The 10 Greatest American Cars

Cars. To environmentalists, cars are the enemy. To sexually insecure males, cars are comforters. To people from Los Angeles, cars are open season. To the rest of us, cars are just tools that--when we're lucky--get us where we need to be. But the cars in The 10 Greatest American Cars are from an earlier time, less environmentally-correct or Freudian or violent, a time when cars didn't suck. Cars like the Cord 810 (singled out by the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art as "art"), the 1964 Mustang (which originally retailed for $2,495), and the 1934 Chrysler DeSoto Airflow (a virtual tank; as well as the ugliest thing on four wheels). Originally airing on A & E's Time Capsule series, hosted by Jack Perkins, the program interviews car historians and collectors who select and comment on the top 10 American autos of all time. Historical footage, background music, and up-close looks at the honored mechanical steeds will whet the appetite of avid car buffs, and there's even a few choice etymological gems here. The phrase "it's a doozy," for instance, is used to describe the numero uno car of all time: the 1925 Duesenberg. I checked my Random House Webster's College Dictionary which gives 1925-1930 as the time frame when the term "doozy" was born, but says it's of "uncertain origin." Well, maybe not, Random House. Should be a popular addition. Recommended. (R. Pitman)