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- Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
Is that a--flying car?
It's the automobile,
one of modern history's greatest inventions.
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This transformative mode of transportation
is truly an expression of identity.
Cars have become one of the most important
signifiers of every generation,
and driving for the first time
is an American rite of passage.
Over the years, drivers the world over
have celebrated cars that became classics.
Is your favorite among our fleet?
Turn up the radio, honk your horn, and buckle up.
We're about to celebrate decades of cars
that drive us wild.
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Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines
with the most influential and iconic car
in American history,
the Model T Ford.
The very first assembly line car,
the Model T was also the first ride
most folks could afford to own.
October 1, 1908, is the Model T's birthday,
and less than 20 years later,
Ford sold more than 16.5 million
of these affordable automobiles.
In the 1920s, the Model T
was the shining star of every road.
It was so popular, it accounted for 40%
of all cars sold.
Henry Ford's moving assembly line method
for mass production completely reinvented
the way cars and other machines were made.
The Model T ushered in the modern era in America.
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The Buick Series 40
rolled onto the scene in 1934
and started a trend with new models
in 1936, 1937,
1938, and 1940.
With rear-wheel drive and an eight-cylinder engine,
the 1935 Buick Series 40 was a beast,
weighing in at more than a ton and a half
and came with 87 horsepower under the hood.
Another favorite of the 1930s,
Ford's V8 Cabriolet was a stunning marvel
of engineering ingenuity.
Say that "V8" times fast.
In 1932, the Cabriolet arrived with a low-priced,
cast-in-one-piece engine,
boasting 65 horses.
The Cabby's size and unique exterior
made it the most popular car of 1932.
The soft top convertible was an American luxury
for anyone lucky enough to catch a Cabriolet.
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When World War II began,
the United States automobile industry
switched gears in response.
Materials and manufacturing
were consolidated in the war effort.
From Buicks to bombs, Model T's to tanks,
factories from coast to coast were retooled
to help win the war.
During and after the war,
the American focus was often on family.
The Chrysler Town & Country
was released just before the fighting began
and remained popular several years later.
The T&C transformed through the years
from a steel roof station wagon
with real wood siding and third row seats
to a stylish convertible
complete with white ash and mahogany details.
Truly a shining example of American excellence.
In 1948, the Mercury Station Wagon
skyrocketed to success.
The Mercury Eight sold three times more
than previous models
thanks to an upsized flathead V8 engine
that gearheads couldn't resist.
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In 1953, Chevrolet debuted a dream car
at the General Motors Motorama
held at the famed Waldorf Astoria hotel
in New York City.
The Corvette was the first mass-produced fiberglass car,
which made it lighter and more maneuverable
than anything else on the road.
Finally, American drivers have a car
that can compete with European influence
for speed and handling.
Three years later, in 1956,
Chevy released three absolutely iconic models.
The redesigned Chevy 150, 210, and Bel Air
are some of the world's most recognizable rides
and remain popular today with collectors.
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When sales of giant sedans from the '50s slowed down,
Volkswagen put its foot on the gas
with the small and mighty Beetle.
Ferdinand Porsche created the Volkswagen Beetle
at the behest of Nazi leadership
in Germany in the 1930s,
but was reimagined in the 1950s
with a new, continuous oval rear window.
Gaining vast popularity
and a few more design changes in the 1960s,
this car with controversial origins
became a symbol of the "peace and love" generation.
More than 21 million Beetles would eventually hit the road
and the Type 1 Beetle went out of production
in the U.S. in 1979
and continued in Mexico until 2003.
But it's safe to say "Beetlemania"
is still alive and well in America.
In 1964, the Beetle was cute,
and the Chevrolet Sting Ray was sexy.
The 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray
made waves thanks to its small size and impressive speed.
A rear-drive sports car
sporting more than 300 horsepower,
the Sting Ray continued Chevy's tradition
of lightweight materials and lots of muscle.
And compared to the cost
of Italian or German cars in its class,
the Sting Ray was considered a bargain.
Chevrolet flexed even more muscle with the Impala,
born in 1958 as the Bel Air Impala.
In 1961, the new and improved Impala SS
was a 360 horsepower hit.
In 1965, more than a million Impalas were sold,
making it one of the most popular cars
in General Motors' history.
Lowrider Chevy Impalas are still big draws
at classic car conventions and auto shows.
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"Electric Sliding" into the 1970s,
the Oldsmobile Cutlass
was the perfect personal luxury coupe.
The '76 Cutlass was a flashy classic
with a long hood, short deck, and two doors.
It was a "Dynomite" drive.
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Japanese automaker Honda took a bow
in 1970s America with its small-sized cars.
