The Automobile Revolution of the 1950's

The autombile, much like the T.V., was something everyone once dreamed of owning, and thanks to the post-war economic boom of the Fifties everyone could. Unlike the automobiles of the Forties, which showed a utilitarian, military influenced design, the automobiles of the Fifties spoke of a much more progressive style. This essay will speak about the design influences that made the automobile a much more attractive purchase, as well as the effects that an automobile driven society has had on our lives since.
The event that arguably had the single greatest influence on the evolution of the automobile took place on October 14, 1947. It was on this day, in the skies over Victorville, CA, that Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. From this point on the car consuming public wanted nothing but speed and style. Cars with bigger engines and improved aerodynamics were the featured attraction at the GM sponsored Motorama in 1949. This was an exhibition of the new ideas and new technologies th...