Translation: Japanese cars were thought of as cheap tin boxes that would never make it through a Minnesota winter. That was the mentality of the American consumer until the last couple of decades. It does help that several Japanese automakers set up shop building vehicles on our soil to change our collective minds.
The polls are now open until 11:59 PM Pacific Time tonight!
You’re probably glad you do not have to mail your vote in. Or, stand in line to vote early at your election office or city hall. Or, are probably nervous and anxious to get your vote over with.
The scores have been tabulated. The Media Panel has convened and given their input on the Long List of Nominees. There is only one last step to take: Your vote!
It is with historical context, however. It was ten years removed from a war that should have ended all wars. Unfortunately, a spat between Korean partisans turned into an international affair splitting the peninsula in half. The same trouble was brewing in Vietnam, a soon-to-be former French colony. Even those within the Soviet Bloc weren’t buying into the new world order as envisioned by Karl Marx. Hungary was a year away from challenging Moscow on whether it should be their superpower or not.
It took these past four years to reacquaint myself with one of the more powerful versions of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ North American modern muscle icon. Four years is a good amount of time to prepare myself to be taken away by an SRT-massaged "392" 6.4-liter V8 and its absolute thrust. Yet, I felt unprepared. Not even an F Performance Lexus helped in priming me from this massive blue hulk of thrust.
One of them will be the year of "thinning the herd," which, sadly, can be taken many ways. However, this term is apt for something that have been a trend in the North American automotive market – the elimination of models from their respective lineups.
It was 1982. My father had not been present in our household for ten years at that point. My mother already suffered her second stroke and is no longer able to work or be active. Half of her body was numb and her speech aphasic. My brother was working to keep our household alive and is a freshman at UCLA.
Consider who is doing the unveiling – Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, and Jeep. Three long-awaited new vehicles that represent three iconic model names. Two of which are new generation models. The third is the resurrection of a long-running nameplate.
The list is long of these feats of absolute gumption in this industry. Among several entries on this are list are the ones accomplished by the companies that eventually make up today’s Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Even that list alone is too long to parse out on here.