  Cars once symbolized freedom, rebellion and adventure, and the
open road reached out to all of us: rebellious teenagers,
vacationing suburban families, slick hot rod enthusiasts,
rootless counter-culture drifters and middle-aged husbands
alike.  Then things changed.  The Ford Mustang, the classic
Cadillac and macho GTO took a back seat to more energy-efficient
cars made by employees living on the other side of the planet.
Foreign-built cars were more reliable, less expensive and–most
importantly–got better gas mileage. The American automobile
industry has never been the same. Read more