The Biggest Changes Since the 1980s? – Carmudgeon Show feat Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott Ep. 168

If you put someone from 1985 in a modern car, what would they be most surprised by? Hint: Why is it so much easier to get a speeding ticket today?

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The Carmudgeons chat briefly about Jake's Honda CR-Z — a manual, hybrid, very good-looking car — and why it doesn't have a K20 or K24 instead.

The main point of discussion, though, was started by Jason's drive in his Scirocco looking at at how high 1980s cars rev on the highway. And he explains why '80s cars are geared so short (it's to achieve their relatively low top speeds at their relatively high-rpm power peaks.)

In discussing this, Jason explains how German car companies chose their top-gear ratio. (Hint: it's to maximize top speed.)

But there are, of course, other major changes since the 1980s — and not just things like keyless-start and infotainment. Or just power.

NVH, mostly as a function of torsional rigidity, has changed dramatically. And with it, safety. Including things like ABS, ESC, AEB, FCW, and then of course all the other driver aids we take for granted today.

Including the ones like BAS — brake assist — which several times accidentally almost caused Jason to have a crash. (Or make someone else crash.)

But... Jason does describe a few times he experienced modern automatic braking systems have actually avoided an accident that WOULD have happened. One in a VW and one in a Mercedes, that could have caused him to hit pedestrians. It was a triumph of modern safety technology.

Also, cars have grown tremendously in size and weight. And the total area of the glass has shrunk considerably, so visibility has changed for the worse.

So has ride quality — today's cars have far stiffer suspension, coupled with large wheels and small sidewalls. 1980s cars often rode more smoothly than today's cars.