Automania’s Editor at Large is John Weinthal who recently turned 72 (he’s always been older than me)! As a celebration (?) he sent the following article in. I believe that anyone older than 50 will agree with some/all of his points below:
I really quite enjoy being 72, but it pays for me not to pretend that I am somehow different … Truth is I am just as crotchety as the next guy a lot of the time and while I certainly look to the future rather than the past – not all that is gone was wrong and not all that is new is an advance.
Marcos circa 1969.
In the Automotive sphere.
I pine for round headlamps (and tail lights unless imaginative like first Murano and original Maserati 3200 GT).
I want key start.
I would like to see a modern interpretation of column auto-change allowing for three abreast front seating.
Oddly, some might say, I am happy with foot-operated ‘handbrake’ – emergency or parking brake if you get my drift.
I generally prefer minimum 50 profile tyres.
I still like manual gears – the more the merrier.
I hate touch screens – on phones and sat nav etc in cars.
I believe ‘hands free’ is every bit as dangerous as hand-held while driving – the distraction of chat with someone who is blind to the challenges you are facing on the road is the danger, not one-hand driving.
I do not want a reversing camera (I wrote this a long while ago before I bought Optima which has one – not essential but can be handy).
I believe all learner drivers should have minimum 30 minutes experience on skid pan.
I like rear opening doors – front and rear.
I dislike dark tinted windows, especially front and front side.
I have a general preference for British cars – most Bentley, pre-Phantom R-R, Jaguar, McLaren, Aston Martin etc will do … and Marcos (John has a Marcos in Australia)!
I see no reason why I would thank you for any electric car, either production or concept.
I fail to be convinced that there is such a thing as man’s measurable impact on global climate.
I neither understand, nor wish to understand CO2 emission … let the cows, and my car, fart without commentary.
No matter how much I read about it the (Australian) carbon tax justification does not justify it to me.
I believe that unleaded petrol and the whole catalyst introduction was a scam (powered I understand by GM) on par with such later events as the Millennium Bug (Y2K) and Climate Change – formerly Global Cooling and Global Warming, not to mention reports every decade or so of the imminent end of world oil supplies … all classic BS and highly profitable for the scammers.
(So that’s John Weinthal’s thoughts on modern motor cars, and a bit on pollution thrown in as well. Many points to ponder.)
