1974 Peugeot 404

". . . the car Detroit should have been built for the American family."

Car enthusiasts had enough reason to sorrow in 2012: after the death of Ferdinand A. Porsche in April, the automotive world lost another legend when Sergio Pininfarina passed away in June. The name Pininfarina is principally associated with Ferrari, as almost every Ferrari produced since the mid-50s was designed by the piedmontese carozzeria. But while the sports car brand from Modena added luster to Pininfarina's merits, the real money was made with design contracts elsewhere. Across the Atlantic, for example, Nash trusted in Pininfarina's virtue when designing the 1952 - 1954 Nash-Healey sportscar and the 1952 Ambassador (thanks, Caristas). Albeit the latter proposal wasn't chosen for production, Pininfarina's work was influential, and Nash could also capitalize on Pininfarina's famous name for their advertisement.

Peugeot, too, fared well for decades as an abiding client of Pininfarina. This collaboration began with the Peugeot 304, which was designed by company founder Battista "Pinin" Farina in the early 50s. Its successor 404 took shape when its son, the young Sergio Pininfarina, was already at the helm of the company. Compared to other cars of that time, the Peugeot was well-constructed and very reliable, but perhaps most important for its success were the car's beautiful proportions and fine aesthetics that were a Pininfarina trademark. Especially the rear view with its subtle chrome-trimmed tailfins that seamlessly frame the slightly recessed rear window shows the virtue of italian design. However, like every other business, Pininfarina had to keep house financially, and thus, sometimes similar designs, slightly modified, were sold to different clients. The design of the 1960 Peugeot 404, for example, appeared first as the Lancia Flaminia Coupe in 1959. Both cars look stunningly alike, and we can only speculate how Pininfarina justified that circumstance to his two clients.

Yet, the fact that Peugeot not just produced the 404 Sedan for 15 years in Europe, but continued the production through the late 80s in South Africa is proof of Pininfarina's timeless design. Our pictured Peugeot, like almost every 404 on cuban roads, was born in Argentina. Its proud owner explains: "I got my Peugeot in 1975 and mira, it's still like new. In 1975, many Peugeot 404 arrived in Cuba. They all were built in 1974, and almost every 404 you can find here is from that year."

1956 Studebaker Sky Hawk

"Presenting the newest, most distinguished hardtop convertible of the year."

The ad sounds pretty promising, but in 1956 the Studebaker Sky Hawk wasn't the newest anymore. How the Hawk inherited its "new" design and name, however, is an interesting story: right after the merger between Studebaker and Packard in 1954, it became evident that none of the joining companies was financially sound. New president James Nance, desperately looking for ways to cut costs, had to make some unpopular choices, such as using Studebaker bodies as the base for future Packards. Certainly a easier decision was cancelling the design contract with Raymond Loewy Associates which did cost Studebaker around $ 1 Million yearly. As a farewell gift, Nance commissioned Loewy Associates to redesign the "Loewy Coupes" one more time for 1956.

It turned out to be a challenging job, because the available budget was really, really tight. Robert Bourke, Chief designer at Loewy's Studebaker studio, decided that a redesigned bonnet with an upright front grille would have the most visual impact. Hence, the Studebaker Coupe was essentially a 1953 Loewy Coupe, with its skin ironed out. Incidentally, although the trunk was a bit more bulged on the outside too, the load volume didn't change at all, because all structural parts underneath the skin had remained the same. Yet, Studebaker's marketing people insisted on a new name, hoping that the customers would assume that the car was all-new, too.

James Nance would have been happy to ditch the Loewy coupe in his cost-saving efforts, too, as it was costly to produce. But then, it was the only body in Studebaker's lineup that technically allowed for a hardtop version in a time when hardtops a were all the rage. Thus, the beautiful Loewy Coupe finally "survived" in production until 1963, much longer than ever expected.

1949 DeSoto Custom Convertible

"The engineers and artists who designed this new De Soto knew exactly what you wanted. Here is a car with a new wide, low look. But there's more room inside  . . .  not less. There are big wide doors that you walk into  . . .  not creep into. And the steering wheel doesn't hit your knees or obstruct your view. Here's an instrument panel that curves forward to give front-seat passengers real stretch-out comfort. Here are luxurious chair-high seats that mean more real visibility through the bigger windshield and larger windows. Here's the famous De Soto 'ride' made smoother than ever. And De Soto lets you drive without shifting. Its Tip-Toe Hydraulic Shift with gyrol Fluid Drive has a record of billions of miles of effortless driving. See this new De Soto at your dealer's as soon as possible. Compare it feature by feature with any other car on the market at any price. Then decide."

One of just 3,385 produced in 1949, this DeSoto Custom Convertible from Cienfuegos is a pretty rough looking proyecto. It may need loads of perseverance, but once finished, it sure will be a looker on the road.

Certainly much more impressive than its stodgy and ornate design are the vast dimensions of this car. When you enter the driver's seat, you actually seem to step up! In 1949, customers could buy two generations of DeSotos, because the new lineup was presented pretty late in March 1949. The ones who had signed their contracts early, had bad luck and took delivery of a 1948 model, titled as a 1949 car. The all-new "second series" DeSotos for 1949 wore a modernized skin and were a bit longer, but large parts of car and engine were still based on the previous model. And with a 125.5-inch (3,19m) wheelbase and an overall length of 207 inches (5,26m), the two-door DeSoto was anything but small. Chrysler chairman K.T. Keller wanted all Chrysler cars to be practical, and demanded an upright silhouette that would let the occupants keep wearing a hat even on the backseat, which resulted in stodgy cars, nicknamed "Keller boxes".

Problem was, that the general car market began to change when Americans discovered styling at the dawn of the 50s. Beside a new, low-slung Oldsmobile or Chevrolet, the DeSotos soon looked heavy and just a bit wrong. However, in 1949, the main reasons for buying these massive cars were dependability and DeSoto's solid build quality, rather than a sharp look. Yet, change was in the air, and with the introduction of Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" designs six years later, DeSoto should become one of the most stylish looking brands on the road.

