I’m not sure how we missed it. Decades of promises of futuristic cars, promised later, sometimes promised now. Atomic 50’s American dreams of the future of Jet Set motoring, flashy shapes, classy speed, glamorous. We missed it. You did too, you’re just as much to blame as me, though I couldn’t afford it persay, but at only $18,000 brand new, it wasn’t out of the reach of most of the modern world. You could’ve afforded one, with a warranty, I’m guessing, it’s most likely to be honest. I’m not entirely sure how we missed it; the worlds most realistic-futuristic car. Automotive perfection, resting in the corner of eyes, a blurry shape passing indirectly near us in traffic. It’s happened to you, you’ve seen one many times, ignored it. I bet you even think it looks good.

70MPG. It’s the most fuel efficient car sold in the last 20 years in North America. It’s not even about being fuel conscientious, it’s just a matter of convenience not to stop for gas as often, purely selfish. I’d really rather spend my funds on something else to be honest; maybe some hotdogs and way to much Coke Zero. I don’t really care what fuel gets me where I’m going as long as it’s cheap to buy, and the vehicle is easy to fix: This is what you missed, a car that achieved this for cheap.

1800lbs. I’ve become so disgusted with cars lately; there is physically no way to produce more than the maximum amount of power out of gasoline now, than there ever was when we started making cars over a hundred years ago. Read: Physics have not changed, there are mathematical equations you can do to calculate the exact maximum power your motor can make. It’s just a matter of spending the money to make it do that. Boring. This means that motors now, are barely any more fuel efficient than motors of the same size from long ago. What’s had a greater affect on fuel efficiency over the years? Better delivery of power, less drivetrain loss and better gearing. Lower weight is truly the only way for better economy, better performance. So imagine this: A modern car that was sub 2000lbs, and passed DOT’s strict safety standards. That’s right, you missed it.

Good looks are so important; it’s you, your projected output to others. It truly does look great, proportioned well with obvious lines that are a great suggestion to it’s futuristic approach, without looking gaudy or misplaced. Funny I mention futuristic, what I do mean to say is the car both looks, and performs for a car that meant to exist now. It’s really the only car I can think of that feels like it’s in the right time in history currently. Everything else feels so dated, again, not specifically looks, but their overall impact, and more specifically, most of modern cars poor meanings of existence. You missed the car that was built truly to now. Go back to your former selves, or travel back to talk to others, 20, 30, 40 years ago. Ask them to describe what our cars should be like now, and you’ll know we are not producing, or driving what we are supposed to be. Almost all vehicles released now are far behind our expectations, so I can’t believe we missed this one.

Simple is almost always the key to success, but with modern Hybrids I’m not sure. Many others have risen to fame and cult & cultural status, but we missed this one. It’s so simple, so light, so obvious. Mechanically, it’s actually less complicated than almost every other vehicle sold from it’s release in 1999. 15 years next year, and you still haven’t noticed it, you should’ve noticed it. Ingenious in it’s basic package, pure and practical focus on the perfect car to operate for a regular everyday life. No gimmicks to help sell it, no false claims, or tricks; purity from passion. Clear observation, logical decision making, and calculated execution resulted in it. It works, you fit in it, and it gets things done. You look good, it doesn’t fail, and it only takes what it needs, nothing more. Perhaps that’s why you missed it: No squeaky wheels , it just gets the job done.

I can’t believe we missed our chance to experience the worlds most present time appropriate car.



The first generation, Honda insight:

1800lbs, 70mpg, 5 speed manual, $18,000, 1999. The car from the future, that’s now a forgotten part of the past. How’d you miss it?



