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What more can I say — things are depressing

Posted September 30, 2008

Between 2002 or so and the past year, it's been an exciting time to be an automotive enthusiast. Sure, there were more SUVs than ever, but there was a growing tide of true driver's cars, starting with the 350Z and moving ever skyward. Well, it's hard to tell exactly where it started, but it's ending with a 630-horsepower Corvette and a 1,000-horsepower Bugatti.

But 2008 crashed through like a thief in the night. We've never paid more for gas, and the clowns on Wall Street and Capitol Hill seem intent on dragging this country into another Great Depression. Instead of more supercars, we're seeing smaller, more efficient B-segment cars make their way stateside. Even BMW's dropping its forecasted sales for the Mainland. In other words, I don't see a lot of exciting things happening in the world of cars, other than a few high-MPG science experiments that may never see the light of day.

I guess I'm just waiting like everyone else to see how this mess on the financial markets will end — but after Monday's debacle, I'm not so hopeful. I hope I can revisit this blog in a year to see how stupidly panicky everyone (including myself) was, but even the most pessimistic predictions about the markets made a few months ago seem like low-ball optimism today. I have to say that the $25 billion the automakers were asking for seems like mere chump change compared with the plan our leaders are pitching.

In the end, I say here's to optimism and the prospect that this situation will make us more responsible people in the future — both with our cars and our money. Maybe 10 mpg isn't responsible to our environment, and bad mortgages aren't responsible to our livelihoods.

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