1959: HERE COME THE OFF SHORE AUTO IMPORTS

WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, IT WAS PLYMOUTH, DODGE, DE SOTO, CHRYSLER, FORD, LINCOLN, MERCURY, CHEVROLET, PONTIAC, BUICK, CADILLAC, NASH, STUDEBAKER AND HUDSON. BACK THEN, WE COULD IDENTIFY NEARLY EVERY CAR THAT CAME DOWN THE STREET. TODAY, THEY ALL HAVE A "COOKIE CUTTER" SIMILARITY AND ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO RECOGNIZE.
LABOR DEMANDS ON THE INDUSTRY, ALONG WITH APATHY ON THE PART OF THE AUTO MANUFACTURERS LEFT THE DOOR WIDE OPEN FOR THE ONSLAUGHT OF IMPORTS. AS I RECALL, THE VOLKSWAGEN, DATSUN, SAAB, SIMCA, AND RENAULT WERE THE EARLIER ENTRIES INTO THE AMERICAN AUTO MARKET. FROM THEN IT WAS ALL DOWNHILL FOR THE AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS. HIGH LABOR PRICES IN THE U.S. AUTO INDUSTRY ALLOWED THE FOREIGN AUTO MAKERS TO TAKE A LARGE BITE OUT OF THE MARKET.
THE ABOVE GRAPHIC IS ONE OF MY WEEKLY "HAMILTON SCRAPBOOK" ENTRIES FROM THE MERCER MESSENGER.