and yet, while the american cars may be faster in some cases, the Japanese engineering processes and methods have set the standard, and indeed forced USA to try and adapt to the japanese technologies, being tens of years behind.

This was the "lean production" process. While american cars were still being mass produced and serving an effective life of 80,000 miles maximum, japanese engineers were revising processes, and going by the ideal of "if its broke, redesign." Their cars were easily living to the high 100,000's. While American engineers were going by the ideal of "if its broke, fix it afterwards". To this day mass production is quickly being converted to lean production in the US, and the Japenese have been ahead ever since.

I have to admit, american car engineering has come LEAPS and BOUNDS. The japanese lead the way, and perfected this. That is why for the past 40+ years or so, japanese cars have simply been ahead. Not necessarily faster, or better, but ahead in terms of efficient, accurate production.


Sorry, that was actually more a reply to what was being discussed earlier in the thread..... I love the GTO too!