1974 Ford Falcon Standard

"Falcon Standard. Calidad en acción!"

"Quality in action!", we think, is a nice advertisement claim, although there's perhaps not too much action anymore in this battered, 6-cylinder powered Ford. Most of Cuba's large cars come from Detroit, but there are quite a few exceptions to the rule. Meet the Ford Falcon, born in Argentina, but a familiar sight in Cuba, too. Ford was a longstanding investor in Argentina, producing cars there since 1917, but the troubles of the Second World War stopped the activities for almost two decades, as it became cheaper to import Fords directly from the US.

The production of the Ford Falcon in Argentina had pretty modest beginnings: to circumvent a ban on imported cars that the country had implemented between 1961 and 1978, Ford began shipping CKD kits – completely disassembled Falcons – to Argentina, and re-assembled them locally since 1962. Soon, the Falcon became one of the best selling cars in Argentina, and gave Ford good reason to install a proper production line. 30 years later, long after the Falcon was discontinued in the U.S., Ford of Argentina still produced the Falcon in its original shape. Although almost half a million Falcons had been built before the production ceased in 1991, the annual production figures never justified an complete overhaul. Ford just modernized the car occasionally and added some optical touch-ups to keep it in tune with the time's taste. The 1974 Falcon, pictured here, was the fourth facelift since 1962, and sported a straightened body, new rectangular head- and taillights and a reworked interior. The car, its proud owner told us, still runs on its original engine.

Despite the US-embargo, Ford of Argentina sold cars to Cuba until 1975, when the regulations were tightened, and also foreign subsidiaries of U.S. corporations became subject to approval by the U.S. Commerce Department and Treasury Department. This didn't avert Ford from doing business with the communist rebels, and several times, substantial amounts of Ford vehicles were sold via Argentina to Cuba – all approved by the U.S. government.

1956 Pontiac 870 Four-door Sedan

"Wheeling this big beauty down the road you're in command of a very special kind of performance — performance reserved exclusively for the pleasure of Pontiac owners! Why so special? Well, first of all, under that broad, gleaming hood there's the industry's most advanced high-torque, high-compression engine — the brilliant new 227-h.p. Strato-Streak V-8. Most cars would be satisfied to stop right there — but not Pontiac! A new transmission was developed to refine all that power — and refined it is, with the oil-smooth Strato-Flight Hydra-Matic*, tailor-made for Strato-Streak power — and nothing else! The result? America's newest, smoothest, most modern performance team and the greatest 'go' on wheels!"

This Pontiac 870 from Sancti Spiritus wears a proper warpaint, perfectly matching the powerful image that Pontiac's advertisement liked to associate with the 1956 Pontiacs.

When petrolhead Semon E. Knudsen became boss of GM's Pontiac division in 1956, he swiftly began to trim the brand towards more sportiness and performance. Naturally, developing new cars takes quite a while, and thus, the Pontiacs for 1956 remained on steady course with their glitzy, ornamental styling. Also the engines, completely renewed in 1955 anyway, just gained some horses. But you can sense the upcoming change already in Pontiac's advertisement: when you compare the fashion-talk of the 1955 ads with the performance-talk in 1956, you wouldn't imagine that they describe essentially the same cars. Incidentally, Pontiac even modified the naming of their lineup: except the top-of-the-line "Star Chief", all models briefly lost their indian designation in 1956. The 1955 "Chieftain 870", for instance, now was simply called the "870".

The street machines to match the bold advertisement claims wouldn't arrive before 1958, but a limited fuel-injected, high-performance "Bonneville" series, and the removal of Pontiac's signature "Silver Streak" chrome stripes in 1957 were clearly hinting at the things to come.

1956 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan De Ville

"A discerning look at any of the nation's finer gathering places will usually reveal a surprising number of Cadillac cars in attendance. This is, we think, entirely logical. For through the years, Cadillac has been the consistent and overwhelming choice of those who choose without restriction. And how well they have chosen. In beauty, in luxury, in performance, in everything that makes a motor car a pleasure to own and utilize  . . .  Cadillac stands completely apart. We cordially invite you to see and drive this latest version of the 'car of cars' soon. Your dealer will be privileged to serve you at any time."

When waiting at the international airport "Juan Gualberto Gómez" in Varadero, you can find some truth in Cadillac's usually highly self-confident and exaggerated advertisement claims. Vintage cars constantly come and go to drop or pick up the lucky cubanos that have permission to leave the country. And among the many cars in the parking lot, there are always quite a few Cadillacs in attendance.

In the 40s, careful and strategic product planning had made Cadillac the number one luxury car maker in the U.S., and the 50s were the time to fortify this position. By the mid-50s, Cadillac had no serious contenders anyway: Packard got bogged down in the pursuit of customers in the lower priced segment, Ford offered its Continental in a much higher price range, Lincoln made extreme designs but lacked the important brand image, and Imperial was too much a Chrysler lookalike for the wealthy clientele. The luxury car market now was essentially taken by Cadillac. Case in point: in 1955, Cadillac produced as many cars in just three months, as Lincoln and Imperial combined built in the whole year.

A main reason for this success, of course, was the well-balanced design of Cadillac: stylish and progressive, yet conservative enough for most customers. No other brand walked this tightrope so well. A case in point is the Cadillac "face". While other brands changed their front grille design completely throughout the 50s, Cadillac sticked to its "tombstone" grille. By 1956, the formal egg-grate grille had become a pretty fine mesh, but the overall layout was still similar to the postwar appearance. Even so, the next generations of Cadillacs should replace their clean elegance with more and more chrome trim and gimmicks, a trend that culminated in the flamboyant 1959 lineup before Cadillac finally found its way back to a cleaner design in the 60s.

