Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesqf
I think if you compare the inflation-adjusted cost of today's basic cars to a similar vehicle of say the 1960s, you'll find that they're cheaper. What the greatly increased cost is going for is the increased size, and all the fancy stuff that gets added for ego reasons.
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Even though some automotive systems such as steering, brake and suspension evolved a lot in that timeframe, it's actually quite hard to compare the no-frills versions of the older rides to their modern counterparts. Even though the newer ones often have some features that sounded like sci-fi some 50 years ago, most of the design and manufacturing techniques applied to modern cars are centered around cost-cutting. The lower cost of a FWD platform compared to the good old RWD layout which had been prevalent in the past is a good example of this trend.