and kill switches that disconnect their computers from the cars."

Wat did I just reeed?

Jay_Hoff > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:53

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The answer is yes.

I am 28, and already we have cars that can almost drive themselves. Im talking about the S Class. This technology will trickle down to the every day car, and cars themselves will be come an automated appliance that everyone uses with no care. They will be electric plastic carbon fiber shit boxes that please the government and all the eco friendly Prius loving bastards. I am not ready to see Johnny Cabs everywhere. The other thing that worries me is when this happens, what will happen with people that enjoy driving their cars and burning petro through the hills and tracks? Will there be laws that prevent us using a certain amount of fuel? Or times that we can not drive? I personally will never own a car that is automated. Fuck that. Driving is the one place were I can crank the radio and kick back and have some me time. Its the one place I can feel free. I can appreciate automation to a point, but its not taking my steering wheel, ever.

I am doing my best to ensure my kids have the same passion for the automobile as I do. My daughter is only 14mos, and tries to steal my tools and climb under the car if I am changing oil. I am working on a slammed Radio Flyer wagon for her, and I take her to every car show I go to. We just went to a vintage rat rod show up here in Iowa. I took my time and walked around every car with her. She got a kick out of the noises. I am hoping she becomes a car girl but retains her princess qualities so her mother doesn't kill me.

chriswhotakesphotos > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:54

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Damn.

Devon > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:54

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These sex boxes, will they be available in the automated cars?

Brian Silvestro > Ben C 05/29/2014 at 10:55

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DO IT

Eezep > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:55

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I remember thinking the best cars had been made ten years ago when I was looking at the still-fresh RS6. I'm not going to argue that you can extrapolate that out to conclude that cars will always get better even when we think the situation is the most dire, but equally I think it's premature to conclude that higher MPG requirements spell the death of fun motoring.

As far as complexity, the internet is combating that issue pretty effectively. We have unprecedented access to information and educated opinions through online documents and forums. I would be afraid to touch anything on a new car if I were feeling my way in the dark, but I don't have to because I can get access to factory service manuals, complete part diagrams, and forums full of people who have graciously taken the wrong turns for me. And if it all starts to go to hell, we can organize and send a strong message to the automakers instead of letting them guess incorrectly that nobody cares about having fun in cars anymore.

Basically, there are definitely challenges set out before us, but I think there may even be more positives in the current climate than negatives.

JR1 > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:55

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I am not sure I mind of internal combustion engines. Less people will care, gas will become cheaper, and I can drive a fuel efficient car to work at a cheap price. As much as I hate a Prius I must respect the attempt to save the environment. Let the enlightened few drive the fun cars. While the rest of the world goes about saving the world.

vchengap > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:56

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People haven't stopped riding horses as a hobby even though they aren't used as the main mode of transportation any longer.

The World of Vee > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:56

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Whenever I tell someone I have multiple cars and I average like 15mpg, they look at me like I have 7 heads. But apparently paying 5000$ for an action figure is acceptable because it's "my hobby". Well tuning cars and wrenching and watching motorsports is one of mine, don't knock my hobby and i won't knock yours.

66671 - 200 [METRIC] my dash > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:57

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This is actually surprisingly depressing.

Really though, it is.

Cé hé sin > Kate's Dirty Sister 05/29/2014 at 10:57

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They used to race things like this and you thought car racing was dangerous...

Titan-E34 > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:57

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I don't agree with this.

wait until this trickles down. you'll get your "green" cars and we can still have our fun.

Rather than installing a turbo or an engine build, We'll be upgrading battery to motor cabling for thicker gauges to allow more Kw to up the instant torque. There will still be suspension and braking components that will be upgraded and enjoyed.

