That's easy. It's the first Honda Accord. I'm sure that the Winding Road editors spew their lattes in three-party harmony, but what do they know?

While it was mostly Toyota and Datsun who told the Big 4, "Dude, your pants are down," it was Honda who said, "Dude, I stole your pants and you probably won't them back. Ever," when they launched the "Japanese Cadillac."

This was a real kick in the "where the pants used to be" for the Big 4. Post-Accord, they continued to swagger around the Midwest in their tightywhiteys and boxers, but poor little AMC couldn't hang through the cold winters without pants and died. Even mighty Renault couldn't help them.

And then there were Three. They've toughed out so many winters now, without pants, that they don't know the difference. At first, they had their Personal Luxury Cars to tide them over. How many ways could you sell a future classic like a Monte Carlo, Cutlass (once America's best selling car and an Oldsmobile!), Regal, Grand Prix, Torino, Thunderbird, Cordoba, etc? Well, the answer is "two" if you include the upscale (oops, that word didn't exist back then) Toronado and Eldorado. Hey, and I'd throw in the Toronado with the freaky wrap-around rear window from 1977. Very freaky.

Functionally, these cars offered the same straight-line performance as the plucky little Accord, even though most had big V8s, albeit strangled by emission controls. Functionally, they had about the same amount of room, too...two up front, two in the back, and because there was a giant space hogging spare tire in the trunk, these cars all held about the same amount of grocery bags. Let's be honest...it's the grocery bag that counts because not everybody uses the same style of luggage.

But the Accord caught on and we know what happened to the rest of them. Gone. I'll submit to you that anyone of those cars, if it's not been "donked" or suffered the indignity of a bowling ball paint job (remember that customizer fad!?) then they're classics too, and it's not uncommon to see one that's getting that sort of treatment. When I see one, it still brings a smile, even though my parents' Cutlass wasn't just uncomfortable, it was painful to drive and the Celica GT was both comfortable and fun.

The Accord? Well, I must admit, can't recall the last time I saw one of those first generation models. It's easier to find a first generation Celica or Scirocco (which are also both under appreciated classics).

So my money is on the Accord. They recognized their success with the CB750 and applied that knowledge to their automotive line.

As for Big 3 and their pants problem...we won't know for 10 years, but whether or not they still have underwear is debatable. I recognize that during the mid-to-late 90s, the Big Three had some fancy underpants that were paid for with the SUV craze, but had they been slightly more thoughtful, they would have recognized that cars are fads and fads end. One only look for tailfins, affordable European sportscars, stationwagons with "wood" paneling and Personal Luxury Cars to see proof. The adaptable Accord soldiers on.

• Wed, 07/02/2008 - 05:40
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• Sun, 03/08/2009 - 15:00
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No. Hiçte Güzel değil :) Sesli Chat

• Tue, 08/11/2009 - 15:29
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