Between 1954 and 1956, Cadillac's lineup was merely an visual evolution of the previous generation, modernized with fashionable elements like a panoramic windscreen or bumper cones, inspired by aircraft design. Of course, Harley Earl's mantra of "longer, lower, wider" was thoroughly executed and thus, the cars showed much better proportions. In 1956, the last year of the generation's lifecycle, Cadillac added the "Sedan de Ville" to the lineup. This was Cadillac's first four-door hardtop, and combining the airy look of the Coupe De Ville with the practicability of a sedan it was an instant hit, and became much more popular than the standard Series 62 Sedan.

Above all, cuban choferes cherished Cadillacs: throughout the 50s, you could find more Cadillacs per capita in Havana, than in any other city on the american continent. Hence, today Cadillacs in all states of deterioration are a regular sight on Cuban roads, too.

Our pictured Cadillac Sedan de Ville is even equipped with an air condition, as the small air intake nozzle on the deck, between rear window and tailfin, indicates. We don't know if it still works, but in 1956, this was an expensive and not very common option, even by Cadillac standards.

1954 Studebaker Champion Custom 4-door Sedan

"Studebaker . . . the new American car that is setting the style for the world."

We're really fascinated by the front ornamentation of this 6-cylinder powered Studebaker Champion from Havana: the highly stylized "S" (as in "Studebaker") represents exactly one half of the equally stylized "8" that adorned the V-8 powered Commander models. That's graphic design at its clever best!

The Champion Custom was the most frugal version of all Studebaker sedans, and somehow, its lack of chrome trim even emphasized the clean, European look that the "Loewy-styled" Studebakers were so much admired for upon their introduction in 1953. Studebaker's General Manager Harold Vance wanted the sedans to look like the coupe ever since he'd seen the first drawings. But that wasn't an easy task since the sedans were planned to have a 4-inch shorter wheelbase and were higher than their coupe counterparts. Robert E. Bourke, responsible chief designer at Loewy's Studebaker studio couldn't do miracles, and at the end of the day, although looking quite similar in front view, the sedans were no match to the sleek beauty of the "Loewy-Coupes". Still, they looked clean and modern beside other contemporary designs.

Around 1953, when the toolings of the facelift for 1954 were finalized, Studebaker was already running tight on money and had started negotiations to join forces with Packhard. Hence, the 1954 facelift resulted in minimal changes: added vertical chrome bars in the front grille and a new hood ornamentation had to be enough "news" to please the customers. Worse than that, over the next years, the same body should become re-, re-, re-, re-, and re-cycled because Studebaker simply had no money left for the development of a new, modern platform.

1959 Rambler Custom 4-door Sedan

"Rambler is first in sales gains because it gives buyers what they want – big car room, easy handling, top economy plus Personalized Comfort: Sectional sofa front seats for driver and passenger glide back and forth individually so each has the legroom he likes. See and try reclining seats, adjustable safety headrests, low cost All-Season Air Conditioning, every pushbutton convenience. Switch to the success sensation – the smart new Rambler for 1959."

In June 1959, the "Wall Street Journal" reported that American Motors had seized the third place in nationwide new-car sales. The "independent" company which had merely served a limited market segment with its Rambler, suddenly was a big player in the automotive industry. What had happened?

Well, overall sales numbers for 1959 corrected the picture slightly, as Rambler just scored 4th in the yearly statistics, closely trailing Plymouth. Yet, it was a more than decent result, if you consider that Rambler hadn't anything really new to sell in 1959. Since AMC President George W. Romney set off to his personal crusade against Detroit's "gas-guzzling dinosaurs" and strictly focused on "compact" cars, the lineup merely consisted of the "compact" Rambler and the just revived, even more compact Rambler American.

AMC's chief designer Ed Anderson and his team had facelifted the Rambler for 1958 with the obligatory "must have" details like quad headlights and high-rising tailfins. Compared to its predecessor and compared to Detroit's typical designs of the late 50s, the "new" Rambler looked pretty modern. Hence, for 1959, just a few details got changed. Still, the sales nearly doubled, because customers, pounded by a sharp economic recession, now desired compact and thrifty cars. Rambler and Studebaker could capitalize on the fact that the "Big Three" had completely missed the boat and couldn't really compete in this exploding market until their own compact cars were ready to hit the road in the early 60s.

1950 Pontiac Streamliner DeLuxe 4-Door Sedan

"The open road is a bright and wonderful invitation when you're behind the wheel of a new Pontiac – a beauty, a superb performer and a great value!"

This Pontiac Streamliner taxi in front of the busy train station of Moron, home of "El Trompo", is quite a looker. We were immediately intrigued by the complete set of original chrome trim* which nicely contrasts with the car's natural patina. Even the "Silver-Streak" plates at the front fenders are still in their place, quite unusual for a more than sixty year-old workhorse on Cuban roads.

Disappointment, however, when the conversation with the owner came to the inevitable question of "Original motor?": "No, amigo", was the answer, "it's a new Nissan Diesel." The vintage Pontiac, like so many others, needs to run daily to gain money as a collective taxi. And as sad as it might be: when economy and reliability have highest priority, then there's no place for sentiments about the authenticity of a car and its parts.

1950 was the last year Pontiac offered the beautiful Streamliner fastback sedan. This bodystyle became swiftly popular in the 40s as one of the various styling trends that were introduced by Harley Earl and GM Design to leapfrog the rest of the industry. Its most beautiful and refined revision appeared with the fastback version of GM's all-new A-Body for 1949 which was shared between Chevrolet, Pontiac and Oldsmobile. As usual, Chevrolets and Pontiacs were technically quite similar, the latter merely sporting abundant chrome trim and an optional eight cylinder engine to justify the higher price tag.

Already in 1951, however, the torpedos, as they are being called in Cuba, should disappear from the catalog pages. Only Chevrolet should keep on offering them through 1952, while all other GM divisions, and their customers, embraced another new automotive fashion out of Harley Earls GM Design Studios which rapidly gained a longer-lasting popularity: the "hardtop convertible".

