The content of the article:
- Top 7 Legendary American Cars
- Chevrolet bel air
- Ford F-250 Camper Special
- Chrysler PT Cruiser
- Dodge charger
- Cadillac BTCs
- Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Indy 500 Pacecar
- Winnebago brave
Each country has its own legendary cars, which can be the ugliest and weirdest, as well as phenomenally expensive, powerful or beautiful. They go down in automotive history and become collectors' pearls. In Russia, these include Chaika and Gaz-21, and we will talk about significant American brands in this review.
Top 7 Legendary American Cars
It is difficult for a modern motorist to imagine that it is possible to be a fan of a car that does not have cruise control, plays only radio or audio cassettes, and also reaches a maximum speed of 100 km / h. However, thousands of American motorists continue to dream of such models.
Chevrolet bel air
The period of the 50s can be called a kind of phenomenon in the American auto industry, when incredible models, incredible colors and technical solutions came off the assembly lines. Perhaps it was an economic boom, perhaps a new youth philosophy of sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
Some even believe that such a scale of fantasy arose due to the active visit to America by flying saucers and other interventions of extraterrestrial civilizations.
From the confusion of all these factors - the cult of Elvis, passion for ufology, Coca-Cola and drugs - the most epoch-making car, a style icon called the Chevrolet Bel Air, was born.
The model received its name from the eponymous elite area of Los Angeles, was produced from 1949 to 1975 and became a watershed in the history of the manufacturer. The stereotypical opinion about Chevrolet was the following - nondescript appearance, mediocre performance, dubious comfort, but budget and reliability. They were workhorses for moving from point A to point B and no more.
Chief Engineer Edward Cole took on the daunting task of creating a car that could be a coveted item for every American. For the new model, it was decided to develop a special 8-cylinder engine, while all other cars of the brand were equipped with in-line "fours" and "sixes".
A 4.3-liter unit for 162 and 180 "horses" with cast-iron cylinder heads, wedge-shaped combustion chambers and the ability to change and increase power was created from scratch.
But the most interesting thing was the design and the comfort offered. The lightweight frame made it possible to expand the body and make it lower, and the bends on the sides, a massive radiator grille, visors over the headlights, chrome moldings, two-tone painting made the image truly unique.
The capacity and speed of the new model was appreciated even by the police, who immediately acquired the batch for the needs of law enforcement agencies. Then it was acquired for personal use by cult actor, rebel and race car driver James Dean, creating the best advertisement for the car.
The Chevrolet team annually changed, supplemented, modernized the appearance of the illustrious model, by all means causing a stir. The 1957 model is still one of the most coveted cars among American classics.
Ford F-250 Camper Special
The F-series of cars from this manufacturer has set a phenomenal sales record, leaving other American companies far behind. This model, representing the 5th generation of the pickup, made a splash in the car market. High reliability, maintainability, spaciousness made it possible to use this machine for a variety of purposes and works.
At the heart of this rear-wheel-drive pickup was a 5.8-liter 179-horsepower V8 engine, mated to a 3-speed automatic transmission with a gearshift knob on the steering wheel.
Even despite the high fuel consumption of 21 liters per hundred kilometers for a fairly compact truck, its carrying capacity, quality of performance, endurance made it the favorite vehicle of American farmers. Until now, they can be found on some ranches as work or personal transport.
Chrysler PT Cruiser
This model, unlike the previous competitors, is more familiar to Russian motorists than all previous cars, since it was widespread in Europe.
Despite its young age, the car produced in 2000 already claims to be a modern world classic. The retro-styled 5-seater front-wheel drive car was classified as a light truck in a number of countries, and as a passenger car elsewhere.
Indeed, it is an ambiguous combination of a 1930s farm van, a modern crossover, a stylish American and a smart British with a false radiator grille in the form of a heraldic shield.
An explosive mixture of a compact, but roomy, old-fashioned, but technologically advanced car and created an unforgettable model for the model.
The car had a 2-liter 4-cylinder 141-horsepower engine and a 5-speed or 4-speed manual transmission. I demanded such a unit of 8.7 liters in the combined cycle, developing a speed of 190 km / h and overcoming its first hundred kilometers in 9.7 seconds.
