Is it just me, or is there something kind of nostalgic, even satisfying, about a good old-fashioned manufacturing screwup?

You are correct.

I have no problem with people buying trucks. However, it is easy to see that the majority of trucks are not being used primarily for work purposes and are now just commuter vehicles. The government just needs to increase the CAFE fuel economy standards for light trucks to reflect this change in usage and popularity.

Wow, I’ve never seen the “SUV’s do nothing well” hot take. Those are bold words, given the Expedition-pulling-a-boat sized mountain of evidence to the contrary.

The cheapest gas in my town is $4.26 for 87 octane unleaded. I generate electricity for the equivalent of 15c/kwh (pay-what-you-use lease model).

Americans have never willingly downsized either their cars or their engines without a fuel price rise that is both large and sudden.

1st: Was he wrong though? Just because it hasn’t tanked yet doesn’t mean Tesla’s stock price isn’t insane.

All of these cars come with HUDs

Your post wins, Lawyer Guy.

I think this is a classic intersection of Engineering and Marketing.

There is an excellent interview of Elon Musk on the youtube channel Everyday Astronaut. In that interview he makes an interesting point: never allow any department to create a spec. It must be a person. Otherwise you could have something that some random intern pulled out of thin air years ago being enforced and…

This is not nearly as irritating as the blanking plate on non-Flux Capacitor-Equipped Deloreans.

It can also be used for when they install the double-rollover sensor. Gotta think ahead.

Engineering for something that is unused and unnecessary.

As a guy who works in a design and manufacturing facility (not cars), here’s my take:

Wonder if the cluster itself (behind the tinted cover) is modular and that particular module could be used in other builds?

“It’s like asking, why was disco music so popular? Pretty much because it got you laid.”

There used to be a saying in business: “No-one ever got fired for buying IBM.” IBM wasn’t the best or the cheapest, but it was the standard. Once you decide to deviate from the standard, any problem that crops up is your fault, because you decided not to just buy IBM.

Late 70s and 80s cars were mostly garbage. They are distinct, but aren’t worth getting to know them better. With few exceptions, car culture/community just skipped right over them and went straight to various 90's models becoming collector cars.