* Remark: attentive readers will spot the taillight cones that resemble the ones of a 1962 Imperial. We don't know how they found their way to the Pontiac, but this certainly would make for an interesting story.

1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria

"This proud new beauty's 'crown of chrome' and low silhouette will set the styling keynote for cars to come. In addition, there are new two-tone combinations and carefully placed exterior trim that distinguish all the models in the Ford Fairlane series for 1955. Here, indeed, is the style-setter of the 'hard-tops'."

Design development at America's leading car manufacturers couldn't be more divergent in the 50s: while the autocratic Harley Earl presided over the decision-making process at the General Motors design department, design decisions at Ford were made by committee, involving different departments early in the development process. Thus, many new design ideas were already filtered by "naysayers" upon their maturation, and new Fords, albeit generally looking nice and dandy, rarely became immediate styling leaders. The 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria was the exception to the rule. Perhaps many had to look twice when they first saw a brand-new Crown Victoria. With it's "chopped" low roof and "frenched" headlights, it looked almost like a Hot Rod straight out of the factory. This wasn't your average Ford anymore, but a complete departure from the carefully conservative look that Ford was known for.

If you were a Ford customer and in the game for a two-door hardtop, you could choose between two coupes with pretty different characters: the pillarless Fairlane Victoria hardtop and the Fairlane Crown Victoria. The former shared its roof with the Ford Sedans and thus stood quite tall at 60.1 inches overall height, while the latter sported the beautiful "bright metal roof transverse molding", as Ford's advertisers called it, and an incredibly low looking roof, that was three inches longer and a full inch lower than on the Victoria. The metal-bar roof treatment and the new chrome trim, starting at the headlights and sweeping down the flanks of the car, made for a truly elegant look. It's not a surprise that the Crown Victoria today is considered being one of the milestones of 50s car styling.

To make this fresh look possible at moderate cost, studio chief Frank Hershey and his team delved deep into the corporate parts bin. The Crown Victoria shared it's roof stamping with the Mercury Montclair coupe. To match the lower roofline, Ford's designers mounted the windshield of the Fairlane Sunliner convertible, which was shorter than the sedan's "standard" windscreen. You could order an optional transparent "sky-view" roof ahead of the metal bar to make the result of this "patchwork" look even more stunning. This tinted plexiglass roof was really innovative, but in a time when air condition was a rare and expensive extra, perhaps only enjoyable in northern states. The rest of the Crown Victoria: body, engines, transmission and even the suspension were standard Ford stuff.

Rather than selling in large numbers, the Crown Victoria fulfilled it's purpose by drawing many a prospective buyer into Ford's showrooms who finally drove away with a more modest version of Ford's 1955 lineup.

1959 DeSoto Firesweep 4-door Sedan

"The Firesweep offers features that would cost hundreds extra in many competitive cars . . . features such as Turboflash V8 engines, Torsion-Aire suspension system, Safe-Stop brakes. Its Flair Stream styling is distinctive. And yet the 1959 Firesweep is priced scarcely above the lowest!"

In 1959, DeSoto produced just 9.649 Firesweep 4-door Sedans, and finding one in Cuba took us quite a while. But finally, here it is, nicely promoted by the exclamation mark of the communist propaganda in the background.

Sure, DeSoto's entry level model for 1959 didn't offer the golden anodized exterior trim or the "Fashion-Vogue Interior", trimmed in "textured Nylon Casino Corde fabric", which came standard with the top-level Adventurer models. Neither could you get "Sports Swivel Seats". But regardless, the DeSoto Firesweep was already pretty well-equipped, and, for extra money, even available with the top model's "Adventurer Engine" which sported two 4-barrel carburetors and a special performance "hi-lift" camshaft, and was rated at 350 horsepower, 55 more than the standard Firesweep "Turboflash" V-8 engine.

Perhaps most important for most buyers, the Firesweep flaunted "Flair Stream styling" like every DeSoto for 1959, which was a rather heavy-handed facelift of Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" design. Even DeSoto's entry-level model looked pretty impressive, despite running on a 122-inch wheelbase, four inch shorter ahead of the windshield than the rest of the lineup. The 1959 Firedome rolled off the Dodge assembly line in Hamtramck, and the DeSotos simply shared the shorter front clip with the Dodge models, while the rest of the car was essentially a Chrysler. This early form of badge engineering was possible, because all models of Chrysler Corporation cars shared a similar construction, based on interchangeable parts.

1952 Buick Roadmaster Riviera

"Definitely the fine car for those who want the verve of a Convertible plus the snug comfort of a steel-topped Sedan. Luxury abounds in this six-passenger beauty – from superb fabrics and gleaming chrome crossbows to hydraulic control of windows and front-seat adjustment."

What a side view! Rather bullet than road car, this Buick Roadmaster Riviera hardtop, Model 76R, one of 11.387 built in 1952, really lives up to its name and shows the commanding, yet graceful appearance that Buicks of the early 50s were known and admired for. Already the base model in Buick's lineup for 1952, the Buick Special, was anything but a small car. Yet, the two-door Roadmaster Riviera hardtop easily topped it by a full six inches of additional length, and a five-inch longer wheelbase. The rather short cabin atop the long Roadmaster body makes for truly interesting proportions.

Right at the dawn of the 50s, GM design czar Harley Earl began to promote signature styling elements to make every GM brand instantly recognizable. This became necessary, because all GM divisions shared an increasing amount of parts and technology, to save the expensive tooling costs and benefit from the economies of scale. While engines and outer body panels were distinctive to every division, all GM brands had their cars based on four "bodies" (read: platforms) from 1936 through 1958, and inevitably silhouettes and rooflines looked similar. Thanks to the use of these signature styling elements, however, the cars still appeared pretty different. Cadillac, for example, sported a formal egg-crate grille at front and ultra-modern tailfins astern. Pontiac already had it's "Silver Streak" trim lines since the 30s, and Buick introduced their signature "Venti-Ports" with the 1949 models. Together with vertical front grille bars, the "sweepspear" side trim and the "bombsight" hood ornament, these styling elements should reappear, in variations, on every Buick until 1958.