Originally ridiculed for being so little,
Honda laughed all the way to the bank
when the American gas prices made people reconsider
the fuel-efficient Honda Civic.
Gas-guzzlers were out, and the compact car
became a perennial hit.
The Honda Civic has an odd claim to fame.
Its 1990s and 2000s models
are still some of America's most popular cars...
among car thieves.
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Goodbye, '70s Station Wagon,
hello '80s minivan mania.
The Dodge Caravan and the Plymouth Voyager
both dropped in 1984,
more than 200,000 models sold in their debut year.
From soccer moms to sales people,
minivans were practical and popular.
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No 1980s road trip would be complete
without the famed DeLorean.
Best known from "Back to the Future,"
the DeLorean was the dream of GM veteran John DeLorean.
He tapped famed sports car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro
to make an ethical sports car
that was safe, fuel-efficient, and built to last.
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Unfortunately, quality control issues plagued production
which only lasted a couple of years.
Only 9,000 DeLoreans were made,
but the car was immortalized on the silver screen
where it remains a flight of fancy
for automobile enthusiasts.
Collectors worldwide still buy, sell,
and trade parts online,
ensuring the DeLorean remains on the road.
The famous Ferrari Testarossa
found fame on the small screen.
After being featured in hit TV shows
like "Magnum, P.I." and "Miami Vice,"
the Ferrari became a status symbol of the 1980s.
The 180 degree V12 engine
with 390 horsepower defined the excess of the era.
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In the 1990s, the minivan moved over
for the suburb's new favorite fad,
the sport utility vehicle, or SUV.
The Ford Explorer started the craze
that continues today
in subcategories ranging from mini to massive.
The original Explorer boasted 155 horsepower
running through a four-liter V6 engine
with rear-wheel drive.
When British sports cars took a U-turn in popularity
here in the states,
the Mazda MX-5 Miata marked the arrival
of Japan's first American sports car.
It looked a lot like the Lotus Elan,
but was far more reliable and affordable,
making it very popular among the racing set.
The Acura NSX
was another spectacular sports car of the 1990s,
With its aluminum body and reactive suspension.
The Acura introduced America
to Honda's VTEC variable valve control technology,
still used today in a wide variety of vehicles.
The two-seater mid-engine Acura MXS held its own
against cars then and now.
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With the turn of the century,
American drivers focused on the environment
and how to drive more economically.
The dream of a fully electric car
started to really take shape
when hybrid vehicles hit the road.
The Toyota Prius piqued the interest of drivers
from Hollywood to Hartford
with its clean emissions and impressive fuel economy.
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Toyota trends upwards again with the Camry
and its sales of more than 6 million cars
between 2005 and 2019.
The 2007 Camry was Motor Trend's Car of the Year.
Bavarian Motor Works, also known as BMW,
changed the game with the 7 Series.
The fourth generation of the model was released in 2001
and offered drivers a futuristic ride.
The BMW 760i has six-speed automatic transmission,
the very first V12 engine
to use gasoline direct injection.
And the technically-impressive car's most pocketable feature
was an electronic smart key.
This beamer even came with a cheat sheet
for valets who didn't know how to drive it.
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In 2012, the Model S Tesla
rolled out to rave reviews and a wait list for sales.
The electric sedan was a true original
with a huge multi-touch tablet screen
mounted in the dashboard.
Drivers could zip around town
with nearly silent acceleration
and 265 miles on a single electrical charge.
In 2013, Motor Trend named it Car of the Year.
The more affordable Tesla Model 3 was released in 2018
with a 300-mile range and remarkable speed.
Zero to 60 in just 3.2 seconds.
The Model 3 is the best selling e-vehicle ever,
but the competition is closing in fast.
The tenth generation Honda Civic
was introduced in 2016
with bold new redesign.
With a roomy interior and upgraded technology,
the newer models feature everything
a buyer could want in a car.
Old or new, pilfered or purchased,
the Civic is a real steal.
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Toyota may have helped to jump-start the electric race,
but the Chevy Bolt won the race
to be the first car made by a major U.S. manufacturer
to deliver more than 200 miles of driving
on a single charge.
The concept car was unveiled in 2015
and sped into production a year later.
The price was right for buyers.
Speed, agility, and room for four people,
all for less than $30,000 with a federal tax credit?
"I want you to drive electric."
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At the turn of the new decade,
the top three cars of this year are actually...
trucks!
Trucks, SUVS, and crossovers
now account for 75% of the new vehicle market in America.
Talk about a "mothertrucking" landslide!
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Whoa! Hit the brakes!
We've sped through several decades of cars
that captured the hearts and minds of America.
It's anybody's guess what the auto industry
will dream up next.
May the road rise to meet you, no matter what you're driving.
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