I love stylish cars and I hate the fact that most cars of today look the same. I like cars to have an individual personality
and the classic American cars fit the bill. Even the names, such as Pontiac, Cadillac and Chevrolet conjure up an image of
speeding down the freeways and cruising the neighborhoods. Some of these cars are works of art.
The only trouble with admiring big, brash cars is that they tend to be gas-guzzlers and I am very concerned about the environment. American cars offer me a conflict of interest. Things are changing however. Americans were never too concerned
about how many miles they were getting to the gallon. Gas was cheap; there was no welfare state to support, so the Government
didn’t pile the tax on driving costs. Now, the price of gas is steadily increasing and there is generally more debate about
the impact of cars on the environment. A Hummer SUV gives a staggering nine miles to the gallon.
More and more Americans are driving European cars, such as Saab and BMW, which are more economical to run. In fact, some of these cars are manufactured in the US and are therefore still considered to be American cars. They may not be as much fun but this is a necessary lifestyle change. There are certain cars, which have entered the culture as icons. American cars have made a contribution to many movies and TV shows. The cherry red Ford Gran Torino was like another character in the Starksy and Hutch series. Known affectionately as the striped tomato, it screeched round corners and skidded sideways as the two detectives chased after the bad guys. In The Dukes of Hazard, the major star was probably the car. The General Lee, as it was called, was a Dodge Charger with a hot engine and a Confederate Battle flag painted on the roof. They were not gentle with it and 229 different models were used in the show.
Another TV show car dominated the plot and that was in Knight Rider. KITT was the car with the state of the art on board
computer that had conversations with David Hasslehoff’s character. I found KITT very annoying and I used to switch channels
when this show came on. I would have driven it into the ocean. Never act with children, animals and talking cars, even if
they are sleek and sporty American cars.