I don't think it's that unusual that the executives would only be presented with the best sample for demonstration. You have to remember that each car represent

I don't think it's that unusual that the executives would only be presented with the best sample for demonstration. You have to remember that each car represents the hard work of many people, and I know that if I was the last person in that chain responsible for preparing the demo model for the CEO, I'd certainly take the time to make sure everything was perfect! In fact, I think the author buried the lead in the last paragraph. I've never been turned off of a car because of a loose fitting joint on the dash, or a persistent rattle (my current car has both). Rather, the real problem is that they've removed the human element from the design process. I can't find the exact quote at the moment, but I recall Jonathan Ive once said something to the effect that he could pin-point when each car manufacturer moved from clay model prototypes to CAD design, because that's precisely when the cars lost their "soul".