No Gas crisis, how big cars get?

So, I remember reading somewhere that before the Gas crisis cars on the western world got so long that the average car on the US was five to six meters (or 19,6 feet) long, one example being the Lincoln continental that was 5,5 meters

69MarkIIIa.jpg


Assuming there is no gas crisis, how big can cars get as the GDP levels continue to grow worldwide?
 
Last edited:
So, I remember reading somewhere that before the Gas crisis cars on the western world got so long that the average car on the US was five to six meters (or 19,6 feet) long, lone example being the Lincoln continental that was 5,5 meters

69MarkIIIa.jpg


Assuming there is no gas crisis, how big can cars get as the GDP levels continue to grow worldwide?
US is a special case.

Europe and Japan did not build mass market cars that big - even big UK Fords of the time (Zodiac / Zephyr) were a metre shorter. And to be honest with smaller families who needs a car that big?
 
US is a special case.

Europe and Japan did not build mass market cars that big - even big UK Fords of the time (Zodiac / Zephyr) were a metre shorter. And to be honest with smaller families who needs a car that big?
Even with smaller families houses are getting bigger in US
 
Anything approaching 6m stops being driven like a car and must be driven like a bus. Since there is no real practical need for more than 5m to fit five/six people and their luggage, the sheer difficulty of driving a school bus sized sedan would negate the status seekers search for a bigger car.
Even in the USA, normal would still be 5m and more than 5,5 would be for limos and a few oddballs
 
Too small. If we keep a coherent mathematical expansion of the size eventually a single car will be longer than the world.

Anything approaching 6m stops being driven like a car and must be driven like a bus. Since there is no real practical need for more than 5m to fit five/six people and their luggage, the sheer difficulty of driving a school bus sized sedan would negate the status seekers search for a bigger car.
Even in the USA, normal would still be 5m and more than 5,5 would be for limos and a few oddballs
The advance of technology can help to drive cars longer than 5 meters?
 
Last edited:
Too small. If we keep a coherent mathematical expansion of the size with ore 1973, eventually a single car will be longer than the world.


The advance of technology can help to drive cars longer than 5 meters?
How about an "articulated" car that flexes in the middle to round corners? We used to have city buses like that here in Clt NC...
 
Too small. If we keep a coherent mathematical expansion of the size with ore 1973, eventually a single car will be longer than the world.


The advance of technology can help to drive cars longer than 5 meters?
Not in urban drives. Parking assist helps, but most cities are not really made for bi g cars. You can get away with full size pick ups in rural areas, but in cities they are a nightmare to drive. Above a certain size, driving becomes work.
 
In Length, the land yachts of the early 70's with their 428 - 460 CI engines were probably as big as a passenger car drivable by the average human on the roads of the time could get, But in terms of total bulk the land yachts are nothing compared to the Hummer. But keep in mind that back then the average car was not the high end land yacht sedans and there were plenty of smallish American cars as well as the imports. I had a 1970 Ford LTD that was at the lower end of the land yachts and I certainly would not have wanted more. Still a far cry from my previous car, a 4 cylinder 1961 Pontiac Tempest.
 
US is a special case.

Europe and Japan did not build mass market cars that big - even big UK Fords of the time (Zodiac / Zephyr) were a metre shorter. And to be honest with smaller families who needs a car that big?
i want y'all to know that i considered making a blue joke about this but thought better of it :p
 
In Length, the land yachts of the early 70's with their 428 - 460 CI engines were probably as big as a passenger car drivable by the average human on the roads of the time could get, But in terms of total bulk the land yachts are nothing compared to the Hummer. But keep in mind that back then the average car was not the high end land yacht sedans and there were plenty of smallish American cars as well as the imports. I had a 1970 Ford LTD that was at the lower end of the land yachts and I certainly would not have wanted more. Still a far cry from my previous car, a 4 cylinder 1961 Pontiac Tempest.
Those '61-'63 Tempests were really interesting, innovative little cars... don't think I've ever talked to anyone who actually owned one though :)
 

marathag

Banned
Those '61-'63 Tempests were really interesting, innovative little cars... don't think I've ever talked to anyone who actually owned one though :)
I didn't own one, but a friend did.
They were just goofy, with the steel rope drive shaft, transaxle(2 speed) in the rear, and a 389 V-8 split the wrong way
tenpest.JPG

that 'Slant- Four' did not idle smoothly
I though that the Chevy air-cooled boxer in the front would had been awesome, or the Buick 215 in that car, that were supposedly an option, but never seen one with it.
 

GeographyDude

Gone Fishin'
In Length, the land yachts of the early 70's with their 428 - 460 CI engines were probably as big as a passenger car drivable by the average human on the roads of the time could get, . . .
1974 Chrysler Newport
1974ChryslerNewport01-crop.jpg


And everyone, please remember that the ‘74 models would have been introduced in mid ‘73. Meaning, well before the Oct. ‘73 OPEC oil embargo.
 
Last edited:
I didn't own one, but a friend did.
They were just goofy, with the steel rope drive shaft, transaxle(2 speed) in the rear, and a 389 V-8 split the wrong way
tenpest.JPG

that 'Slant- Four' did not idle smoothly
I though that the Chevy air-cooled boxer in the front would had been awesome, or the Buick 215 in that car, that were supposedly an option, but never seen one with it.
Yeah, I used to be a "Corvair man" years ago, so I have plenty of experience with the Chevy boxers :p Had a '67 convertible, then a '64... then decided I needed to find a less-frustrating hobby :confounded:
 

marathag

Banned
And everyone, please remember that the ‘74 models would have been introduced in mid ‘73. Meaning, well before the Oct. ‘73 OPEC oil embargo.
Engines were going to be gutted for Emission air pollution reasons, the CAFE fuel economy would be after the crisis
The 1970 Clean Air Act, requiring a 90 percent reduction in emissions of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOx) from new automobiles by 1975
 

marathag

Banned
Yeah, I used to be a "Corvair man" years ago, so I have plenty of experience with the Chevy boxers :p Had a '67 convertible, then a '64... then decided I needed to find a less-frustrating hobby :confounded:
got tired of checking for fan trouble and bent pushrods?
 
got tired of checking for fan trouble and bent pushrods?
Never had any fan trouble... but the pushrod-tube seals were a pain... also had one engine that gave up the ghost b/c one of the valves was actually tapping the top of the piston, until it punched a hole in it....
Also it's just... depressing to get a vehicle mechanically perfect as it's dissolving into a pile of rust around you...
Man, if you're a fan of air-cooled boxer engines, I could tell you what my dad has dry-rotting in the garage behind his old office....
 

marathag

Banned
On the other Hand, big Sedans got Replaced by the massive pickups of today
1617834157012.png

Ford Super Duty
160" Wheelbase
250" overall length
96" body width
Curb Weight 7486
475HP

bcar_1628.jpg

1959 Caddy Fleetwood 75
149" Wheelbase
244" overall length
80" body width
Curb Weight 5670
325 HP
 
Top