Collecting cars can be a lot of fun!! A great deal of money can be made, too, but at the end of the day, it is the same as with any investment. The value of vintage cars can go down as well as up.

Caveat! This is not for the penny counters…

I asked one vintage car owner, “why do you love Vintage cars? Why do you even do it?” His answer fascinated me….

“When you get to my age and status, few things amaze me… It’s the memories I cherish”.

Fascinating… isn’t it?

Vintage car owners attest to how much love and care has gone into preserving the timeless brands of major car makers. At a vintage car show held in Accra recently, I realised, although the number of cars were few, to the disappointment of some persons at the event; it nevertheless gave me an insight into the potential of such an event for the future. The nostalgic stories participants shared at the event are simply priceless.

Like I said from the beginning, this isn’t for the penny counters. The value of some of these cars will astound you. It hit me; memories are indeed priceless.

Let’s deep dive, shall we?

After Ford rocked the automotive world with its new Mustang in 1964, the folks at Chevrolet got serious with a pony car of their own. The result was the 1967 Camaro, an aggressively styled convertible or coupe which changed the entire landscape of car manufacturing. Many enthusiasts of the 1967 Chevy Camaro admire these automobiles for their striking, robust appearance. This classic vehicle is a tribute to a past age in vehicle creation. Today, it is one of the most owned vintage cars in the world! Modern alterations have turned this classic car into the future! A real beauty!

The Ford Mustang GT350 and GT500 or better known as the Shelby Mustang, built by Shelby American from 1965 to 1967, and by the Ford Motor company from 1968 to 1970 is another true classic. From the first generation GT350 to the 5^th Generation GT500, this classic car has history written all over it! It’s iterations today are a marvel! The all-new Shelby GT500 is arguably the most powerful street-legal ford in History, with a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 producing more than 700 horsepower, no doubt is the most advanced mustang ever for street, track or drag strip! But the 1967 GT350 is still desired by Vintage car collectors!

Special editions or limited-run models are clearly desirable because it’s ownership bestows a sense of exclusivity and also creates a sense of belonging to a particular class! Again, I repeat, this isn’t a cheap venture!

The kinds of cars that would previously have been considered classics from the automotive golden eras of the 1960s and ’70s are now old enough to be considered antique.

We all like to own beautiful things, and cars are no different. A well-designed and aesthetically attractive vintage automobile such as the Lamborghini Miura or Jaguar E-Type will always have collectors queuing up to buy into ownership, so demand will always be high.

So what really makes them special?

Vintage cars are created very much in an analogue world where designers used pencil and paper to create elegant shapes and flowing lines that would just not be possible on the computer-based design software used by modern car designers. Take the front wing of a Jaguar XK120 or the profile of a Ferrari 250 GTO, as great examples!

They just don’t make them like this anymore.

Business moguls such as, Osei Kwame Despite, was hot on social media after a photo of a vintage car he bought went viral. The car fascinated many social media users because of its look and the special customisations accompanying it.

It has turned out that, the car was not the only one to have been acquired by the business mogul to add to his large fleet of exotic cars. The Peace FM owner actually went shopping for many cars in what looks like an attempt to collect vintage cars!

Vintage designs are beautiful in every way, but are made in shapes that no modern designer could create nowadays, the way the metal frame underneath the bodywork used during the prototype stage and even “bucks” used to shape bodywork would have a direct influence on the car’s form.

These designs belong to a previous age that people fondly look back on, where designers were unencumbered by constraints such as crash tests, or aerodynamic drag coefficients, and instead created shapes that reflected the mood and trends of the time.

As the popular saying goes only those who have felt it will understand the love between a lover of vintage cars and his collection!

The world is fast evolving and engaged with high process developing technology. Modern contraptions are ultimately all about speed and efficiency. Gadgets now represent advanced technology including modern electronic appliances for daily use.

In recent years, these devices have become increasingly general purpose as they combine several functions including making calls, streaming video and playing games. Typical examples include e-book readers, smart watches, digital fitness trackers, GPS devices, video game machines, laptops, desktop computers among others.

Generally, modern gadgets determine whether or not a provider is to be trusted as well as see how beneficial whatever service people are looking into will be to their advantage and enhance their daily activities.

Think about it this way; most people nowadays would almost never buy into any kind of service without reading comments and reviews of products online. This has been made possible by access to information on modern gadgets and technology. Technological advancements such as internet and computers have opened up anew world for you to learn from and choose wisely.

Modern gadgets have changed the world! It makes you wonder what the world would be like without it. According to a market research study published by Facts and Factors, the demand analysis of Global Wearable Technology Market size & share revenue is anticipated to exceed USD 380.5 billion by 2028. Wearable technology market size and share was worth USD 115.8 billion in 2021 and with a compound annual growth rate of around 18.5%, is predicted to exceed the 380 billion mark. Astonishing how this could never have been imagined fifty or so years ago.

This tells its own story. The surge in growth cannot be all good, can it? There are over a million zillion articles propagating the positives of technology and modern gadgets. Let me highlight a few:

Information, on its own is a powerful currency. Access to information is by far one of the biggest advantages of technology and modern gadget use. They have revolutionised the way we work, eat, sleep, shop and communicate. They are an ever- present part of modern life. This must be a good thing, isn’t it?

Let’s take communication. Do phone booths still exist? How about those fat, heavy mobile phones that made the user look like a soviet colonel or a sugar daddy? Before the days of mobile phones, it was somehow inconvenient trying to reach people since one needed to find a phone booth to make calls while away from home. Modern technology helps us stay personally and professionally connected by providing access to email, text messages, WhatsApp, video chat and social media, all through a mobile phone!