But it wasn't the styling alone that made Buick's sales jump from one record to the next in the early 50s. Build quality was another reason for success. Back then, Buicks were built like a tank, with thick sheet metal and precisely assembled parts. These Buicks were completely over-engineered and seemingly built for eternity. Thus, it's not surprising that so many vintage Buicks are still alive and kicking in Cuba. Of course, the sheer size of the Buick Roadmaster had its downsides: moving so much metal and dead weight around required quite a bit of power. Albeit the Roadmaster had a mighty 320 cubic-inch V-8 engine, a lot of the power disappeared immediately in the standard "Dynaflow" automatic transmission before it could reach the rear axle, resulting in decent but not exceptional agility. Anyway, such a big Buick was rather bought to cruise and not to be thrown around.

1954-1957 Simca Vedette Régence

"Specially built for the discerning motorist, the Vedette RÉGENCE competes on an equal level with the world's finest luxury automobiles."

If our pictured car, at first glance, looks like a Ford to you, then you are wrong and right at the same moment. You are wrong, because the Simca Vedette was born across the English channel in Poissy near Paris. And you are right, because it was assembled in a former Ford plant that was sold to Simca in July 1954, together with a newly developed car which was ready to be launched for 1955. The new factory owners licensed not just the production rights of the Ford Vedette, but also its name. Incidentally, the Simca was even sold as a Ford though 1956 in some european markets.

The Simca Vedette was powered by a tiny V-8 engine that sported just about two litres of displacement, good for 85 horsepower, and good for a low tax classification in France. Compared to its siblings from America, it didn't have much punch, but in postwar Europe, this was enough to power a "luxury automobile".

Because the Simca Vedette was developed as a Ford, its design came entirely from Detroit. The resemblance to american Fords of the era is most evident in the similar roof treatment. What other Fords didn't have, though, was the sensuously sculpted rear fender kick-up that was further accentuated by a chrome trim piece which originally separated the different hues of the Vedette Régence's two-tone color scheme. Ironically, the Simca Vedette was the most modern looking "Ford" in Europe for about two years, until Ford of England should eventually draw level with the modern styling of the Simca when they presented their similar looking new Ford Zephyr and Zodiac models in 1956. But by then again, soon the facelifted Vedette leaped ahead, and now sported very American looking tailfins...

1959 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer 4-Door

"Behold the Look Of Luxury!"

Unlike its canadian counterpart, this Detroit-born Dodge Custom Royal Lancer 4-Door sports, for the last year, the long tailfins that were a Dodge trademark in the late-50s before they became toned down at the dawn of the new decade. Their "Jet-Trail Tail Lamps" and the nicely integrated turn signal lights make for an even more extreme look of an already extreme looking design. This was garish space-age styling at it's best! And Dodge's catalog poetry followed suit: "New things, great things, reward you in this '59 Dodge. Seats swing out to invite you in. New HC-HE engines - high compression, high economy - whisper their promise of eager performance at substantial savings. Orderly rows of buttons on a gleaming panel welcome you to the first all-push button car with fingertip control of driving and weather. New Level-Flite Torsion-Aire introduces you to three-dimensional comfort - ride control, road control, load control - that keeps you on an even keel at all times. Outside mirrors adjust from the inside. Inside mirrors adjust themselves electronically to banish glare. Even a new Lustre-Bond baked enamel finish, mirror smooth and doubly durable. All this is great. But the final reward is the greatness built into this '59 Dodge. It is deep down, through and through, and thoroughly satisfying."

Cuba is perhaps the only country in the world where numerous export and domestic versions of the same models happily share the road. Florida was close, and importing your own car was easy. Although not being officially sold by cuban dealerships, many "original" Dodges from Detroit found their way to the island by ferry.

1949-1953 Willys CJ-3A

"4-Wheel Drive  . . . gets thru and gets the job done!"

This colorful Willys CJ-3A from Trinidad del Mar is a direct descendant from the original Jeep MB, the iconic vehicle that once represented the United States of America throughout the world, much like Coca Cola, chewing gum or the Statue of Liberty. Today it's universally just known as the Jeep, but most cuban choferes still refer to the times when this wasn't such an iconic name yet. They don't drive a Jeep. They drive a Willys!

Willys-Overland is well-known for its Jeep, although it was originally neither conceived nor designed at Willys-Overland: the company inherited the blueprints for its most famous product from a direct competitior in the industry.  At the dawn of the Second World War, the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps started a contest for an all-wheel driven compact scout vehicle. The requirements were set really high and the deadline extremely short: participating companies should deliver their running prototypes within just 49 days. Finally, only a small company named American Bantam could finish their proposal in time to match this demanding deadline. The proposed design, however, still was anything but the final Jeep. The Army Quartermaster passed the Bantam blueprints on to Ford and Willys-Overland, assuming that these big corporations would have the power to develop and fabricate the car with much more vigor. Ford and Willys-Overland developed their own proposals, based on the Bantam prototype. After a long refinement phase, involving thousands of "prototypes" that were evaluated in regular Army service, the Willys-Overland proposal eventually was selected for mass production, and massive orders went to Ford and Willys-Overland alike. American Bantam, ironically, was left out.

The actual look of the Jeep, by the way, wasn't defined by any of the involved parties. It's claimed that the doorless silhouette of one of the most iconic cars of the last century was penned down by an unknown member of the Army's Quartermaster office when the first prototypes didn't show the expected simplicity.

However, the Jeep showed up at every frontline of the Second World War, and contributed heavily to the victory of the allied forces. Incidentally, US soldiers were renowned in postwar Europe for only moving their feet when they could push a pedal. This is certainly exaggerated, but it speaks a lot about the american lifestyle, that was so much more related to cars than anywhere else in the world.

