4/6     This weekend I've finished my report on corrolation of the average car
        size that is manufactured vs. the state of the economy. Roughly
        speaking: 1920=midsize (bad/okay economy), 1950=huge car (++economy),
        1970=compact/small japanese cars (bad economy/OPEC crisis),
        1990=huge AND tall SUV (good economy).
        Isn't that an interesting observation?
        \- Interesting observation, but I think you don't have enough data
        points. I mean, maybe cars were that size/shape in the 20's because
        cars were more or less a new thing then. I agree about the downsizing
        from the 50's cars to the 70's. That was mainly due to the oil crisis.
        However, in the 90's, even the huge and tall SUV are getting pretty
        good mileage, arent they? They aren't necessarily fuel burners. -leblon
        \_ Toyota 4Runner gets about 18MPG. That compared to a Corrola or Civic
           with about 40MPG.... that's still a big difference. We're not even
           going to discuss Jaguar with about 8MPG or some luxury car with
           as low as 12MPG.
        \_ If I am not mistaken, they call the 1920's the "Roaring
Twenties," because, right up until the stock market crash of 1928,the
economy was incredibly strong. Cars of that era were some of the largest
ever produced, many with 400-500 cubic inch I-8, I-12, V-16, V-18, and
V-20s. True, horsepower and fuel economy were low, but that was mainly due
to poor metallugury of the engine componets. When you speak of the
Twenties, do not forget the Cadillacs, Duesenbergs, Lincolns and Pakers of
that era. In the thirties, despite the Great Depression, cars were still
produced, many of which were quite large and quite powerful for the times.
Even during the Gas Crisis, the Big Three still produced very large cars
(this is why the Federal Government had to bail out Chysler). It was not
until the early eighties that the Big Three finally caught on, and started
producing smaller cars to compete with the Japanese imports. Mid-size and
compact sedans in this country are often some of the largest cars on the
road in other Eurpoean and Asain countries.