MG cars and Vespa scooters

In Couples the people described are different. Not in their houses, which are large and well appointed, and not in their clothing which is standard fare for wealthy Massachusetts residents of 1962; especially Piet’s often mentioned apricot windbreaker jacket, no the difference lies in their automobiles. Their cars, that everlasting symbol of American freedom and prosperity, are not American and they are not main stream. These people, in an air of superiority and conspicuous consumption, drive foreign autos which are not only expensive to purchase, but expensive to maintain.

In an effort of full disclosure and transparency, your author must state the following: I am an ardent believer in American cars. I love American car companies and the vehicles they have made and make today. No Asian or European car, to me, has the passion or power or beauty that a proud American car has. They might build some models here, and might employ some non-union workers, but they will never be as iconic as the great nameplates that are home grown. Further, I am a Chrysler fan boy. From the original 1920’s Chrysler Six, to the 1955 Chrysler 300, to the 1971 Plymouth ‘Cuda, to the original Dodge Caravan that saved the company to the 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I spent much of my childhood in, to the small block Hemi powered cars and trucks today I love them all. Chrysler, regardless of Italian and UAW ownership, is an American company. They build Ram trucks in Warren, Michigan, brand new 300 horsepower Pentastar V-6 engines in Trenton, Michigan, new high tech transmissions in Kokomo, Indiana and Jeep Wranglers in Toledo, Ohio. I am proud to support such a great company that at one time was the tenth largest corporation in the United States. However, being a social elite, the Hanemas, the Thornes and the Whitmans do not share my sentiments,

Unlike the “workingman” Piet, who drives a green Chevrolet truck, all of the vehicles mentioned in the novel are foreign, specifically European. Angela Hanema drives a Peugeot, a French sedan; Foxy Whitman drives a MG, a British sports car, and in the greatest mockery of American automotive might, Freddy Thorne drives a Vespa! A grown man, tooling around a Massachusetts town on an Italian scooter, I would be aghast if one of my parents’ friends rode a scooter as his daily driver. But, more perspective is in order.

This novel is set in 1962. According to the automotive historian at ateupwithmotor.com, during this time 1 out of every 9 new cars sold in the US was not only a Chevrolet, but was a specific Chevy model. That’s right. 11% of all new car sales were Chevy Impalas. GM held so much market share in the early sixties that they pulled factory tech support for every level of auto racing, NASCAR and NHRA drag racing included, in the fear that they would sell too many cars and be hit with anti-monopoly charges by the US government. I am sure that GM would love to have that problem today. Toyota didn’t come over until 1957, Honda in 1969. And until the gas crisis of 1973 these cars were largely an afterthought. Small and unrefined, powered by dinky four cylinder engines and lacking the luxury and panache of American cars, these Japanese cars were not strong sellers. Even the European cars, like MG sportsters and Mercedes-Benz were overshadowed by American Corvettes and Cadillacs. Further, many of these models were only available in right-hand drive, their producers being unable to federalize and put the driver in the correct seat. These cars did not have the dealer support either. Parts for repair had to be shipped from Europe, a costly and time consuming affair. Owning a European car at this time was not only socially awkward, but expensive and capricious too.

Why then? Why did the couples own such odd cars? Because they could; it’s that simple. They didn’t have to drive a Ford. They didn’t need a reliable, large automobile. If the rest of their lives are so different, their cars should be too. When dealing with consumers as these, they were not tethered to reason. I hope that I am never in a position to choose European cars over American, simply because they are different. And God help me if any of my friends ride sccoters.