Cars just aren’t made like they used to. That goes both on the outside and inside. Cheaper materials keep the costs down, but at what… cost? New car interiors are lacking in style of classic cars. Many are made with crappy materials and even the nice looking ones just end up looking soulless and too try-hard to be fancy.
It shouldn’t be that way. Way back when cars had style. If you look at an early Corvette compared to now, you’ll notice awesome trims on the inside, great hand-made interiors that match the outside, and a sense of purpose. Newer Corvettes might look amazing on the outside, but inside they have the same “sleek,” shiny interior that every other car has. And usually, the only option for you to choose from is black.
We’re going to show where the problems stem from: boring colors and style, and the fact that executives, for the longest time, didn’t even know they had a problem when it came to modern car interiors!
Execs Didn’t Know They Had A Problem
The picture above shows pretty much every nameless car interior and what they look like today. Sleek, sure, but not very appealing otherwise. According to TheTruthAboutCars.com, they went inside the “Mystery of Crap Interiors,” by taking to a GM Insider. The findings were surprising.
First off, the GM insider that contact TTAC noted that the most alarming part of the puzzle was that the GM executives didn’t even know they had a problem with interiors. Many still don’t. The reason why is because ever since GM was founded, “execs are driven by a chauffeur or provided with carefully prepared and maintained examples of the company’s most expensive vehicles.” Furthermore, “engineers would tweak the test vehicles to remove any hint of imperfection.”
And the executives had no idea that their car interiors weren’t perfect, because no one ever told them! According to the insider, “And nobody was going to tell them… As far as they knew, the cars were exactly as they would be coming off the line. That’s why Bob Lutz thinks GM’s products are world-class. The ones he’s driven are.”
This gives a little understanding as to why no one has thought to switch up the soulless car interiors of today’s models. But it goes deeper than that, to a fundamental problem…
Boring Colors And Style
In today’s world, not one car company really stands out. Especially in America, all sedans look the same, all SUVs and crossovers practically look the same. The only hint of individualism is maybe in supercars or some sports cars. And that “look-alikeness” isn’t great.
Sure, old school muscle cars all look similar, but they had style. They also had a plethora of engine options, trims, and styles—station wagon, car-truck, coupe, SS, GT, sports, etc.—that just aren’t available today.
That same insider from GM, after going into an elaborate convo about the class-beating new Corvette, was asked, “But what about the Corvette’s interior?” and his silence spoke volumes.
Cars today have usually one of two options for color: black or dark gray. Some luxury cars offer beige, white, and a few others. Redditor Leostrauss even made a thread about his lack of options, saying, “Car manufacturers increasingly limit the interior color options to either pure black or black with some lame accents on the seat fabric/leather. Personally, I want that ‘going to a funeral’ feeling to be reserved only for the last car trip I’ll ever take.”
We couldn’t agree more. We need more style and options to give modern cars life again! Just look at the picture of this old school car above, with dark bench seats and its lived-in vibe. It has personality!