When the carburetor and 8mpg standard went away for these fancy injector and computer chips and fuel mappings, I'm sure people were crying that only IBM'ers will be able to adjust fuel flow and tune their cars, and that you'd need an electrical engineering degree to modify AFM/MAF and Injector mapping and timing. Is that the case now? LOL. The car culture isn't ending, its adapting and evolving with the cars.

meatatarian > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:57

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No way, technology changes are just that: Changes. The end of the carburetor wasn't the end. The end of hydraulic steering isn't the end. The advent of hybrid tech wasn't the end, and is already being used to create the most ridiculous cars the world has ever seen, and will soon permeate more mainstream cars (918->911->rest of line->Audi). In some respects, we are in a golden age for enthusiasts.

Will some technologies be missed? Certainly. I personally tend to prefer more analog vehicles myself. But every successful automaker, ever, has used the best tech at their disposal within their price point. (Save, perhaps, Morgan) And our increasing consciousness regarding the impact we have on our environment means that efficiency is an ever-greater priority. But this doesn't mean a world of Prii- it means a world of Prii, i3s Teslas, i8s, and the 918/P1/LaFerrari and their successors. Efficiency lives in lightness, which for enthusiasts sick of ever-heavier cars, is great news.

Will some things be lost? Yes. Will some things be gained? Yes. Don't be alarmist and luddite about these changes, embrace them. And keep the E30, NA, and 993 in the garage, ready for sunny days and twisty roads.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:57

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The nail in the coffin to all of this is the sinister workings of the occultist convent known as the EPA. The 2025 fuel economy standards mandate an average fleetwide rating of 54.5mpg.

You miss the coming point. The fuel tax take of the government will be far less if your average car doubles in efficiency. The fuel tax was set back when cars, not trucks, CARS in the US were averaging less than 20MPG.

So people will be happy that they are spending less on fuel, but the government will be unhappy that their fuel tax base is shrinking (Less fuel being purchased). But the government can do something about it.

Raise fuel taxes.

So your person who buys a new Techno-advanced-eco-mobile, will spend *more* in tax to keep the tax money flowing. And that will drive the fuel cost higher, and they will whine about it, but will be spending roughly the same as they do now (ceteris paribus) in fuel tax.

Those of us with old cars will get truly raped on the increased taxes (more gas to drive them, plus the higher fuel cost). The Canadians and Europeans with large, old land barges (or trucks) already know this. Would you want to drive an old pickup truck around with gas being $7.80/gallon? As opposed to $3.50/gallon?

The World of Vee > Eezep 05/29/2014 at 10:58

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As an owner of said RS6.

yes. the best cars were made then :)

wrxkwndo > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:58

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I don't see it dying completely, just changing. Maybe future car guys will be doing software hacks to crank up the juice in their hybrid or electric cars instead of tuning carburetors, but the idea of hotrodding will never die. The canvas will change, but the artists will remain.

ravichandran > Sn210 05/29/2014 at 10:58

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Rightly said ! I am 23 year old who spends more money on my 01 e46 BMW than what my financial situation should let me do. And I am not the only one either. I have a bunch of classmates who own similar type cars that we autocross and track them in summer. Are there kids who don't like cars are not interested in them ? sure there are but that doesn't mean there aren't young people who love cars.

gc8foreva > Professor-Lavahot 05/29/2014 at 10:59

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I do love me some trebuchets.

66671 - 200 [METRIC] my dash > ILovePickeldEggs 05/29/2014 at 10:59

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Prophetic wisdom, that's what.

450X_FTW > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 10:59

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If the EPA had their way we wouldn't be driving cars, we'd be driving appliances

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Brian Silvestro 05/29/2014 at 11:00

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Don't cry there big guy, it's okay. One word: Restomod...

All the beauty and style of the cars we love, with the benefit of years of suspension and engine development.

west-coaster > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:00

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Here's a little history lesson on the subject.

I started reading car magazines like crazy as a kid in the late 1970s. Everything was "doom and gloom." The nation had just suffered through two OPEC crises, cars sucked overall, and we were supposedly going to run out of oil by 2000.

But guess what? Out of the ashes came the mid-1980s. A musclecar horsepower race between GM and Ford ensued (Camaro Z28 vs. Mustang 5.0.). BMW M cars came to fruition. And the aging Mercedes-Benz SL went from having a limp-wristed 3.8 liter V8 to a tire-melting 5.6. And it's gotten way better since.

