Social Mood and Automobile Colors

[Porter]

An interesting topic I thought the club members would enjoy reading about and discussing.

http://www.socionomics.net/PDF/Social_Mood_and_Car_Colors.pdf TARGET=_blank>http://www.socionomics.net/PDF/Social_Mood_and_Car_Colors.pdf

Porter

[Rich S]

It is unfortunate that the manufacturer's have had to limit the number of colors offered due to production costs. It was great when past Cadillac colors could be "special ordered" (at extra charge) on a new Cadillac, from the factory. Although Cadillac should always offer certain basic colors, such as Black, White, Silver, etc. there should always be a few colors, especially "Firemist" colors, that offer the "WOW!" factor--after all, we're talking Cadillac! In my opinion, General Motors should always make certain Cadillac has a few color choices that are exclusive to the brand, then passed on to the other divisions after having been offered on Cadillac.

[RAMcGrew]

It is unfortunate that the manufacturer's have had to limit the number of colors offered due to production costs. It was great when past Cadillac colors could be "special ordered" (at extra charge) on a new Cadillac, from the factory. Although Cadillac should always offer certain basic colors, such as Black, White, Silver, etc. there should always be a few colors, especially "Firemist" colors, that offer the "WOW!" factor--after all, we're talking Cadillac! In my opinion, General Motors should always make certain Cadillac has a few color choices that are exclusive to the brand, then passed on to the other divisions after having been offered on Cadillac.

I agree, Rich. In fact, I feel that in cutting back constantly to reduce choice and reduce the 'WOW' factor is making and has made the Cadillac "just another car'.   We all know you can buy a Hyundai with all the googaws, power this and than; but when you bought a Cadillac it was a foregone conclusion that you had made it to 'success' in life.  It was a symbol as much as a machine.  Time was the person who bought a Cadillac was wooed and treated like a king, received special keys and made to feel that the price was well worth the effort.

And that all came down to sitting down, and going through option books, page after page of fabric choices, colors and all with expert help to make your car special.  Cutting all that out may have made it less expensive to produce the cars, but the idea that it is special was lost as well.
In many ways it is like throwing the baby out with the bath water.   

Or is it time to just admit that those days are gone, with gloves, pill box hats, and the New Look?  We have lovely actresses today, but where are the mysterious ladies like Audry Hepburn?  There was something so elegant about the imagery designers were attempting to create in the 1950s and into the 60s.  It continued into the 70s with images of golf parks and long, picturesque driveways.   Our lives shifted to the moment rather than timelessness.  Beauty is expressed in the future visions as much as it was in the 50s, but with a difference... it feels like there is no time to enjoy it.  Hurry up, make more money, buy something new without the wonder of what is coming next, what surprises are instore?
It is the same old thing with some new toy.  I will give Chrysler a full ten points for creating something new and different.  And Cadillac is turning out new and interesting shapes.  I saw a new DHS (DeVille??) at the Applebee's yesterday (a symptom or coincidence?) and was struck by the wide, heavy egg crate grill on an angle, like a cow catcher, and the new cannon headlights with that large, bright and very modern Cadillac Crest (I miss the Merlinettes... sorry.. and Crowns).  It looked, good.  But the car as a whole was a blah.  Same shape, different day.

Is there any wonder people miss the colors, the fabrics and textures, the two tones and at times shocking elements?  There is nothing shocking or exciting in the DHS.  Nice, oh yes.  Well made, a little less plastic, comfortable, and sadly, blah, blah, blah.  Quite honestly, I failed to see a big difference between the $50K + DHS and the much less Buick... whatever it is now called.  Taupe, off white, khaki green or slate, black (always nice) and silver or a remarkably yawn producing red or garnet.  Well its all schist to me.  Ha Ha. 

Prices have been going up beyond the correction for inflation, etc.  And while the engineering is no less impressive, the results are most definitely less so.  And above, you are not treated as special, and the joy of buying such an extravegant thing as a Cadillac, is no more unique than being treated to any other car sales person.  sigh.         

My mood matches the colors... taupe, grey, ... sigh.