Howdy Webriders! Dr. VW here for a slight deviation from the usual Foreign Fridays. Seeing as today is 4th of July, the day Americans around the world celebrate the signing of the declaration of independence and the birth of our great country, I figured we’d have a domestic Friday instead of a foreign one. Also in keeping with the historic significance of the day, I thought we’d celebrate the greatest contributions to the automotive world, courtesy of the good ole’ US of A. Hit the jump for America’s top three automotive contributions of all time!

The Ford Model T.

The Ford Model T, though not the first true car, nor the best, was the first AFFORDABLE car for the masses. In a very American fashion, the model T was designed and produced by a combination of Americans and recently immigrated engineers. Henry Fords use of the assembly line and other groundbreaking techniques of production made the model T cheap enough for his factory workers and the general public to buy a reasonably reliable and, until recently, exclusive bit of 20th century technology. Coincidentally, September of this year will mark the 100th anniversary of the production of the model T, marking 100 years since the beginning of “car culture” in America, which eventually spread worldwide. Today Ford Motor Company, whatever you may think of them, stands as a testament to America’s position as the founder of an entire industry that permeates societies on several levels, and is responsible for the rise of the world as we know it. Without Ford’s model T, methods of production that allowed America to become a dominant world power in WW1 and WW2 may not have come to pass, and an entirely different world order could have risen. So this 4th of July, remember that America’s continued independence is partially a result of the automotive industry; touched off by Henry Ford and his vision: the model T.

The muscle car.

Arguably America’s greatest contribution is the muscle car. Often replicated, never duplicated, the muscle car is such an American Icon that it permeates everything from movies, to video games, to birthday cards. When people think about power, speed, and chiseled good looks, they think of American Muscle. Raw horsepower, astronomical torque, and unmatched speed characterize what it means to be an American Muscle car, and in many ways it reflects what it means to be an American. Oftentimes, we don’t care about size, gas economy, or pokey 4 door family movers. Sometimes, we just want to race that smug SOAB at the red light who thinks he’s so cool with that _______(insert any import car here). Cultural and technological icons, like the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, Chevrolet Corvette, and Dodge Charger invoke such a fervor in Americans that in one form or another, they continue to exist today as an echo of a forgotten age, where you were judged not by the rim’s you repped, the seatbelts you wore (or didn’t), or the size of your DVD Nav system speakers, but by the number of horses and cylinders shoehorned under the hood. God Bless America.

And Finally…. America’s third contribution is the Highway. Although Germany and the autobahn deserve a huge amount of credit, America’s highways today are arguably the most extensive, and best built highways in the world. A product of cold war fears and the continued explosion of car ownership, the national highway system allows people to easily cross the country and reach even the most remote backwater towns, giving the population of America unprecedented access to all of its natural and man made wonders. With the birth of the highway system, cross country trips, pointless roadside attractions, and drive-thru windows at fast food restaurants became staples of American culture. So if you loved the movie Roadtrip or Harold and Kumar go to whitecastle, then you have America and the highway system to thank.

Happy 4th of July everyone! Have a good weekend and put a burger on the BBQ for Dr. VW- out.