1/1/11

The Ersatz VW Beetle

That the auto industry is pushing the modern Beetle II and other beautiful, luxurious, state-of-the-art, status-symbol cars is understandable. The industry obviously earns lots of money selling them. But you conveniently ignore the fact that a sizeable number of blue-collar laborers—carpenters, plumbers, painters, construction workers, and handymen among others— could care less what their vehicles look like. They tend to drive about in dented, rusting trucks and vans. All they want is for their vehicles to pass inspection. And as for the Volkswagen Beetle, many auto buffs all over the world would surely prefer the old rear-engine, air-cooled Beetle I to the ersatz Beetle II. If 21 million Beetle I cars were bought in 1966, I wager that more than100 million would be bought today. Whatever happened to the invisible hand of supply and demand in America?

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