V30-11

Question

Recently, automobile collectors have been especially interested in 1960s, and early 1970s American muscle cars, and particularly those from 1969, and 1970. This clear preference highlights a certain shift in taste on the part of many serious collectors to favor particularly rare models that were iconic when new. Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the observed shift in taste described above?

A. During the 1980s, a similar shift occurred within the classic car collector market wherein American muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s were highly coveted.
B. As time has passed, a growing and substantial proportion of serious automobile collectors are those who were exposed to late 1960's and 1970s American muscle cars as young adults.
C. Recently, the collector automobile market in general has undergone an unprecedented surge in popularity. 
D. During the 1960s and 1970s, the prices of American muscle cars often exceeded the prices of other cars that are currently popular among collectors. 
E. American muscle cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s started to garner significant interest by serious collectors over two decades ago.

souvik101990 · Answer

Official Solution:

Recently, automobile collectors have been especially interested in 1960s, and early 1970s American muscle cars, and particularly those from 1969, and 1970. This clear preference highlights a certain shift in taste on the part of many serious collectors to favor particularly rare models that were iconic when new. Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the observed shift in taste described above?

A. During the 1980s, a similar shift occurred within the classic car collector market wherein American muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s were highly coveted.
B. As time has passed, a growing and substantial proportion of serious automobile collectors are those who were exposed to late 1960's and 1970s American muscle cars as young adults.
C. Recently, the collector automobile market in general has undergone an unprecedented surge in popularity. 
D. During the 1960s and 1970s, the prices of American muscle cars often exceeded the prices of other cars that are currently popular among collectors. 
E. American muscle cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s started to garner significant interest by serious collectors over two decades ago.

Question Type: Strengthen

Boil It Down (Simplified & Abbreviated Summary of the Prompt): Shift in taste -> Surge in iconic muscle car interest

Missing Information (assumption): Proof of causality. A shift in taste is what caused the surge in interest for iconic muscle cars Goal: Look for an option that reinforces the idea there is a shift in taste in the marketplace

Ⓐ Irrelevant. Other shifts in taste are outside of the argument's logical focus. Whether there were OTHER similar shifts in taste in the past has no logical strengthening effect on an argument about THIS shift.

Ⓑ Yes! This option provides evidence of an evolving marketplace that would have a reason to favor American muscle cars: there has been an apparent generational shift in the market. If a growing and SUBSTANTIAL proportion of the collector marketplace were exposed to American muscle cars as young adults, it would provide logical force to the idea that there is indeed a shift in taste in the market as a whole. Now, is this a slam dunk case for the argument though? No, but we're not asked to PROVE the observation, but rather we're asked to select the option that provides the best SUPPORT for the claim that that a shift in taste is responsible. This option does exactly that.

Ⓒ Irrelevant. This option offers no support to the claim that a shift in taste is responsible for the boost in American muscle car popularity. Whether the entire market is increasing, decreasing, or remains the same size doesn't impact the fact that there is a documented boost in popularity in favor of American muscle cars.

Ⓓ Irrelevant. The pricing of the cars WHEN THEY WERE NEW has absolutely no relevance to the collector automobile market TODAY. American muscle cars could have been twice the price of other cars when new, and that wouldn't reinforce why there would be a recent shift in taste in favor of American muscle cars today.

Ⓔ It tells us that the prices for American muscle cars in the 1960s and 1970s was higher THEN, but what time-frame is the trend in the argument? Recent. So now, how would the original prices of the cars have any impact on the prices now, or why there would have been a shift in favor of those cars now in the collector automobile market? Specifically, there is no logical connection because the prices of American muscle cars and all other cars could have fluctuated so much since then. Cars can depreciate, and never gain value, or appreciate again. There's just no automatic way to know how the original pricing relates to future trends.

Answer: B

DishaAggarwal · Answer

I am not convinced with the explanation. Please explain how option 'B' is the correct answer?
Thanks!

Vickbhi · Answer

I think this is a  poor-quality  question and I don't agree with the explanation. why cant the solution be d? not able to understand

fruitninja · Answer

Why can option E? As per explanation, the price is irrelevant. But option does not state anything about price. It is talking about interest so the explanation is not proper.

Batman117 · Answer

can anyone explain why B is the right answer?

dhairyyaa · Answer

I think this is a poor quality question.

The passage concludes that the preference of AM cars highlights the shift in taste on the part of collectors.

OA, which is B, states that the generation of collectors currently consists of those guys who were exposed to AM cars in the 1960s and 70s. This essentially means that there is a  change in the mix of the target audience for AM cars , and in no way means that there is shift in taste on the part of  collectors .

To sustain such a conclusion, we need to assume that this generation, when back in the day was exposed to AM cars, did not find it appealing. IMO, that would be far fetched and hence out of scope. Tbh, none of the options do justice to the idea of strengthening the conclusion.

Thoughts?  VeritasKarishma   GMATNinja

KarishmaB · Answer

The answer is not debatable - it is a clear (B) because only (B) is relevant.

Recently, collectors have been especially interested in 1960s, and early 1970s American muscle cars.
This clear preference highlights a certain shift in taste on the part of many serious collectors to favor particularly rare models that were iconic when new.

Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the observed shift in taste described above?

A. During the 1980s, a similar shift occurred within the classic car collector market wherein American muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s were highly coveted.

Irrelevant. Such a shift happened once before doesn't strengthen that a shift has happened now.

B. As time has passed, a growing and substantial proportion of serious automobile collectors are those who were exposed to late 1960's and 1970s American muscle cars as young adults.

The way I see it, (B) strengthens that there is a shift in taste of collectors (because the composition of the group called 'collectors' has changed over time). It explains why they prefer the 60s and 70s models (because they had a certain connection with them in their youth). But it doesn't lend credibility to "... to favor particularly rare models that were iconic when new." When the question says "the observed shift in taste described above", what does it mean? The shift toward "60s and 70s models" or "toward rare models that were iconic when new". Are they the same group, can't say. But the point remains that only this option is relevant and we need to pick the best option so we assume that the test maker feels the two things are the same.

C. Recently, the collector automobile market in general has undergone an unprecedented surge in popularity.

No relevant information. The whole collector market has become more popular doesn't help us in any way.

D. During the 1960s and 1970s, the prices of American muscle cars often exceeded the prices of other cars that are currently popular among collectors.

The pricing at that time doesn't say much. At that time, American muscle cars were expensive compared to peers. What is the scene today? Are they rare and expensive today? Or are other cars more expensive today, we don't know. Not relevant.

E. American muscle cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s started to garner significant interest by serious collectors over two decades ago.

Doesn't strengthen that there is a RECENT shift in taste.

Answer (B)

V30-11

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards