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US Car Culture
Henry Ford with Tin Lizzie.
IN the beginning, it was all so simple.
When Henry Ford introduced the Model T, he said that a customer could have a car in any color he wanted, so long as it was black. His assembly line concept made it more efficient and less expensive to build a car. In so doing, Ford made the dream of owning a car a reality for the masses.
And so began our love affair with the automobile.
In chapter two, the Baby Boomers became the first generation of teenagers with enough income to afford their own cars. And these cars were much more than transportation. They were a reflection of a lifestyle. The ability to tune and modify their cars made these vehicles a reflection of their owners’ personalities.
Today, not only are there more choices than ever dotting our automotive landscape, but cars can be customized right on the assembly line. That’s not to say that the customization ends there, but it is certainly evidence that people still use their cars as a means of expression.
Want a humidor built into your glove box? Rolls-Royce will be happy to indulge you.
Seatbelts dyed to match your yellow brake calipers? Porsche can make it happen.
Bang & Olufsen speakers that rise out of the dash for a command performance? Audi says “Encore!”
A car painted to match your wife’s favorite nail polish? Bentley will happily oblige.
Doorsill logos that light up to show your guests what they’re about to experience? Mercedes has you covered. So do BMW and Lexus.
And while all this variance would have Henry Ford rolling in his grave thinking about the efficiencies lost in the production process, the reality is that today’s sophisticated customers expect it. That’s not to say that every customer lays down the big bucks for these options.
But then again, that’s making a statement too, isn’t it?
Just as people in different parts of the United States have different mentalities, accents and attitudes, there are cultural differences that extend all the way down to the automobile.
In sunny California, tinted windows and custom rims are de rigueur while motorists in the frosty northeast prefer all-wheel-drive. And aging Floridians can’t get enough of white sedans with beige interior.
But car culture isn’t just the options one chooses at the dealership. It’s how the automobile is celebrated.
In California, looks count. Case in point: the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Every August, collectors and enthusiasts gather to admire classic cars that have been painstakingly prepared and proudly displayed on the 18th hole to be judged on originality, authenticity, and preservation or restoration. Coincidently, many Californians judge one another based on merits of preservation or restoration.
At the other end of the spectrum is the Indianapolis 500. Echoing the timeless values embraced by its Midwestern home, this race has changed little since it was first run in 1911. Each Memorial Day this track plays host to dozens of teams with a time-honored goal: balance speed with endurance and be the first to complete two hundred laps of the famed oval track.
If the Concours is the automotive equivalent of the Miss America Pageant, then the Indy 500 is a heavyweight prizefight. One is a contest of beauty — the other, brawn. And the events themselves have flavors as different as Chardonnay and Bud Light, while participants fiercely compete for the title of Best in Class.
But that’s the beauty of America’s car culture: there’s something for everyone.