The world of auto enthusiasm ebbs and flows. During WWII there were no new cars built and tires and gasoline were rationed. What happened almost immediately afterward? Hot rodding, drag racing, NASCAR, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and on and on.

No, car enthusiasm will not die in our lifetimes. Not by a longshot.

Marriokart > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:00

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Unfortunately, while car culture may not die completely, it appears in the coming years it will be relegated to few enthusiasts. This pisses me off, since I'm 17 and just beginning to experience cars as a driver. I think I and others will have to build our own cars/mod current cars extensively to get the analog feeling that is so much fun.

camron > McChiken116 - Patrick H. 05/29/2014 at 11:00

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Porsche as a brand has gotten fairly diluted. I think one could make the argument that they aren't as driver-focused as they historically have been. Well, there is the Cayman...

High-dollar exotics like Ferraris are more frequently owned by money/status enthusiasts rather than car folk, at least in my experience.

Brian Silvestro > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 05/29/2014 at 11:02

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This is true.

TheCraigy > Brian Silvestro 05/29/2014 at 11:02

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Unless you have a penchant for classic cars, this quote couldn't be farther from the truth. We are living in a golden age of high-performance sportscars, and it's only getting better.

Acura is about to give us the new NSX, Chevy is about to give us the new Z06, Lamborghini just came out with a new Lamborghini. McLaren aims to deliver a new car of substance every year. Ferrari is about to give us a 458 replacement. Nissan has a new GT-R brewing. Porsche 911s have well over 500 horsepower, and even the Cayman is getting some real power soon. Ford will undoubtedly deliver another GT500. Audi is testing the new R8. M4 is coming, along with a new, smaller M2.

In the 1980s, 1990s and even early 2000s we never could have dreamed cars would be this awesome.

ptak appreciates old racecars > Brian Silvestro 05/29/2014 at 11:02

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Fuck that shit.

One day, I'm going to build the best car in the world. In my own damn garage. Watch me.

DMCVegas > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:02

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The problem though isn't that people buy cars for individuality anymore. But more on that in a sec. The first thing is that if you want to save car culture, this is the first step:

I wanted a car of my own for the very reason that every other kid used to want a car. This right here:

I wanted to go out and be an adult and get away from home. It's just the natural instinct that we all have. But now the escapism isn't a trip to the mall, a bus ride, or the ultimate: A car and the open road. It's fucking Facebook. Our big escape is within our computers and smart phones. And to escape into those places, you don't need a car. You don't even need to leave home. You escape by sitting your ass down and ignoring everyone and everything around you.

Stop letting this happen. Get off your lazy ass along with your kids, go outside and do something together. Don't let childhood's great memories be a high score instead of an experience. And most of all, don't let your kids become so dependent upon electronics for entertainment and adventure. Get them in the mindset that if they want to get away from you and everything, they need to start by physical separation instead of social and emotional.

And what better way to get away than with a car!

X-cchannel-M > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:04

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We will see the end of car culture in a decade or two. There are two reasons for this: autonomous cars and electric propulsion, and the writing's on the wall with Google's latest creation.

One of the factors that makes car culture compelling is passion around the combustion engine and having the best of its compromised performance while it is at the top of the propulsion food-chain. As soon as it is dethroned by the electric motor for cost, convenience and environmental reasons, the car will become much more of an appliance.

Adoption of the autonomous car will be like the digital broadcast revolution. As soon as the benefits of self driven cars become apparent, manually controlled cars will be legislated off the roads.

Enjoy your old-school dinosaur eating rig as much as you can.

DMCVegas > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:05

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I'll just leave this here...

spanfucker retire bitch > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:05

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Technology will catch up and make this a feasible goal in the next eleven years, but one thing is almost certain: the cars ain't going to be fun to drive.

