Shady daze

Many years ago, a CEO of Volvo commented that the worldwide styling trend to more rounded shapes, with lots of glass curving to the roofline, was not the way to go. He reckoned that comfort is reduced when passengers are required to subject themselves to extra sunlight.

I couldn't agree more. Modern cars, including many new 4WDs and SUVs, can be rotten places to be on a scorching, summer day. Great expanses of glass may look trendy, but they are the last thing you need when it is 100F. Stopped in traffic, or parked on the side of the road, I'd rather be in an early Jeep Wagoneer, Land Rover Defender or Toyota Landcruiser 40-series than anything with panoramic windows.

These days, with the thinning of the ozone layer, skin cancer caused by over-exposure to sunlight is becoming commonplace in warmer climates. In Australia, where a large percentage of the population is white Anglo Saxon, there is a crazy tradition of shedding as many clothes as possible, lying in blazing, summer sun, and hoping to get brown. As you can imagine, the skin specialists and surgeons have bulging appointment books.

Why can't the engineers build cars featuring today's aerodynamic shapes but with much smaller glass areas? The manufacturers sales people have often claimed that more glass increases visibility and, therefore, safety. However, I can't remember having trouble seeing the road from behind the wheel of my 1967 Landcruiser. And I can't remember my dad complaining about getting lost because he couldn't see out of the windows of his 1937 Pontiac!

There is good news though. Take a look at some of the latest models, and the concept vehicles at motor shows, and you will see a definite move toward smaller glass areas. A couple reasons for this are (1) side curtain airbags take up storage space, so the less glass area the more room for the bags, and (2) the influence of the Retro look spurred along by the success of Chrysler's PT Cruiser and Dodge Magnum.

Of course, if you're in the market for capable 4WD and you would like a wide, shady roof and small windows, take a look at the Hummer.