Already amid the Second World War, Willys-Overland's top management envisioned a peacetime future for their cash-cow. The CJ-2 (read: "Civilian Jeep-2"), presented in 1944 and built from 1946, was a conversion of the Army vehicle to match the higher speeds and different demands of normal on-road driving. The CJ-2 was mainly intended for use in a rural environment, and if you ordered the rear and/or front "power take-off kit", multiple additional tools made it a quite versatile farmhand. In 1949, the CJ-3 arrived at the dealer's, distinguished by a one-piece windshield including a vent and wipers at its bottom edge. The front seats moved a bit backwards to allow for a more comfortable driving position. This was the last "classic" Jeep, before a bigger and more refined version took its place after a five year production run.

1946-1948 DeSoto Custom 4-door Sedan

"A DeSoto owner is in a enviable position. He envies nobody. He drives without shifting. No other car could give him a smoother ride. He is accustomed to DeSoto's extra comfort and extra safety. He knows a good thing when he see's it . . . and he's got it!"

Perhaps, the DeSoto wasn't the most elegant car in Chrysler's postwar portfolio, but its hallmark "waterfall" front grille made it undoubtedly the most ostentatious proposal. The grille design dates back to prewar times, when DeSoto had pioneered with "Airfoil Lights" in 1942. These concealed pop-up headlamps were an unique feature and previously unseen on a mass-produced american car. The swiveling headlights had to go with the overhaul of Chrysler's lineup for 1946, but the wide front grille that had beautifully emphasized them, stayed. However, to make room for the new round headlight bezels, the previously straight top line of this grille now had to dip down quite strangely on both ends, which makes for a quite baroque look of the postwar DeSoto. The rest of the car was essentially carried over from 1942, save for some cosmetic updates on the front fenders which now extended into the doors.

Through early 1949, DeSotos looked virtually the same. There really was no need for a facelift until the arrival of the next generation in 1949, because the drained car market in the U.S. absorbed everything new on wheels, anyway. Thus, the most notable "innovation" on postwar DeSotos was the change to smaller "Super-Cushion" tires in 1947.

1960 Studebaker Lark Regal VIII Convertible

"Look at the Lark convertible! Newest Lark under the sun and moon, pridefully styled and built for lovers of road and sky. Here at last is the means to enjoy The Lark's marvelous maneuverability and stable agility while reveling in the delight of refreshing breezes and warm sunshine. Beyond a doubt, this Lark is one of the world's most charming and distinctive cars. And, the power of its V-8 or six cylinder engine can propel it with sufficient verve to satisfy the most demanding motorist. This is a perfect blending of happy handling, scintillating styling, queenly comfort and a wonderful way to enjoy the weather."

This 1960 Lark Regal VIII convertible from Cienfuegos is just another of the "late arrivals" on the island, and opposed to it's much more common sedan sibling, it's a pretty rare sight.

There were quite a few ups and downs in the history of Studebaker, but fortunes changed really rapidly in the latter 50s. In the critical year of 1958, just four years after the optimistic merger with Packard, Studebaker had to stop building Packards, which by then were nothing but rebadged Studebakers, anyway. With an overall output of just 44.745 cars, the company was at the verge of bankruptcy. All bets were on the new "compact" Lark for 1959, to be launched already in the fall of 1958.

And indeed, the Lark changed Studebaker's fortune. Not that the car was so advanced (in fact, it was essentially an older Studebaker body with chopped front and rear ends), but the timing for the company's new saviour was just right: amidst a sharp economic recession, customers suddenly were looking for smaller and leaner cars, and no one else, except Rambler and some exotic imports, had their bases covered. The Lark had a stellar impact, and within one year, Studebaker's financial numbers changed from a bright red to a deep black.

Surfing the wave of sudden success, Studebaker introduced even a convertible for 1960, but it didn't do much for a long-lasting success of the Lark: meanwhile, the Big Three had reacted to the changed car market and introduced their own "compacts", such as the Chevrolet Corvair, Ford Falcon, Dodge Dart or Plymouth Valiant. Life for Studebaker became increasingly difficult and sales plummeted in each consecutive year. In 1966, the brand ceased building cars, and the oldest American car manufacturer became history.

Vamos bien?

"¡Vamos bien!", we are doing well, is one of Fidel Castro's phrases that often appear on the numerous propaganda billboards adorning the island's roads. Well, after traveling Cuba for the past weeks, we are not so sure. Our strongest impression: deserted roads! Cuban roads were always quite empty, save for the dense traffic in Havana, but this time, we felt really alone on the open road. Private transportation is in agony, and the buses and trucks that used to carry the people between cities and villages became rare and even more jam-packed than before. Not many american cacharros crossed our way. Detroit Iron, it seems, is on the retreat. But, as always, it's worth to look behind the scenes: these cars are all but gone. They're just resting behind garage doors.

The reason is a simple one: within a few months, the price for a litre of (illegally acquired) gasoline on the black market doubled from 10 to 20 cuban Pesos, which equals 80 US-Cent. And fuel prices on the state-run fuel stations are exceeding 1,40 US-Dollar for the litre of 94-octane fuel. Mind you, the average monthly income still is a "whopping" 10-20 US-$. What hurts motorists in the first world today, hurts even more in a third world country.

But we've seen this phenomenon in Cuba before: whenever one thinks that things can't get worse, there comes proof that they actually can. Still, we are confident that this current "fuel crisis" will be mastered, like so many hardships before.

Yet, we made some nice discoveries on our journey, too. And we met very friendly people which opened their garages for us to proudly show off their vintage Detroit Iron. So, stay with us for more vintage cars to come on Cubanclassics.