Has history really taught you nothing? How many times was this parroted over the last several decades as emission and safety standards become more strict? We have cars today that have more power than ever before, while simultaneously being more efficient and safer. We have super and hyper cars that are so well designed, you could use them as Daily Drivers and not mind even one bit. If History - and the effect Technology has had on it - has taught us anything, it's that this assertion is full of shit.

As technology trickles down into the lower price brackets, we will once again see cars that are safer, more efficient, faster and better to drive than any car that has come before it. The McLaren P1 - the most powerful and faster road-going car they've ever made, is sold without a gas guzzler's tax. And the Porsche 918 already meets the Euro emission standards that go into effect a decade from now.

As time goes on, technology will make those kinds of vehicles and their systems, cheaper, more profitable, and able to be mass produced.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:05

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The nail in the coffin to all of this is the sinister workings of the occultist convent known as the EPA. The 2025 fuel economy standards mandate an average fleetwide rating of 54.5mpg.

-You hit the proverbial nail on the head with this one.

Nothing > Jerk Dently 05/29/2014 at 11:06

1

Sounds a lot like current boomers that trailer their muscle cars to car shows and back. Heck, half of what we'd initially consider enthusiasts are merely turning into speculators.

jackalsilva > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:06

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This is the first Jalopnik article I've read that was total garbage. I couldn't even finish it. I got through the "trying too hard" wit and quit after the "kids today, amirite?"

I mean, OBVIOUSLY as engines become more efficient that means NO ONE is going to use that to make a more powerful Mustang. It's not like that has EVER HAPPENED in the history of cars, right?

Tired premise, poor execution. Everyone in this comments section is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Nothing > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:07

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Don't immediately discount Prius drivers. My bro-in-law DDs one for his airport commute. When he's home, he DDs his 997.

TheCarGuy4All > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:07

1

Other titles related to this article might include:

Electronic wizardy will ruin the car hobby as only children with their Personal Computers can fix them!

The Carburetor is dead, and fuel injection is going to kill cars as we know them!

The drum brake is the bestest technology ever and they are ruining cars with disc brakes!

The motorcar hobby is being overrun by hooligans!

and finally - These chuffing motor carriages will ruin the sport of Horse Racing!

Look, it isn't going to kill car culture, it isn't even going to kill car culture as we know it. It's just going to change what it looks like. Think about the fact that this generation of young people grew up with electric motors, and more than a few had electric R/C cars. If you think they can't figure out how to tune a Tesla, or whatever follows, just isn't correct.

I agree that our outmoded skills that pertain to tuning aren't going to be as useful, but dear lord, is this any different than when we turn to the boomers for help with carburetors, setting points, or replacing pads on drums? This is how the world works, we evolve and carry our skills forward.

offroadkarter > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:07

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If analog cars go the way of the horse, that just means analog cars will be a "wealthier" hobby for the real enthusiasts.

Maybe we'll be trailering analog cars with autonomous cars soon.

kerc // drives a mirage, so what? > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:07

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Cars will probably (for sure with sports cars) be like horses. Horses went from being the primary way of transport and work, to become a sport and a hobby. Same deal with cars.

meatatarian > camron 05/29/2014 at 11:08

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You are simply incorrect. They have always delivered the absolute best product possible. In the past, that was a loud primitive machine that was high tech at that time . It is only loud and ultra-raw in comparison to modern cars. New ones are every bit as driver-focused, tech just allows them to be beautifully focused and unbelievably capable while also more refined. Compare any generation of 911 to its contemporaries, they've always been technologically advanced cars with a focus on usability and comfort in addition to sportiness. Porsche is one of the few companies that I think has soldiered on without a fundamental change in mission. And adding the Cayman only solidified this. Now, BMW on the other hand...

-Cayman driver who has driven lots of various-gen 911s

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > meatatarian 05/29/2014 at 11:08

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Thank you for being a sane individual. All articles like this do is paint enthusiasts in a bad light. Like we're some noble and righteous defenders of something.....when in reality combustion powered, analog cars will be like horses are today - former beasts of burden freed to be enjoyed as an indulgence.

