Cars Getting Taller?
RidingOnRailz
10-11-2011, 08:56 PM
By "Cars" I'm referring to sedans/coupes/station wagons only for the purposes of this discussion, not SUVS.
Taking the Impala's height for example:
1964 - 55.1"
1978 - 55.3"
2001 - 57.3"
2010 - 58.7"
Ford Taurus:
1985 - 54.4"
2001 - 55.1"
2011 - 60.7
Even my 2008 Kia Optima "towers" over a 1963 Buick Skylark by nearly 5 inches, even though the Skylark is bigger in every other dimension, including curb weight.
What is driving the trend toward taller cars? The grown height of both men and women is 1.5" taller now than it was in 1960. The proliferation of tall trucks, expecially SUVs, is forcing sedans to catch up.
What are your theories?
Taking the Impala's height for example:
1964 - 55.1"
1978 - 55.3"
2001 - 57.3"
2010 - 58.7"
Ford Taurus:
1985 - 54.4"
2001 - 55.1"
2011 - 60.7
Even my 2008 Kia Optima "towers" over a 1963 Buick Skylark by nearly 5 inches, even though the Skylark is bigger in every other dimension, including curb weight.
What is driving the trend toward taller cars? The grown height of both men and women is 1.5" taller now than it was in 1960. The proliferation of tall trucks, expecially SUVs, is forcing sedans to catch up.
What are your theories?
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