Modern gadgets have revolutionised the world of shopping, allowing online shoppers to buy millions of products with a click of a mouse. Online stores, drop-shipping, et al were all born from the Boom that is technology.

Ghana has been making impressive strides in digital inclusion and technological adoption over the last six years. A deliberate policy direction by the government may be the real drive for this adoption and advancement, but I daresay this is the only reason. Ghana’s economy is dominated by Micro, Small and Medium scale Enterprises that struggle to grow, hence digital growth can be the X factor that leads to a massive transformation of the economy.

According to the latest country Economic memorandum report of the World Bank on Ghana, 98% of the country’s businesses were Micro or Small and 90% were informal.

Pierre Laporte, World Bank Director for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone highlighted, “Digital technologies could offer a source of productivity growth and accelerate firm upgrading and spur innovation as well as entrepreneurship, thus driving growth of higher quality jobs in Ghana”.

Same report also highlights though Ghana performs well on the availability of digital infrastructure- with high coverage and relatively low costs for mobile internet, fixed broadband is the main barrier to digital technology adoption. Ghana’s broadband issues are well documented, with no near solution in sight. For Ghana’s digital transformation to continue to evolve, there must be a deliberate focus on increasing the internet speed whiles continuing to reduce the costs of handsets and gadgets, as well as data plans.

I must however add that, while I am an advocate for technology, tech, digital transformation, and the inherent benefits they provide, not just for me as an individual, but for National advancement, I must add that the downsides worry me as well.

I worry about the impact of all this on the present and future generation. Gadget addiction is fast on the rise, especially in children! About 47% of parents believe that their children are addicted to smartphones. 52% of teenagers surveyed sit with their smartphones for more extended periods than hanging out with friends!

Children’s addiction towards gadgets of any kind is a widespread problem for parents world-wide. Countries like the United States, Korea, Indonesia, etc. have studies affirming the alarming rate of gadget addiction among children and their negative consequences.

The negative impact includes decreasing cognitive skills like attentional and memory issues, academic skills, increased aggression, perceptual problems, and anti-social behavioural patterns (Sandya Basu).

Modern gadgets, especially the internet-connected ones usually generate radiation leading to several health issues. For example, you may get blurring vision from the screens of a laptop or smartphone. This exposure is usually prominent especially when these gadgets are directly in contact with the skin. Overuse of modern gadgets such as ear buds could cause health related issues such as earaches. Also, many modern gadgets have caused sleep deprivation especially at night. Studies also prove that the excessive use of electronic gadgets in early childhood or teenage years can result in different psychological disorders, like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as physiological complications like obesity, myopia, dryness, blurring vision, headache, etc.

Though social media and other technology help many people strengthen relationships, others feel pressured to keep up a certain image on these platforms. Children and teenagers are especially vulnerable to the social issues associated with smartphones and other gadgets connected to the internet.

The ability to shop and conduct banking operations from a mobile device is convenient but brings an increased risk for identity theft and other serious crimes. Loss of privacy is another challenge! Personal videos, photos and other private information are at greater risk of being exposed or lost when stored on a modern gadget.

I asked a question in my title, Is it worth the risk? I love technology, but at what cost? Something for you all to chew on…

It is safe to say that most of us seemed happy to see the back of 2021. 2022 started on a promising note with a lot of interesting things occurring from an automotive standpoint which may result in an even more interesting revelation in the coming months.

For close to 100 years, manual transmissions were the only option for drivers until the Sturtevant brothers of Boston attempted the first automatic transmission in 1904.

The data, released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), shows that 40 per cent of all new cars registered in 2017 featured an automatic gearbox, double the proportion from 2007, with consumers attracted to the comfort and simplified driving inherent in the technology.

A report revealed by the Automobile Association shows that the number of people in demand for cars with automatic gearboxes has almost doubled in the past five years, going from 9.9% in 2014 to 18.6% in 2019. The production of automatic cars increased as a result of simplicity and convenience.

The emergence of the world’s first pandemic in over a century, COVID-19, has caused extreme disruption to automotive supply chains. A combination of workforce infections, economic slowdown and a global shortage of vital semiconductors meant that several automakers and manufacturers were forced to idle production and close plants.

After a 43% decrease in sales, Ghana’s auto market started showing signs of recovery in September 2021, with reports of 344 units sold (-5%), leading year to Date sales at 3,324 units, a 4.2% decrease in sales compared to 2020.

The efficiency of automobiles is probably inherent in the single most important factor sculpting automobiles and their markets as well as transmissions too.

According to Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta, the Ghana Automotive Development Programme under the Strategic Anchor Industries Initiative, continues to attract investment from global vehicle brands. Global brands Nissan, Volkswagen, Toyota, Peugeot and Sinotruck have all set up assembly plants in Ghana, joining local car maker Kantanka, thereby ushering in a new era for Ghana’s automotive industry. I must add that they need a lot of policy support for this to become a success, but Good times! I pray…

This quarter was supposed to be the year for auto production, Instead, the surge in Covid cases, especially in Southeast Asia has caused a new round of parts shortages and auto plant shutdowns around the globe. This was followed by the Delta variant which led to the reduction of vaccines, shutdowns and more  stay at home orders as a result of massive job losses affecting the sales of auto parts.

To narrow it down more, in Ghana, the Cedi has now been declared the worst performing currency according to Bloomberg, in more plain language, the Ghana Cedi is completely in tatters! Ratings from Fitch and S&P also saw the Cedi rating falling further to junk this month. As to how this has affected the automobile industry, your guess is as good as mine!

The world is becoming more unbalanced, and Ghana must look forward to adjusting to the current times and systems for the betterment of the automobile industry as a major economic player in the growth and development of a country.