Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 87: Where Does Hampton Go From Here?

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 87: Where Does Hampton Go From Here?

In anticipation of further rounds of the recurring Generations challenge, I have made several test cars bearing the Hampton badge for the purposes of being entered there. However, given that those rounds are several weeks away, I will not finalize these cars' actual specifications until the competition reaches that stage. With this in mind, here's one possible plan for the (far) future of the Hampton Motor Group, given that the second round is about to end soon and a third one is imminent:

• 1970s: Oil crisis forces downsizing of entire range; Hampton also undertakes extensive redesigns, focuses more on efficiency, and mostly withdraws from performance sector, with few (if any) exceptions.
• 1980s: Hampton Motor Group regains confidence as oil crisis ends. Performance models and larger cars make a comeback as the decade progresses.
• 1990s: Profits from consistently good sales allow Hampton Motor Group to invest more heavily in more advanced designs and engines. The company has the potential to be in a very strong position by century's end.
• 2000s: Hampton Motor Group may expand into SUV/truck market early in the decade. More new tech (including satellite navigation) is added to the range in later years.
• 2010s: Downsizing and infotainment are the new buzzwords, forcing a re-evaluation of the company's priorities. Amidst all the turmoil, Hampton maintains a presence in a wide variety of market sectors.

Please note that this plan for the lore of the Hampton Motor Group is subject to change due to the fact that the first round set in the 1970s or later is not scheduled to start for several more weeks. In the meantime, the third round of Generations II has been announced, and it has been confirmed to be set in 1966 as well as featuring a total of four categories (compact, intermediate, muscle and utility) per entrant - watch this space.

Update (March 26th 2020): The muscle car category for the third round of Generations II has been confirmed to be open only to variants of existing models from the compact and intermediate categories. Moreover, pony cars will also be treated as muscle cars under the new system. However, a new build of Automation has entered open beta testing, and as such the submission period has been delayed significantly.

And as a reminder that us Automationeers can still enjoy their hobby during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, I am using my self-quarantine period to devote more time to Automationeering. The pandemic will end eventually, but it will most likely be several months before it begins to peter out. Until then, stay safe and remain positive.