1970 Plymouth Superbird example essay topic

A car is supposed to be a device with the sole purpose of quickly delivering you to a destination. This may be the matter, however, in our culture cars have become something more. Take for example the Sun Fresh next door to DeVry. Why is it that no one seems to want to walk to the Sun Fresh even though it would be a lot faster than getting in their cars and driving? There must be something that compels a person to their car. If cars were just for driving from point a to point b, another question is, "Why does a person who can purchase a new car for roughly twelve thousand dollars, elect to pay fifty thousand or more for a car that is thirty plus years old".

To demonstrate my point that cars have become an extension of a person's personality and maybe their soul I am going to compare and contrast a new 2003 Saturn Ion to a 1970 Plymouth Superbird. The Plymouth Super Bird was created as a full on high-speed race machine for the NASCAR races. In 1970, NASCAR required a manufacturer to build one unit per dealer in order for the car to be raced. In the end, Plymouth built a total of 1,920 SuperBirds.

SuperBirds were available with three different engines. The most popular was the basic Super Commando 440 V 8 with a single four-barrel carburetor rated at 375 horsepower. Next up was the 440 Six Pack rated at 390 horsepower. At the top, and ordered by just 93 buyers, was the mighty 426 Hemi, rated at 425 horsepower. Despite the success of the SuperBird on the tracks, 1970 would be the only year it was made. The 1970 Plymouth Superbird was based on the Plymouth Road Runner.

The Superbird came with a special nose, which added 19 inches to the overall length, and with a trunk spoiler, which is two feet high so that the owner could open the trunk. Although it created quite an impression on the street, the wing did almost no aerodynamic good at speeds less than 90 mph. When the Plymouth Superbird was introduced in 1970 the price tag was somewhere around four thousand dollars depending on the options. Now it would be hard to find one in good condition for less than thirty thousand and some with the 426 Hemi motors go for upwards of fifty thousand dollars. The Saturn Ion was design and created for a completely different reason than the Superbird.

The Ion is being introduced as Saturn's entry-level sedan for the 2003 model year. Under the Ion's hood is an all aluminum 'Ecotec' 137 horsepower 2.2-liter twin cam 16 valve four cylinder engine built strictly for fuel economy not speed as with the Superbird. Instead of impressive speed potentials the Ion has extremely impressive safety ratings. The Ion's front and rear crush zones offer improved protection, and when combined with the Ion's dual-stage driver and passenger air bags the Ion is an extremely safe vehicle. Also an optional head-curtain air bag system for rollovers is available. The Saturn Ion is an all around economy car with a starting price tag of twelve thousand dollars.

That is a very respectable price when you consider the fact that I purchased my 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix for nine thousand dollars and it was six years old. The Ion also is impressive when it comes to fuel economy boasting twenty-six miles per gallon in the city and thirty-three on the highway. As shown with these two cars, a car is what the owner wants it to be. It can be a powerful speedster for the auto enthusiast as with the Superbird or it can be the safe family car for the frugal single parent, the Ion definitely fills that role. It all depends on what a person wants and needs the car to be.