Question

The 1974 model Eldorado is a three-ton behemoth with a 500-cubic-inch engine that is long on style but short on gas mileage. During its five-year development process no one could possibly have anticipated that gas prices would go through the roof in 1973, making it far more expensive to operate and subsequently less attractive to a gas-price-conscious public. Design engineers scrambled to change the car in the last few months leading up to its debut, adding a slimmed down version with a smaller engine. All of the design overtime meant that the project budget took a big hit though, thanks to:

Answer 1

The answer is this external factor.

Step-by-step explanation:

External factors are elements that influence a business' results and performance from the outside. These factors are often part of the economic, political and social environment of the locations where the company operates.

The external factor here is the rise in gas prices. This is an outside influence which forced the engineers to change the original design, and this added up costs.