The 1950's were a time of economic growth for America, where income exceeded car prices and vision was limited only by one's imagination. This was a time when 'you are what you drive.' President Eisenhower and his administration were friendly to big business for the first time since Herbert Hoover. For example, new highways were built by Eisenhower administration in 1956. The automotive industry in general was determined to make up for lost time.

Immediately after the war, America began switching from coal to oil in a big way. In 1949 consumption was 5.8 million a year and went up to 16.4 million just before the oil crisis of 1973. These gas-guzzling giants had incredible horsepower. Cars, already too big for basic space needs and ease of parking, became bigger and lower slung so that the slightest bump could smash the oil pan, muffler, or gas tank. Gasoline was cheap and plentiful in the 1950's, even if you were going across the country. The National Defense Highway Act of 1956

Rob Leicester Wagner, Fabulous Fins of the Fifties, 1997

"The Volkswagen Beetle set new standards of cheap reliability, overtaking the Model T as the most popular car ever produced--more than 20 million were sold by the early 1980s." It was small, round, and oddly reminiscent of the prewar cars, with its bulbous fenders and fastback-style rear end. "It was powered by a puny 36- horsepower rear-mounted engine." Imported from Germany, they began to become more and more popular by the late 1950s.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3015
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)