au·to·mo·bile: a road vehicle, typically with four wheels, powered by an internal combustion engine or electric motor and able to carry a small number of people.
Ben: To some, it's just a tool: To me, it's a lifelong journey.
For too many people, cars are a simple commodity, a tool, from getting from point A to point B. To the car lover such as myself, there are much more to cars. Whether it's a small little 4-cylinder, pumping out a mere 150 horsepower, or a screaming V8 that goes from zero to 60 in less than four seconds, the thrill and excitement that comes with driving is something that leaves me at a loss for words. Cars, to me, are more than just precision machinery: They're a way of life, and through their owner, they adapt and take on a real personality.
Whether it's an expensive car like a Rolls-Royce, or a second-hand car like the Takata Honda Civic, cars serve as a symbol to the life that we live, and with almost infinite variations to physical and mechanical changes, no two cars you have in your lifetime will be the same. Now, having a really nice car doesn't mean you're necessarily a car lover; on the contrary, drivers are often buying the sleek German such-and-such, because of the level or their wealth, using it as a status symbol rather than an appreciation for a beautiful machine. But with cars, for every 10 people who don't care about the car they drive, or know nothing about it, there's one person who sleeps, breathes, and loves cars like we do. Like true car enthusiasts do.
The feeling you get from laying your foot on that throttle is second to none in blood-pumping thrill. It's indescribable. It's also a passion in which you can carry on for your lifetime, and on to your future children. Car shows attract many types of people, all with the same burning passion: the love of car. I remember attending various car shows and people of all ages, gender, races, and cultures were appreciating each other's works of art. This is why I will always love and appreciate cars for more than just a form of transportation. They bring people together, and let them express themselves in the name of speed.
Meine Automobil der Wahl: Mercedes c63 black series
Dave: The car: It's a way of life
Being a car guy has more to do with a specific mentality and a dream than it does with backup cameras, speeding tickets, and parading over speed bumps. When I was young, I had a poster of a black Lamborghini Murcielago on my wall instead of Green Day or Tom Brady. Most people don't understand the idea of loving a machine, but for car fans, it has the same essence as any other childhood obsession. Being a “car guy” is about keeping the dream alive and making the impossible possible. Any time you can view life through the eyes of a younger self is fascinating. There will always be a car that is too expensive or rare to even see on the road, let alone purchase. Last summer, I was fortunate enough to experience some of these rare rides consistently. My boss had a fascination with the Italian breed, and owned both a Ferrari and the same Lamborghini that was once on my wall. Of course, it isn’t just the cars, but the community that goes along with it. At any local car show, the owners love talking about their rides, and you can tell they had the same attitude when they were young. Most people don't see what the car culture and community can be, but I'm glad to be a part of it.
Meine Automobil der Wahl: Porsche 911 gt3
Abdul Rauf: The power of cars: It's far, far beyond just transportation
As Chris Bangle said, “We at BMW do not build cars as consumer objects, just to drive from A to B. We build mobile works of art.” That perfectly describes it to me. To the majority of the public, cars are just tools, which is fine, but I think people need to think about it a little further than that. Ever since we were kids, we've had attraction to many things: sports, candy, and cars. For many adults, they grow out of these things, but for others, they always keep a love for one of these. For myself, David, Ben, and Kevin, the love of cars never left us. Cars, like people, come from many ways of life. It doesn’t matter: your skin color, your height, the way you look, the way you talk; the love for cars is universal. But that doesn't mean though it's the same. Some like muscle, others Germans, other Japanese racers, but spread on that broad brush is the love for cars that's there for every true car enthusiast.
For me, growing up, my father used to drive these expensive, silver-rimmed trucks. That was his love, but I never really got it. What’s so special about the car? Any other car could do the same job just as efficiently, and cheaper. As I grew older, though, I started to see where he was coming from. He was channeling his love of cars, and even though I never truly agreed with it, we both shared a love for the automobile.
Enzo Ferrari said, “I have yet to meet anyone quite so stubborn as myself and animated by this overpowering passion that leaves me no time for thought or anything else. I have, in fact, no interest in life outside racing cars.” Like Enzo, cars have changed the way I look at the automobile. When I look at cars, I see a story; I see a passion and a reason, even if the person doesn’t care about their car. The beauty of every car, no matter how expensive or cheap; every car, no matter how fast or slow; every car, no matter where it came from or how it was built; every car, no matter the purpose of or how it was built.
Every car has a place on this earth and a story to tell.
Meine Automobil der Wahl: "My Favorite Automobile" BMW M3
This article is a collaboration between three car lovers: Ben Patch Of St Joseph's College in Maine, David Goguen of Bentley University in Massachusetts, and Abdul Rauf of Assumption College in Massachusetts.
