[Lessismore]

The initial boom came in Japanese imports and US manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon.

My recollection is that the sequence is that:

-- gubmint passes clean air regulations in late '60s,

-- auto manufacturers reduce percentage of pollutant in exhaust by increasing displacement, leaning mixture, screwing up the timing.

-- gas mileage goes below 10 mpg, various '70s gas crises due to politics exacerbated by pitiful mileage,

-- gubmint passes regulations to increase mileage,

-- US manufacturers can't compete in high-mileage cars, Chrysler brings out the minivan, which doesn't fall under auto mileage regulations, since it is a "truck"

-- foreign manufacturers eat their lunch in minivans,

-- US manufacturers shift to SUVs and upscale/extended cab pickups

-- foreign manufactures eat their lunch in smaller/luxury SUV models and small pickups

[norton]

Pretty much as I remember it. Except that ONLY Chrysler was in on the minivan thing; Japan jumped in big-time and got more from the deal.

One quibble, I think Ford still owns the "great whoppingly oversized" SUV market while Japan has just about wiped out their former pickup truck advantage.

They (Ford) have greatly improved road-ability over the past five years.

Fair disclosure: I've owned Yamaha and Honda MC's and one Toyota (on Okinawa) and will never buy a Japanese car while there is an alternate other than SAAB.