HATCHBACK MARKET WIDE OPEN: FLEXIBILITY, INNOVATIVE DESIGN DRIVING LIFTGATES INTO UNLIKELY VEHICLE SEGMENTS

摘要

THE LAST TIME U.S. VEHICLE PLANTS PRODUCED MORE HATCH- backs and wagons than 4-door sedans and 2-door coupes in the U.S., E.T. was a box-office sensation, jack and Diane were growing up in the heartland, and cold, icy weather delayed the arrival of the San Francisco 49ers' motorcade at the Pontiac Silverdome in suburban Detroit for Super Bowl XVI. The year was 1982, and 40% of new cars produced were small, fuel-efficient hatchbacks and wagons such as the Ford Escort, Chevrolet Chevette, Dodge Omni, Volkswagen Rabbit and Renault Le Car. It also was the same year Toyota Motor Corp. launched a hatchback and sedan called the Camry, in limited numbers.