Sports
Cars Across World Cultures
by SolveYourProblem.com
There
is a tendency to view sports cars through one’s own cultural
prism. Americans may reflect upon that little convertible Corvette
with its chrome rack on the trunk. An Italian may be partial
to a tiny Fiat Spider or a more upscale Ferrari. Germans will
wax poetic about the once-famed Bugatti and the other spectacular
designs that have emerged from Stuttgard. A Japanese advocate
will point to fast and furious Mitsubishi Lancers with Evo
packages. The Englishman will espouse the virtues of the MG
and remember his old Triumph. Every nation that manufactures
cars, it would seem, fancies itself at the forefront of the
sports car industry.
The history of sports cars predates the mass production of
automobiles. Sports cars were originally just that, cars used
for sport. In races and rallies small design teams and manufacturers
would try to best one another to demonstrate their project’s
superiority. This phenomenon was not isolated in any one geographic
area. Throughout Europe and the Americas sports car enthusiasts
competed seriously with one another, testing the limits of
car-builders and drivers alike.
The
post-war era ushered in a new generation of sports cars. Once the high-priced and hard to obtain toys of diehard enthusiasts
and only the most wealthy, the sports car found itself outfitted
with additional functionality and a price tag that made it
more accessible to the average driver. The rallies and races,
of course, continued. In fact, their popularity increased as
major producers attempted to show the world they were the leaders
in sports car quality.
Smaller,
often private, races and contests soon supplemented the
still-popular large, organized events. In the U.S., drag
racing pitted cars and their mechanically inclined owners against
one another on everything from country roads to city thoroughfares.
Europeans were likely to test one another on winding country
roads. The sports car was no longer the domain of the expert
alone. As time passed, the reconstructed Japanese economy found
itself at the forefront of an automotive revolution. America’s
concern with gas prices made the economy car an attractive
niche for Japanese manufacturers, who seemed unrivaled in producing
fuel-efficient, reliable small autos. Eventually, the Japanese
entered the sports car fray, as well. Their understanding of
reliability combined with great engineering talents produced
many competitive sports cars.
Although there have been only a few nations who have become
new automobile producers over the past few decades, the
sports car phenomena continues to grow into new areas. A perfect example
of the universal appeal of sports cars can now be seen in Saudi
Arabia.
Saudis are buying more sports cars than every before. Maseratis
have a unique appeal in Saudi Arabia, as customers seek a blend
of sports car performance and luxury. The elegant high-end
Quattroporte is making a stir in Saudi Arabia as more and more
younger Saudi drivers seek out a sportier alternative to the
cars that have thus far lined Arabian streets.
From turn-of-the-century cross-country rallies to today’s
wealthiest areas of oil-rich Saudi Arabia, sports cars are
coveted possession. They are not the unique love of any nation
or culture and truly possess a unique global popularity.
Cultural
differences remain strong even in today’s more global culture. Islamic and traditionally Christian nations may not
always seem eye to eye on a variety of issues. The French don’t
always embrace U.S. foreign policy. Less serious, the English
still like their fish fried and served with chips while the
Japanese may prefer a dinner of sushi. We are a world of different
people with different perspectives on any number of things.
Nonetheless, it appears as though one great unifying trait
that stretches over oceans and across continents is the love
of drivers for a sports car.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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