Chris Rainsford

The Big Car Con Chris Rainsford

Publisher Marketing: 'The Big Car Con' is a discussion of modern automotive design. 1. It considers car design first from the point of view of the marketing department, who want to make maximum money for the minimum of product. It illustrates the ploys used to persuade us to make buying decisions with our emotions rather than with our intelligence. 2. Then it considers design from the point of view of a pragmatic, rational design engineer who wants to design the best product for a fair price. An engineer considers the actual functions required of the product and then uses 'best engineering practice' to design the right tool for the job. Current models are then graded by their engineering quality based on their efficiency/emissions. Estimations are made of the fuel wasted by inefficient gas-guzzlers. The effects of the two approaches to design are discussed and suggestions made to raise standards in car design. This is a pro-motorist book that considers the interests of the driver above those of the manufacturers marketing department. It encourages the car buyer to make intelligent choices when buying a car rather than being duped by marketing fluff. The book is based on vehicles sold in the UK using statistics from British Government sources, however the the principles of good design apply across the world.