A celebration of the history of the automobile in America from 1907 to 2003 - the best and the worst, the successes and the failures, the classics and the bizarre. The automobiles that American has taken to her heart and that have defined American culture. The ten years following World War I in America saw the birth of "mobility for the masses" as car ownership changed from being a privilege of the wealthy minority to become an essential part of the American way of life. Between 1920 and 1929, car production more than doubled; Henry Ford and his Model T were partly responsible for the revolution, but others also played a part - Chevrolet, Dodge and Chrysler are still household names today. This book charts the progress of the automobile in America from the beginning of car production, through the explosive automotive creativity of the fifties and into the future of the automotive industry today. It highlights the work of the big three, Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors, and the smaller companies who didn't survive the thirties and forties like Crosley, Packard and Studebaker.
As outstanding cars of a particular year are examined, so too is the social and economic climate of that period. Thus we see the development of the automobile as an inextricable part of the American way of life, the growth of the car and of the industry reflecting that of the country. Any car enthusiast or fan of American history is sure to enjoy this wonderful book.