The car became the manufacturer's bestseller - in 2001 alone, Americans bought almost 145 thousand copies of this model. It almost completely ousted Citroen Berlingo and Ford Ka from the market, having a number of undeniable advantages.
Dodge charger
The iconic car was born at the start of the muscle car era, which began with the first Pontiac GTO in 1964. After the crazy popularity of this model, every self-respecting automaker tried to create something similar - Dodge was lucky to receive many positive reviews for its Charger concept, which, thanks to such a reaction, went into mass production.
After debuting in 1966, the model was voted the most beautiful car of the decade., which she owes to a non-standard, trendy appearance. Moreover, the designers have carefully worked not only on the external, but also on the internal appearance. All seats were anatomically shaped like a bucket, the door panels and dashboard lights were exclusive, and the sleek console stretched not only across the driver's area, but throughout the cabin.
At the heart of this rear-wheel-drive monster was a 6.2-liter 330-horsepower V8 engine that develops a speed of 198 km / h, but is extremely voracious - 25 liters of fuel in mixed mode.
When authorities began tightening emissions laws in 1971 and the era of muscle cars began to slowly roll over the horizon, Dodge management did not hesitate to reorient the supercharged car into an elite class with increased comfort.
Cadillac BTCs
This model perfectly reflected the preferences of the conservative, obscenely wealthy American target audience. First introduced in 1971, this Cadillac is instantly known as the "king of road yachts" for size and luxury. It was modernized almost every year, successfully opposing Lincoln.
The car has become an independent, full-fledged, popular model since 1987, as if reviving the style of the early 70s. A bright red interior made of wood and leather, a 5-liter “eight” under the hood, abandonment of the rounded lines that have become fashionable for the sake of brutal square shapes and a large-sized body have become a challenge to the modern car industry.
However, despite the demand and the status of "cult", the world dictated its own rules: it became difficult to drive in that car in dense city traffic and make maneuvers, not every driver could afford a consumption of 20 liters, and excessive emissions reduced interest in the model.
Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Indy 500 Pacecar
After several years of the existence of the popular races in Indianapolis, the organizers realized that a so-called safety car was needed. The pace car sets the speed of the race in abnormal situations or when starting on the move to keep the riders safe at high speeds. Since 1911, the best car models have been chosen for this honorary "position", and eminent racers or movie stars have been invited to drive.
Camaro Z28 of the third generation was specially designed for the anniversary, hundredth race on the "old brick", lightening the body and dimensions. As soon as it appeared, it immediately depreciated and discolored all other sports coupes, whose forms suddenly became outdated and not memorable. This same model was bright, daring, graceful, with finely traced lines.
A number of automotive publications have declared the car both the model of the year and the best car in terms of handling. In addition, it was on this version that the engineers abandoned the front subframe, but for the first time they added electronic fuel injection. The incredible car was driven by a 250-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 engine made entirely of aluminum.
A total of 645 of these models were produced, with a two-tone color scheme. Of these - one of the same "fighting" car and more than a hundred festival copies intended for advertising campaigns, press filming and other events accompanying the race.
Winnebago brave
In the 70s and 80s, Americans became addicted to long trips around the country by car, so there was literally a boom in various vans and mobile homes.
This model outwardly resembles some kind of crumbling barn, not only not expressive, but even disheartening. However, everything inside is not nearly as depressing as outside: a full-fledged bathroom, refrigerator, gas stove, just a huge living room, which turns into a bedroom when the sofa is laid out.
Under the glass cover between the two front seats, in the absence of a hood, there is a very impressive power unit - a 900-horsepower sports "eight", easily moving a 4-ton house at a speed of about 80 km / h.
The combination of a nondescript interior with a decent exterior, large dimensions with fantastic agility gave the Americans so many emotions and impressions that the car quickly became a favorite among all travelers.
Conclusion
Each of these models has left a deep mark on the automotive industry, not only in America, but also worldwide. In addition to the fact that they adorned museum collections, they served as an incentive for the further diversified development of the automotive industry. Perhaps, without them, we would not have seen a number of modern models, which are few, but return to the past and borrow bright features from their cult counterparts.