SubieRoo > The Transporter 05/29/2014 at 11:09

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Someday, we'll all have to ride Musk's turbine freight so that we may be far outside the Wire.

HHOi > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:09

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i want to commit suicide.

meatatarian > Brian Silvestro 05/29/2014 at 11:11

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...And then Porsche released the Cayman GTS

Eezep > The World of Vee 05/29/2014 at 11:11

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They are great as long as you know a sadist who enjoys doing routine maintenance on them :-)

pc1x1 > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:11

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Hellos, first of I enjoy all your articles so keep them coming! Makes me want to get a used Japanese car, and make it baller again.

With that aside, I have a few differing opinions from what's on this article. Since it's totally is an opinion piece as it has no facts to back it up I am going to present mine. I don't like the ultimatum conforming ideology that this is being presenrted as fact.

Second, it doesn't define car culture. And the jab at the Prius, not only by yourself but by many others including other drivers bothers me.

What is Car Culture? To me in it's most basic form is a appreciation of cars in general. Cars that were created with a sole purpose in mind. To be the best in their respective segment. The Prius is the best at what it is intended to be. A fuel saving A to B tool, that's designed to maximize it's efficiency. I am not going to bother to say whether it is greener or not. But the fact remains, it is a good fuel saving car, that IMO is pretty fun to drive once you understand it's purpose and limitations. If you ever seen a Prius at triple digit speeds ;) that has a shark sticker, let me know!

I am a auto enthusiast, I been reading, messing with cars for years. I own 2 cars, and my dream is to take old classics and bring them back to life, so I love your articles as they give me hope. I am an engineer, and love tinkering with things. I appreciate my Prius's mission. So even if all cars become electric, and slow and the main motif changes, car culture isn't dead! It's never going to be dead, it's goal may change; whether be efficiency, propulsion method, etc. We came from decades of increased horsepower. Now we are in increased efficiency. It isn't as easy to hoot and holler that a car get's 5 more MPG, as it is to have a glorious symphony of destruction exploding in front of your pants like a performance car. But that doesn't mean it's not car culture.

You will find plenty of very jalopnik minded Prius owners. In fact the very fact you bash the Prius, your going against the very the thing you want. Car Culture. It's just different than what your definition is. But it's the same to bash wagon lovers, or Miata lovers. Classic car lovers? I think as cliche as it sounds, we are all in this together. I appreciate all car cultures. Even ones I don't particular like, like donks, etc. I like they exist. When you discriminate like this, then car culture is dead.

Anyhow to wrap up. I understand why you choose the Prius etc, and why it's the easy low hanging fruit. But your very point is undermined when you do this. It's human nature.

There will always be hooning. It's just a matter of where, when and how. And we will find a way. My personal belief is to always have the best possible car for the task. For my MPG saving long comute it's my Prius. For pure driving I am partial to Porsche's. Cool beautiful cars, I like French and Italian, etc. The scene will change, it always does, the will to hoon won't.

twelvehappymen > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:11

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Imagine cars had always been autonomous with incredibly good safety records and then some joker came along and suggested we let some stupid meatbags drive their own cars so they can get their rocks off. Not going to happen.

The end is nigh. That's ok. Perpetuating the self-driven car just to keep us enthusiasts happy would be stupid. No one else gets to have hobbies that kill tens of thousands of innocent people each year (er, well, I can sort of think of one), so I don't see why we should. I'm happy to buy an autonomous truck to tow my race car to the track for me, arriving refreshed and ready to go rather than feeling like a zombie.

Bvnni > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:12

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With the high performance of specialized hybrids on the horizon and alternative fuel models (some already here), I'm not as worried as I was. We'll be racing until our planet implodes. People enjoy driving because it gives them a sense of not just freedom but of also being in control. With more and more automation, I think we're going to see that pendulum of wanting hands on interaction swing back our way.

The people in our hobby with great power/influence (call it motoring to encompass everything) are not 25-35. Unless we're talking about motorsports racers (and they account for very small percentage of the shot callers for our movement), most of these people are 40-50+. We still have time. We have time to ignite the imaginations of our children and the younger generations of our family. Yes, they like technology and so do I. Use that to get them interested. Then show them what it was like "back in the day". When that kid spends 1K in 2 years on power windows shit, he'll have a hard-on for wind up windows.

