Frenzied Minds: AB reader's comic strip depicts how cars are made

At one point, the Pontiac Aztek was a pretty cool-looking concept. But then, brand managers probably began asking where all the plastic cladding was, bean counters started looking for ways to do things as cheaply as possible, and the end result was the clunky, dorky punchline we all know and love to make fun of.

We all wish the process of creating a car was as simple as drawing something up, feeding it into a computer and pressing "BUILD." Unfortunately, there's a lot more to it than that, with dirty phrases like "build complexity", "government mandates", and "middle management" getting in the way of what was once a good thing.

Autoblog reader and comic artist Mark Reynolds has interpreted the crazy process that begins with a sweet sketch but winds up being designed and approved by committee... and evil monkeys. Click the image above for a good laugh. Mark, thanks for sharing your talents with the rest of us.

[Source: Got Graphic]