Thoughts on the 2015 New York Auto Show from a Millennial Car Guy.

Being a car guy in 2015 feels like being a member of an endangered species. With electric motors, self-driving cars, and even computers that won’t allow you to travel over the speed limit, it’s a bleak time for fans of internal combustion and driving in general.

However, after attending the 2015 New York Auto Show, I am happy to report that the future doesn’t look so bad after all. Allow me to offer three glimmers of hope for us car people:

Electric motors are good. Climbing up a staircase can be a laborious process, but imagine if, instead, you could just ride a wave up to the top, without any interruption. That is the kind of power electric motors bring to the automobile. This technology continues to advance – and what better way to go fast (the goal of every car guy)? – then to ride an instant wave of torque, without any “steps” or shifts in power.

The stick shift lives. Many believe the manual transmission won’t survive another 10 years; automatic cars are faster, smoother, and more efficient nowadays. And yet, almost every performance-oriented car I sat in at the show came equipped with a manual, from the Ford Mustang to the Dodge Viper, and many vehicles in-between. Perhaps the manual will become an automotive accessory, like a fancy wristwatch; you don’t need it, but having one makes you feel good, and points you out as a connoisseur.

Sequels are coming out soon. Millennials like myself grew up idolizing ‘90s cars like the Acura NSX and Toyota Supra. These cars are making a comeback, and they will eclipse their predecessors in every measurable sense. Some might say they lack the character of the originals, but to them I ask, what will your children grow up dreaming of? To them, these are the cars featured in bedroom posters that will inspire them to love and work on cars.

So to the Millennial car guys and girls out there, I say don’t be afraid of the future, and remember that to your parents, the cars you probably loved growing up caused them to scratch their heads and say “they don’t make ’em like they used to.”