The decision Sunday is a major blow to efforts in the United States attempting to rein in the homegrown industry that is rapidly evolving with little oversight
People don’t read. They see California and get all upset because they hate anything remotely progressive, and just assume all the steers left for Texas.
What I mean is we tend to set the trend here. Maybe this isn't the right one yet. People were complaining about California (and I still do) about their emission regulations, but yet states are adopting the policy as it was the right choice. Inland empire doesn't have a smog warning of the day saying if you can go outside or if it's hazardous.
California tends to lead the nation in laws that help the environment and citizens even if we think they fuckin blow. (10 round magazine, really?)
Manufacturers absolutely do make only-for-sale-in-California-variant cars. Motorcycles, also. They're not as common as they used to be because emissions laws elsewhere are also starting to become as stringent as the CARB rules these days as well, so it's becoming more cost effective to just make everything the "California version."
Throughout the early 2000's, the distinction was much more relevant. The last vehicle I had to work on that I know for a fact to be a "California version" was a 2014 KLR650. It has additional (unreliable...) emissions control equipment that is not present on otherwise identical bikes from the same model year that were not intended for sale in California.
Furthermore, California will refuse to plate any vehicle that does not specifically have a California compliant emissions certification if it has fewer than 7500 miles on it, i.e. if it is new. Those that don't meet California's standards are labeled "49 state" vehicles.