Harley Davidson

Holding 55% of the marketshare, Harley Davidson is America's premiere motorcycle maker.  

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is their motto.  Just like an old-fashioned pickle maker!  As such, they've outperformed America's Big Three auto makers, over and over again.  

How?  Two ways: 

1). They don't cheapen their product or processes. 

2). They don't discard a winning "look"--just because it's old, in favor of something inferior--just because it's new (like the Big 3 do).

Compare the 1936 model, above, with last year's model of the Softail Slim, seen below...

Or compare the 1942 model, below...

with the 2014 Softail Deluxe, below...

or the 2016 touring Road King

Harley maintained their streamlined appearance, materials, body, contours, and styling.  Over 80 years!  Despite the infusion of plastics, crumple zones, and cheaper ideals.  Ergo, they maintained their loyal customer following, profits, and marketshare.   
     Now, in comparison, see how Buick disintegrated over the same time period.  Always owned by General Motors, it was once a grand automobile to drive.  Unlike Harley's--which are still esteemed--Buick fell so far that to have one was to label yourself as an elderly person or a dud.  Now, it's costing Buick tremendous advertising to disprove the public opinion of their cars.  Imagine if Buick had never lost the great styling from their heyday?

1940

1948

1951

1956

American car makers cheapened their products in the 1950's, ladening them with chrome to hide the cheapening innards.  Greedily (and because upper management wasted profits), Buick began "shaving off" style from its cars, after the 50s, to cheapen the cost.  As everything in America should've been improving with time, cars fell apart.  In essence, they didn't care.

1962

1969

1980

1985

1993

2005

     How can a country claim to be great, if it produces such "watered down" crap?  Harley Davidson doesn't have that problem.  
     Which is the winning "look"?