1952 Ford Fordor Sedan

"You'll step out in new comfort and style in this big Ford Fordor for '52. You can measure its comfort in the miles of smooth, relaxed driving you get. You can measure its style by the smiles of satisfaction its distinctive, years ahead design will capture. And your passengers will appreciate the Fordor's easy access . . . it's more-than-a-yard-wide doors. There are rear door safety locks, too, so you'll have freedom of mind with children in the back seat."

Coffee-break a lo cubano on the Autopista Nacional Número Uno: just park your car at the curbside. No need for further safety measures, because common sense on cuban freeways excludes the right lane from faster traffic. Instead, you'll see horse carriages and trucks lurching along, as well as cows or tractors. Sometimes, farmers even use this lane to dry their recently harvested rice on the hot asphalt.

The 1952 Ford continued the tremendous recovery of the ailing company that it's predecessor had initiated. Longer, lower and wider than the 1949 model, the new Ford lineup was vastly improved under its skin. Ford's designers skillfully applied a matching, more rectangular looking design. An one-piece windscreen and the horizontally stretched front grille, albeit still sporting the spinner-theme of 1949, made for a much more modern looking car. Circular rear lights made their first appearance in this year. They should become a Ford trademark for years to come.

1949 Chevrolet Styleline DeLuxe Sport Coupe

"Idle along a country lane made smooth as asphalt by the magic of Chevrolet's new ride. Sweep down a broad highway while Panoramic Visibility unfolds a fuller, safer view all about you. Answer the invitation of any road and enjoy all the extra values exclusive to Chevrolet in its field. From Push-Button Door Handles to Center Point Steering, from Body by Fisher to Valve-in-Head engine, Chevrolet is first for quality at lowest cost!"

This is how an original "Full Vista" windscreen looks like after more than six decades: starting from the edges, the safety glass became "blind" over the years, which makes for a truly interesting look. Most windscreens of vintage Detroit Iron in Cuba have long been replaced, simply because you couldn't see through anymore. The amazing thing is, that new windscreens are available despite a non-existent supply of original spare parts. They get shaped in various clandestine workshops throughout the country. Safety glass? No, señor! Accidents and breaking glass will have dreadful consequences, but at least you'll have a windscreen at all. Considering that producing the panoramic screens of the latter 50s with their extreme curvature was a highly demanding industrial process, we marvel at the skills and artistry of cuban craftsmen who achieve similar results without elaborate tools.

Most cars of Chevrolet's first all-new postwar generation you see in Cuba, have four doors, and some are fancy hardtops or convertibles. Since the economic conditions in Cuba continue going downhill, various vintage cars, deemed being too impractical not too long ago, are awaken from their sleep in gloomy garages. This Chevy Styleline DeLuxe Sport Coupe is one of these rather uncommon sights. Although having just two doors and a tight cabin, it is being revitalized and soon will serve as a particular (read: privately operated) airport shuttle, explains its owner. Any business idea is welcome in Cuba, as long as it lets you make a living. And certainly, the idea of cruising along in Chevrolet's first all-new postwar design sounds very appealing to us.

1956 Mercury Custom Hardtop Coupe

"This long, luxurious coupe carries Mercury's famous low-silhouette styling into the Custom line. There's the promise of agile going and peak performance in every line plus traditional Mercury operating economy and stamina (9 out of 10 Mercurys ever built are still going strong)."

Being "the lowest-silhouette 4-door hardtop ever built" (as an contemporary ad proclaimed), made the Montclair Phaeton certainly the undisputed star in Mercury's lineup for 1956. But when you could omit two doors and fifteen horsepower, you also could opt for the entry-level Custom Coupe and buy similar looks for much less money. The 1956 Mercurys shared their body with Ford, but rode on a four-inch longer wheelbase. This longer wheelbase, together with the horizontal two-tone color split (not exactly pictured here) and the tunneled headlights visually stretched the cars and made the Mercurys look decidedly more modern than their Ford counterparts.

1939 Chevrolet Master DeLuxe

"Lucky the man, or the lady, who owns a new 1939 Chevrolet! They are driving today's performance leader – the liveliest of all low-priced cars – with a mighty supply of quick, eager, reserve power packed into its famous valve-in-head engine. When traffic has started moving, and every driver steps on he accelerator with the thought of 'going places,' it's the Chevrolet driver who safely takes the lead! And when the scene changes to open country, and high hills loom ahead, it's the Chevrolet driver again who goes over the top with the greatest of ease! First in acceleration! First in hill-climbing! First in all-round efficiency with economy! That's the story of this fleet, safe motor car, and, incidentally, that's why it is first in sales among all cars in the nation! Drive the winner! Place your order now for a new Chevrolet!"

The painted front grille of this Chevrolet Master DeLuxe makes for a quite mousy look, but don't be fooled: this was a surprisingly glamorous looking car when presented in 1939. One of Harley Earl's occasional tricks was to use similar styling elements on two marques throughout the GM portfolio to valorize the downmarket brand. With the 1939 Chevrolet, for example, you could buy the looks of a 1939 Cadillac, but for a much smaller budget. Two years later, the front grille of the Chevrolet resembled the much pricier Buick. Thus, Harley Earl brought some class into the low-priced field, and customers honored Chevrolet's "upscale" look with an impressive demand.

One battle that Harley Earl couldn't win for years, though, was the integration of the headlights into the front fenders. It was an inevitable step towards the fully mono-volume shapes that would characterize automobiles after the mid-40s. Harley Earl's designers had proposed integrated headlamps since the early 30s, but GM's top management and engineering were reluctant to bring them into production, because they feared that any fender bender would inevitably lead to misaligned headlights. Usually the man of industry-firsts, Harley Earl had to leave this design innovation to the competition: arch-rival Ford had introduced integrated headlights in 1936 and Chrysler already in 1934. Mounted atop of the fenders, the headlights of the 1939 and 1940 Chevrolets were an intermediate compromise, before they finally moved completely into the fenders in 1941.

