Not to mention the safety changes. Yes these older Imperials are big and can (if I were to guess) still run after hiting a brick wall @90 MPH, but today's cars with airbags, seatbelts (not common in older cars... don't know if the pre-war Imperials had them for all the passengers {?}. That and there is one advantage to plastic. It doesn't rust. --- dardal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: > Quoting "Crown58imp@xxxxxxx" <Crown58imp@xxxxxxx>: > > > I don't know if I should take offence of an > Imperial being compared to a > > > > Lexus. Imperials were made in the age of true > luxury cars. The > > construction, > > strength, and power put into Imperials is > something a Lexus can only > > dream > > of. > > > 58 Crown coupe > > Many modern luxury cars are doing well in terms of > power. Many have 300 hp > (net) or more. Even a late 60's 440 Imperial with > its stock single exhaust and > restrictive air cleaner will be below 300 hp net. A > 50's Imperial even lower. > I don't like many of these modern luxo cars either. > Too much plastic and low > quality structure, no artistic design, and not meant > to last, we agree on > that. Too much money for the car, absolutely. But > some of these modern luxury > cars do very well in terms of refined power, > performance, handling, etc. And > while still new, they can be very reliable. The > design criteria are now > completely different than back then, and I do not > entirely agree with them. > But, we have to admit, there has been progress in > some areas. > D^2 > >