[nitkel]

I was wondering whether this is just an effect of keeping up with the competition. In case of two car models competing with each other in the same segment, if one carmaker decides to up it's game by increasing the size of the car with a new generation, the other carmaker will have to follow suit eventually to remain competitive! This in turn affect cars from segments above and below it, as no manufacturer would want cars from different segments to be same in size. Imagine a Honda City being the size of a Civic of the same generation!

[Romeo_Mike]

Cars are getting bigger and bigger.
Hmm.. started wondering which factors might have influenced this trend...

1. Couldn't help noticing that all of models listed in the OP have originated from countries that were nearly destroyed during WW II. One could say the growing size of these models only mirrored the growing technological/socio-economic might of those economies.
2. In more recent years, Regulatory/customer demand for features also seem like a contributing factor. With more and more safety, environmental, convenience systems demanding incremental space out of the bodyshell.
3. Psycho-economics seems like another peculiar culprit, atleast in some cases. Let's consider an example closer to home - The 5th gen Honda City is both longer and wider as compared to it's predecessor from the outside. Wheelbase remains same, so interior space is most likely identical. So by giving a bigger car, Honda get to price the newer gen car a cool 1.5L higher (Comparing V variants OTR, Mumbai), with a few bits and pieces thrown in. Could Honda have gone for the same the price differential, based just on the additional safety/convenience features without altering the dimensions? Doubt that. So to sum it up, newer should be bigger, in order to be pricier!

But this trend surely is not Universal. Americans e.g. have continued building huge cars all along. The current gen Chevy Suburban, which some one said is as big as a house, measures 5733 mm in length. Compare this to 5,565 mm of the 1973 Suburban, that is +168 mm over 5 gens. - not a significant increase I would say. And just for fun, compare it's size to 5690 mm (~43 mm) of the Cadillac Eldorado - that was a two door sedan.

Yes, some examples are there in the American market too - the corvettes and mustangs for example, have grown over generations, mostly attributable to change in positioning and some psycho-economics may be.

[TrackDay]

Originally Posted by roy_libran

Well... Humans, in general are larger and heavier than their predecessors from even just a couple of decades ago, and to aggravate matters even further, more comfort seeking and less hardship tolerant.
So, it is no surprise that cars, couches, chairs etc. are all getting larger.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

One that really stood out to me was when the "R35" GTR was launched.

I mean just look at this... it looks like it's about to swallow up the earlier gen!

Attachment 2169288

Although off-topic that picture of the GTR reminded me of a comparison I saw recently of the Titanic with one of the largest passenger ships today. Definitely man has made luxury and everything else bigger in the last century. From houses, buildings to TV screens, cars and even dreams. To the next 100

Image source: https://malcolmoliver.wordpress.com/...mment-page-11/


Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/473511348320280655/


Image source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/vis...n-cruise-ship/

[Romeo_Mike]

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Although off-topic that picture of the GTR reminded me of a comparison I saw recently of the Titanic with one of the largest passenger ships today. Definitely man has made luxury and everything else bigger in the last century.

Off topic for sure, but can't help pointing out that its not fare to compare the Titanic to an Oasis class cruise ship. The real modern ship to compare it to, is the QM2, which is also an ocean liner.

Ocean liners have to face restrictions for hull/superstructure design which prevents them from being made like a super wide box-like cruise ship. This is keeping in mind the far rougher seas they have to face, as compare to cruiseships which stay closer to shore lines.

Although the QM2 is also a good 250 ft longer, its only 60 ft wider than the Titanic, while passenger carrying capacity has only increased marginally.

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by Romeo_Mike

Ocean liners have to face restrictions for hull/superstructure design which prevents them from being made like a super wide box-like cruise ship. This is keeping in mind the far rougher seas they have to face, as compare to cruiseships which stay closer to shore lines.

You beat me to this post! But getting back to the point- it is a combination of the increasing purchase power, flexible finance, a material need for bigger, better, and an increased emphasis on personal space and comfort atleast in the urban segments of upper middle/upper socio-economic segments.
As my father said to me some years ago, the space inside a Honda City is actually better than any previous gen-car like say, Padmini or Esteem or even the Ambassador. On those cars, they never thought twice about piling up 3 in the rear and 3 in the front on some occasions in some cars. Now, people worry about middle seat hump, neck-restraint for middle passengers etc.
Another aspect of this is also the body construction which needs to be based on material standards, safety norms etc. Side impact beam on the doors increases the width by a few inches either side.Contrast with the flat-as-pancake doors of the earlier cars.