A discussion about the purchasing of cars as status symbols.
In this paper, the author argues that the purchasing of oversized sport utility vehicles, or OSUVs, is all about the drivers ego. The author discusses the recent development of giant cars and the reasons people purchase them arguing that size is irrelevant, and that it’s the feeling of superiority that drives customers to purchase them. In short, the paper is a look at cars as status symbols.
In the 1950’s some prognosticators of the future felt that by the year 2000 the popular form of transportation would be flying cars. Well, the 20th century is drawing to a close and it is not the flying car that is replacing the automobile but rather a giant car-truck hybrid, the oversized sport utility vehicle, or OSUV for short. Consumers are currently purchasing these vehicles, namely the Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Chevrolet Suburban, in unprecedented numbers for a variety of reasons. In fact, since the introduction of the Expedition and the Navigator several years ago, the sales of these vehicles have risen 150%. However, it is my belief that the true cause of the explosion in OSUV popularity is neither convenience nor practical use, but rather as a means of providing an ego boost and to furnish a false sense of superiority for the driver.