The time when engineers can work on arbitrary user-facing ideas in nearly fullisolation from the top, and still hope to be hugely successful, is now largely gone.
But it takes some explanation beyond the usual bruises of political life to account for the full extent of Mr Mandelson's isolation within his own party and the venom he arouses.
The front and rear multilink suspension has been revised to provide better cornering, body control and, most important, isolation, with a pallet full of hydro-elastic bushings between suspension bits and chassis.
No matter how well intentioned (and politically appealing), protecting individual values in isolation of the consequence to other values can never be as optimal as making decisions with the full system in view and on the table.