We need a push in this country for more science, tech, and math, right? Cars have that plus artistic and creative expression. We don't build anything worth a damn anymore, right? What if our generation (I'm 30ish) and our (future) kids decided to reboot it? Fuck Chevy. Fuck Dodge. Fuck Ford. The technology is coming to level the playing field for smaller outfits. BAM: cars save our youth, our country, and our manufacturing heritage.

Nibbles > Bluecold 05/29/2014 at 11:12

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Previously, the cars that value 'economy' were quite dreadful. Currently, there's a growing swatch of 'economy' vehicles that are more engaging, more competent and still more efficient than their predecessors even five years ago.

The Focus, although having had SVT models in the past, was a complete bore up until 2011. Now the base models are engaging and comfortable, have enough power to get out of their own way, and are still what would be considered economical. A huge jump in one generation. The same goes for the Fiesta. The Dart is likely the best 'economical' car in the US market right now, which offers excellent power output, great comfort, and is not like driving a lawn chair. The Cruze is leagues ahead of its predecessors. The Fiat 500 is an excellent bargain and good drive at $15k, and its high performance Abarth model is arguably the most fun car you can buy for the money.

These are just a few examples of how much change there has been in the economy segment in the past couple of years. There are exceptions to this of course but, in general, the economy class is a lot more engaging, fun and appealing than it was in 2010.

dogisbadob > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:13

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Transverse V6 engines SUCK

Jim Zeigler > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:13

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Author here. I appreciate the comments, positive or otherwise! I'd like to clarify: I don't believe that car culture will ever really die, much in the same way that horse or train enthusiasm are still alive. My fear is that automated driving will relegate car culture to the track or to special occasions. If this happens, it will be priced out of reach for the layperson (again, like horses). I guess a more direct question is: can car culture survive if the streets become hostile or off-limits?

The title of the article does come across as a little "scary," but that wasn't our intention. Thanks for reading!

Fuel_of_Satan > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:13

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You mention the horse, but those are still a popular hobby. The only thing they stopped doing was flogging and executing them in the street. Track days and racetracks are going to get super-busy when autonomous cars become a reality.

In 50 years someone might even be thrashing a Prius up the hill at Goodwood, proudly showing all attendees what the last manually operated vehicles looked like and showing off one of the minor blips in automotive history, like turbine cars, known in its day as a "hybrid".

"Those were before we learned how to harness sunshafts and drove around crashing into each other!" They'll laugh.

racingGhost > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:13

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So what I'm hearing is that if I wait long enough, these can be mine for just a song & dance...

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Brian Silvestro 05/29/2014 at 11:15

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Here's an example,

This Land Rover Series IIA has Discovery 1 axles, Parabolic springs and ARB airlockers. Before you had to worry about possible spinal injury due to the 1960's leaf sprung suspension(still do, but less so now) and having to get out and manually engage the front axle for 4WD. Now you just stick it into low range flip a couple of switches and stomp on the skinny peddle.

BonafideSupraman > PushToStart 05/29/2014 at 11:17

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I think the real question though, is: in what capacity will enthusiasts interact with cars? Will you keep them at a track, only to be driven there? Will you still be able to commute to work or go on vacation with them?

Driverless cars are coming, and let's face it, they're going to be safer. I have a feeling that user-operated cars will be legislated off main roads and onto tracks within 50 years.

I hoon, therefore I am > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:20

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"The car guy is a dying breed. Studies show that teenage enthusiasm for the open road is waning , with AAA finding that only 44% of eligible teens get their license within a year of turning 16."

Counterpoint

Ad_absurdum_per_aspera > meatatarian 05/29/2014 at 11:21

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Sure, things are changing, but I don't get that strong End of Days sense here either. Hot-rodders, sports car enthusiasts, and antique collectors have always been a small minority of car buyers, and the car companies owe their continued existence to most people's preference for something shiny and new if they can afford it.

