Granted, by the middle 1960s, almost ALL vehicle systems had plateaued majorly. USA factory a/c systems were the world standard (especially the GMs with the A-6 compressor), power brakes were very good for everybody, the three-speed automatics were also world standard, and engineering was generally good (with, of course, Chrysler being to the highest degree of execution, with GMs being good but with the last cent wrung out of the end product, and Ford being reliable with stamina . . . EACH with their own high points in the world-wide industry). AND "brand identity" went far farther than just the grille emblem, by observation . . . getting into materials used, how the whole vehicle "felt" as you drove it, with brand loyalty still being at play.
Growing up in that time frame was great for a car enthusiast as each year brought new models and innovations. When "show date" season was something to look forward to, after reading about what might be in the many car magazines of the time.
What is now termed "the malaise era" was when "safety" became more important than "power", as exhaust emissions reduction was in the mix too. The investments in those areas, by the OEMs, took a good bit out of the prior excitement, but NOT all of it. Then came FWD! As GM and Ford downsized their models, Chrysler was the only company that still had some semblance or "performance" in their products, even the smaller FWD cars. North Loop Dodge in Fort Worth had a Dodge Shadow laid on its side in its showroom. I was amazed at the typical Chrysler design items under that mere fwd 4-cyl car. A front K-frame, for example. About a 2.5" outlet on the cat converter, but the exh pipe decreased in size at each junction. NOT to forget how Chrysler normalized turbos to the general public, as GM tried to use them, but had issues in many cases (whether in the crudity of the software of the computers) or in the "no air cooling" of the unit itself.
Can't forget the Little Red Express Truck, either! A 360 V-8 with as much horsepower as a L82 Corvette, being the second best performing vehicle that year in the CAR AND DRIVER group vehicle test. Leaving the beloved Pontiac T/A 400 in the dust, no matter what tricks the Pontiac rep tried. Chrysler still built "fast stuff" IF one knew how to order the vehicle, by observation. FWIW.
Paint colors still had some good ones into the later 1970s, but by about 1979, everything had gone pastel . . . which evolved into the current "white, black, gray, red" colors of today. "Less" became better than "more", in many areas, which allegedly was less expensive to do. It might be amazing to see what profits MIGHT have been made if the "fewer is better" orientation had been done in the later 1950s, rather than "anything you want". Imports of that era came "as the factory allegedly wanted to build them, take your choice, if you don't want it somebody else will" orientation, which was just the opposite of what the USA brands did, by observation.
Look at how many things we lived through during those times! Having to wear seat belts, cupholders that were somewhere else other than on the inside of the glove box door, unleaded fuel and catalytic converters, but also the new things we ended up with (more stereo radios and tape/CD players, radial tires, interval windshield wipers, plus many other formerly-luxury options as standard equipment on pretty much everything). And NOW, horsepower is back, now being emissions-compliant!
Certainly, the "bean counters" will affect everything that is designed/engineered/produced, as always. No reason to lose money just because you can, so building it economically is always best, except for some specific "halo" models that are more advertising than mainstream.
Getting out of high school in 1970, I was there to watch a lot of these things happen, over time. In some cases, not realizing what I was seeing until years later. But it was exciting and fun to keep up with it all, for me.
Just some recollections,
CBODY67