What would defunct automotive companies look like today?

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I was thinking about this a while back and talking with older people about defunct automotive manufacturers. Has anyone ever wondered what a 2021 Duesenberg, Cord, Auburn, Nash, Tucker etc would be like? It's disappointing that so many manufacturers have either merged or gone away. If we still had that many makes to choose from would have been interesting.
 
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The consolidation of automakers is not a new thing. Originally there were hundreds of automakers. I saw a list somewhere of all the manufacturers names starting with the same letter and it was astonishing.

Meanwhile I'd like to see a modern Corvair: smallish, sleek lines, seating for 4, rear engine, air-cooled boxer 6, rear wheel drive. You could make something really nice with those specifications.

Wow, I just described my Tesla Model 3 (without the air-cooled boxer 6 of course).
 
Yes, it would be interesting indeed. 😊
However, we probably have even more competition today but, they're mostly from the Asian brands.

Even many of the European brands during that time of those cars you mentioned, weren't sold here on as a mainstream vehicle. We may have seen them now & again(in my area) but they may have been imported by speciality dealers(in select regions) or the owner themself.

I mean, during that time in my area(just speaking for myself), we didn't often see those import name vehicles very often(Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, VW). And sadly, I don't often see in my area those cars you mentioned(Duesenberg, Cord, Auburn, Nash, Tucker) even at car shows. . . SADLY!

And if you owned one and saw another on the road while driving, you would certainly🖐to the other driver or give them a👍
Once in a while we'd see a British roadster pass by that would turn our heads but it wasn't often. It was so interesting to see. :)
 
I'm guessing because of a larger number of smaller auto makers, it would mean a larger auto lobby group representing more smaller auto makers instead of a few large ones. That would mean more lax regulations such as the 1975 bumper law, catalytic system ...---... ....
 
I did see a list on all of the automotive manufacturers and wow some were in business a year or two. Horatio Nelson Jackson won a cross-country bet in a 1903 Winton Touring touring car. You'd think they'd still be around with something like that.
 
Interesting thread. I would imagine a 2021 Duesenberg would look like a modern Bentley or maybe a Maybach. I can’t imagine the Nash surviving under any circumstances as they were ugly and didn’t sell well when they were new. A high school friend had a 1962 Studebaker Hawk with a 289 factory supercharged motor with a factory 4 speed. I can imagine if Studebaker had survived it would be a nice looking innovative car. The Avanti was way ahead of it’s time as well with the supercharged R2 motor. I can imagine the 2021 Corvair as a modern version of the Porsche 911 with it’s air cooled turbo flat six boxer engine. This has got me to wondering if the mid sixties Corvair Spyder turbo might have been faster than a Porsche of the same vintage in a straight line drag race? Handling to the Porsche, but interesting to think of what might have been.
 
It's disappointing that so many manufacturers have either merged or gone away.

You say that as if that happened in a political vacuum.
 
The consolidation of automakers is not a new thing. Originally there were hundreds of automakers. I saw a list somewhere of all the manufacturers names starting with the same letter and it was astonishing.

Meanwhile I'd like to see a modern Corvair: smallish, sleek lines, seating for 4, rear engine, air-cooled boxer 6, rear wheel drive. You could make something really nice with those specifications.

Wow, I just described my Tesla Model 3 (without the air-cooled boxer 6 of course).
Comparing a Corvair and a Mode 3? That hurts!
 
Comparing a Corvair and a Model 3? That hurts!
Possibly, but hurts which way?

The Corvair was a remarkable car in its time that just wasn't fully developed. It had the same basic formula as the Porsche 911 which has been, shall we say, fairly successful. The Tesla Model 3 is a remarkable car too, and time will tell whether it becomes fully developed or not.
 
They would all look like a Camry or Accord, because the designs are all limited by aerodynamics, cost, weight, safety.

This is accurate. In this era, most designs are computer and wind tunnel designed to gain the greatest MPG ratings for aero and weight and cost reduction. This is why most new cars on the road have very little personality and are nearly indistinguishable. I've seen many brands and models that are so bland and near carbon copies of competitors models.

Kudos to the few still making great looking cars that are not carbon copies of the others.
 
When I had my Corvairs, I loved them. They were fast and the Corsa had the 140 motor with 4 carbs and bigger valves and dual exhaust with a 4 speed stick. Made more than one muscle car look silly. Now I would like to see modern Corvair and Packard and American motors cars.
 
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