And frankly there's also less to be gained because even fairly ordinary cars in their stock condition have pushed deep into the realm of Pareto's Law, and actual perfomance cars these days are nothing short of astonishing.

kyle242gt > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 05/29/2014 at 11:22

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Hey brother!

mazdaspeed2 > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:22

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I have to respectfully disagree with most of what you said. Yes, I do think the best enthusiast cars have already been made, but that doesn't mean you can't still get new fun cars. Also, I don't think we will see a 2400 lb. miata again, I think it will be lighter. I would not be surprised to see a sub 2000 lb. sports car in the next 15 years. The weight trend is starting to decrease, and that is a good thing for all of us.

Yes, we won't see many V12s or rotaries any more, but we might see things like a 1.0L 3 cylinder that makes 200 hp. I think that is just as cool.

Bluecold > Nibbles 05/29/2014 at 11:22

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I was mainly targeting cars that have 'fuel economy' in mind. Although economy and fuel economy usually go hand in hand, I should've been more clear. I was mainly discussing hybrids and cars with tiny tiny diesel engines.

Still, I agree with you. The 500 and Fiesta are also good examples of thrifty cars that are just a turbo and stiffer suspension (well, roughly) away from being a hoot to drive.

stephenmcknight2011@hotmail.co.uk > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:22

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as long as car culture stay on Television in some form, it got a change of being reborn. growing up here in the UK during the 1970, we had travel show called wish you were here. the holiday show and rough cuts, travelling the world giving out customer advice.

both the cooking and Car show covered that base, so they survive because they found a market place for themselves in 2014. with money being tight this money spinning market is wide open, and both are making a good living right now.

Car shows can be used to cover motorsport, Top Gear did it for 14 years covering rally and other motorsport like touring cars. TV is the key for car culture long term survival along side Magaizine, websites, lives hows, computer games and festivals.

it will survive in some form or meduim.

kyle242gt > TheCraigy 05/29/2014 at 11:23

1

Agree with this - the high specific ouputs, NVH advances, brakes, fit/finish - all superior. They don't have the style of the nicest examples from the 50s-60s, but the performance is off the chart from a few decades ago. Hell, even Camrys and Accords have 300hp.

imperialist1960 > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:27

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Independent auto parts stores and speed shops in my area are closing. My machinist says that the pool of pushrod v8's to rebuild is rapidly shrinking, and that the only component that reliably wears on modern engines are heads/valves. He's planning on retiring in 5-10 years and has no plans to sell his business because he says that nobody's buying into the industry.

We're at the tail end of one golden age. At the beginning of something else.

GotWake > Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez 05/29/2014 at 11:28

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I'm trying here - the wife drives a Challenger R/T (that I get to drive occasionally), my 11 year old girl wants a 'Mustang', and my 7 year old boy wants a 'Mustang or a Corvette'. I know none of those vehicles will go away any time soon - but I'm priming my kids to be 'car guys'.

Sam > DMCVegas 05/29/2014 at 11:29

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That why my parents bought a W123 300D wagon.

Jeremy H formerly Kalakaboooom > Brian Silvestro 05/29/2014 at 11:29

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Seriously, made me think for a second and realized, holy shit, probably right. Welp, makes me feel better about babying my older car and hooning the shit out of the new one anyways.

mfennell > DMCVegas 05/29/2014 at 11:29

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Couldn't agree more. In addition to playing with cars, I'm a bike enthusiast. Guess what the biggest class is at cross country mountain bike races? The 40-49 yo Cat 2 (the class above beginners but 2 back from the Pros) age group. 4 times as many entrants as the 19-29yo class at my last race. We raced in our 20s and came back in our 40s but there doesn't seem to be much new blood.

The Transporter > SubieRoo 05/29/2014 at 11:30

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I'd be far more worried about this glasshole:

The hyperloop is a pipe dream anyway. Musk will have colonies on Mars before long before that ever becomes economically viable.