Evolution Of American Cars Essay

After World War ll, American consumption was on the rise. With the American industry now focused more on consumer goods, rather than war related products, things such as fashion, food, and music were all growing tremendously. One of the best, if not the most successful products advertised were American cars. The most successful cars were long bodied, low to the ground, and had chrome everywhere. Companies such as Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, and Cadillac were all very successful showing off their car’s new annual updates. These companies were all very focused on design over the cars actual function and advertised that in many different ways. Ford, unlike the other companies were not nearly as successful due to their lack of change and relying on the function of their cars. The 1950’s will always remain unmatched in car development. The automobile industry created new businesses such as drive thru restaurants and drive in movie theaters. It also started the creation of American highways. Cars that

Cadillacs, Chevrolet, and Chrysler were some of the upper-class cars. Americans during this time accepted the hierarchy of cars. As models were released they were very expensive, but they weren’t expensive for long due to the newest model coming soon. Upper class families would buy a car and sell it in the same year just, so they could go and get the newest model. During this period, Pierre Martineau, director of motivational research stated, “The automobile tells us who we are and what we think we want to be.” Owning the newest model of a car showed everybody in your neighborhood just how rich you were. He also stated, “It is a portable symbol of our personality and our position, the clearest way we have of telling people of our exact position.” Anywhere you took this car, people would see it and instantly know your position. Automobiles defined the American family’s class during the