People like to hope that the people with the power to create and destroy the characters they get invested in shared their investment in the characters. Maybe we all like to imagine a caring deity or some such. That kind of hope hurts when it’s crushed.

If anyone really tries to re-engineer the econobox as anything but an electric car (with or without range extender) they need to have their head examined.  Internal combustion powerplants really have no place in cars where people just want to get from a to b. 

Then I take it, and I’m gonna go out on a limb here with absolutely no way to confirm this (😉), that you are not, in fact, CalBearsFan99

You hit the nail on the head here, manuals are now (and probably are best suited to) drivers cars whether that canyon carvers, urban cruisers, or whatever group is looking to enjoy the drive without worrying about fastest or 1/10 second splits.

Is your sn a reference to Ezra Vogel?

What about the long and glorious history of police Harleys? 😉

I would imagine it’s a bit of national pride but also mixed up with who has (historically and now) been allowed to own one which is all the most powerful Japanese people. So yes, it’s selling Japaneseness but not just because it’s made in Japan, for Japan, by Japan but also because it has been owned and used by the…

But it doesn't have a Toyota badge.... 

All that’s fair and there are deff. Cayman drivers in my local car club so I think I miss spoke. It would be more accurate to say that Porsche uses brand prestige to build a sports car for enthusiasts by building a badge of conspicuous consumption for the douche bags.

They also refused to give up walking and running but both of those did something other than utilitarian transport. 

It’s a point and probably a good one and definitely a focus testable one but it doesn’t invalidate chaossphereix’s that manuals are about feel and enjoyment.

[clutches clutch] 

Your unfunded mandate is great and all but likely a waste for mostly disposable/expendable commuter appliances.

I was all jazzed to say “do people even paper race anymore in this digital world” and agree but then I saw comments to change my mind.

Is it possible not to covet thy neighbor’s car? If so, get new neighbors!

The benefits of humans don’t have to be about the scientific mission or engineering specs. The benefits of humans can be part of the larger political-economic life of the project.

I’m trying to think of a way to say this without sounding like a douche, but I can’t, so please take it as intended rather than literally how it sounds: I care about probes and rovers, you care about probes and rovers, people who write webcomics about nerdy stuff care about probes and rovers.

Ugh, as a fellow 240 driver (and non-nut job) let’s just leave the troll alone. We went to the moon and Nissan made good cars in the 1990s. Anyone who disagrees isn’t worth our time 😉

Trite response: Voy what now? Cassie who? You mean that thing that failed to land because metric and customary?

Bradley, I’m not a bike person and my feelings on them have evolved from my ER parents’ dark humor about “donor cycles” to tolerance to a respect for enthusiasm that accepts the compromises that come with the hobby (safety, carrying capacity, AC, cup holders, etc).