Ask Alex @ MBA Apply

I know what you mean. I tried to pinpoint exactly why that is, because when you look at it objectively, they're just machines. So why do some "feel" like they have soul or passion while others don't. For example, objectively speaking, one could say that the old VW Beetle is a piece of sh*t, but for some irrational reason I still like it a lot, even if it's far less reliable than an 80s Honda Civic.

And then I realized it's because you can't look at cars objectively - while technical specs are objective, the *experience* one has when driving is totally subjective.

My take on it is that the key thing is *how* a car is put together - in other words, the whole (i.e. driving experience) is subjective, while the sum of parts (i.e. tech specs) is objective. And as human beings, we look at the whole.

To use a completely gross generalization, a perfect car would have:

German engine
Japanese electronics
Italian exterior
British interior

I know what you mean about electronics -- for some reason it's the achilles' heel for a lot of German cars (BMW, Benz, Audi, etc.). I don't think it's that the Germans suck at electronics, but that the Japanese have mastered electronics design and manufacturing (not just for cars, but consumer electronics).

I think historically where the Germans and Japanese differed in cars is their sensibility. The Germans tended to focus on a combination of masterful craftsmanship using high quality components (much like Swiss watchmaking). It's engineering as an art. The Japanese on the other hand focused maximizing practicality and consistency - engineering for the everyday. Of course there's overlap between these attributes, but there's enough of a difference in priorities. As a result, I think the Germans tended to be better with design and craftsmanship, whereas the Japanese tended to be better with manufacturing consistency. The difference between building for quality and performance (German) versus building for reliability and consistency (Japanese).

But again these are subtle differences that may make a big enough difference in the driving experience. If you're reasonably lucky, those old diesel Benzes can last 200K+ miles; likewise I doubt anyone will say an Acura NSX is sterile.

Of course, the differences were even greater with older models. Now, so many of the auto manufacturers have learned so much from each other that they are starting to be the same. American cars are becoming much more reliable (and stylish). The Germans have brought in Japanese consultants to improve their manufacturing processes. And the Brits and even Italians are building more reliable cars - learning a thing or two from the Japanese and Germans.

(And yes, in b-school, depending on your prof, you may do a bunch of case studies on auto and motorcycle manufacturers in your operations or supply chain classes)

As such, it seems like a lot of car guys feel the newer models (of any company) tend to be less exciting to drive even if the performance and reliability is better. For me personally, I'm not a fan of all the electronic gadgetry that they continually load into the new models. For so many cars now, there's this huge center console (BMW's iDrive amongst others) that it starts to look like a friggin space shuttle, which takes away from the raw experience. I guess that's what "soul" is in a car - less electronic aids, giving you a closer connection to the actual engine, high quality materials (rather than breakable plastic bits) and road.

And if you're getting a BMW, get an M3