1954 Oldsmobile 88 4-door Sedan

"We call them the newest new Oldsmobiles in fifty-seven years! Each one bears the unmistakable mark of Tomorrow in the breathtaking sweep of longer, lower lines. Each one offers you a veritable rainbow of color harmony. Each one has the flashing power of a new, livelier edition of the famous 'Rocket' engine! In every way they're cars of tomorrow, as you'll see the first time you drive one."

"The Dream that Couldn't Wait" is waiting for its driver on this peaceful evening in Moron. Since the introduction of the powerful "Rocket" V-8 engine in 1949, Oldsmobiles were respected as innovative, although conservative cars in the public opinion. The 1954 overhaul of the lineup brought very elegant cars: big and with impressive, but not yet exaggerated styling. Despite their huge dimensions, Oldsmobiles were always easy to drive. The "88", pictured here, was the entry-level car in Oldsmobile's lineup, but already well-dotated. The only visible difference to the fancier "Super 88" was a tiny badge on the rear fender.

Enjoy another quote from the sales-brochure in a very snazzy 50s language: "Shaped on Oldsmobile's drawing board many years ago . . . sheduled for completion in 1955 . . . perfected a full year in advance! This is Oldsmobile for 1954 – breath-taking beauty and record-braking performance translated into reality! The fresh, original concept of this Oldsmobile finds brilliant expression in its new lower, longer, lovelier styling. In the daring new slant of its sweep-around panoramic windshield . . . the modern magnificence of its Custom-Lounge interiors . . . the hundreds of dramatic innovations from new 'World' crest to contoured tail-light! And, to match Oldsmobile's dream-car design with power – a new 185-horsepower 'Rocket' Engine!"

1971-1988 Lada 2101

"More and more people are discovering the special qualities and excellent value for money of the Lada. No other car in its class offers anywhere near as much..."

A common stereotype of Cuba contains sandy beaches, happy people, cigars and big american cars. But sure not everything is what it seems to be. Cuba's automotive landscape, for instance, is clearly dominated by other, newer cars, mainly from Russia, Korea, and recently China. But somehow, the elated visitor's brain manages the trick to completely exclude these vehicles from the picture and leave us with the cliché. It's an interesting phenomenon...

While most foreigners embrace the vintage Detroit Iron, some cuban choferes seem to prefer anything that was built on the other side of the Iron Curtain, when they can get ahold of these russian cars. There's a myriad of Moskovichs and Ladas populating the island, most of them used by government owned agencies or being granted to the most merited revolutionaries. But from time to time, some of these cars somehow find their way to the private market. Contrary to the American cacharros, spare parts are very easy to find in case something breaks, which makes the russian cars a smart choice for choferes that must rely on their cars. Well, this situation might change soon, because the famous Lada faces the end of it's production run. Lada spokesman Igor Burenko recently has stated: "Demand for the Classic has dropped a lot. It is time to say goodbye." And the end of spare parts supply will cause the same dilemma to the Ladas as to their big brothers from America.

But now say hello to the Lada 2101. Our pictured car, save for its bumper, looks pretty much the same as its "mother", the Fiat 124. Unveiled in 1966, the Fiat started a very successful career on European roads by being awarded "European Car of the Year" in 1967. For the time, the Fiat was quite advanced: compact outside but very roomy inside. Technically simple, the car was agile, economic and (untypical for a Fiat) pretty reliable. The soviet government soon choose the Fiat 124 for licensed production in the new established AutoVAZ factory. As usual in socialist countries, all economic decisions are politically triggered. Part of the decision for Fiat was the strong presence of Italy's communist party within Fiat. Even Stavropol-Wolschskij, the place of the new joint-venture factory, was renamed into Togliatti in honor of the former leader of the Italian Communist Party who had died in 1964.

Fiat invested in building the factory and the first "Shiguli" and "Lada" cars left Togliatti in 1971. Except for the different names (Shiguli for domestic and Lada for the export market), the cars were identical, but slightly differed from the original Fiat 124: the adaption to rough russian driving conditions included slightly thicker sheet metal for the body panels, a revised suspension and an updated engine with overhead camshaft, plus an auxiliary manual fuel pump and a starter crank in case the battery was drained in the cold. The Lada 2101, produced in the look of our pictured car through 1988, soon was exported in different versions to western countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain and eventually even found its way to Canada.

To pay back the Lada's licensing costs, Russia supplied Fiat with steel, which was the base for all Fiats and some Alfa Romeo cars that were built from 1971. Soon, this agreement backfired on Fiat: the high amount of copper in the Russian steel caused an intergranular electro-chemical reaction (in other words: severe corrosion) on Fiats and Alfas, and thus, eventually on Fiat's brand image, too...

1958-1961 Austin-Healey Sprite Mark I

"The new Sprite is a very pretty little car, with a lot of clever ideas under its sleek body. Unitary construction is used, resulting in a great saving of weight and an overall smoothness of line to bring joy to the eyes of a connoisseur. And it's as practical as pretty. The whole bonnet and wings assembly of the Sprite lifts up to give quick accessibility to the engine and front suspension. This should make home maintenance delightfully easy. There's fresh thought, too, in the rear suspension. Trailing links are used for improved road-holding and to reduce unsprung weight. The Sprite engine is the brilliant BMC 'A' series 948cc. engine. Twin S.U. carburettors lift its maximum output to 43 BHP at 5,200 rpm – making this great little engine an ideal power unit. Not the least of the many delightful features of this car is the price. At £668.17s, tax paid, it is the most astounding value offered to the enthusiast today. For the Sprite is everything a touring car ought to be and yet costs no more than a small saloon."

The english sales brochure from 1958 brings the advantages of the "fun" sportscar of the decade quite down to the point. Interesting, how american and english concepts of advertisement in the same era can differ: blatant superlatives there, while rather modest and explanatory here.

The concept behind the Healey Sprite was appealing: make a simple, affordable and lightweight roadster for the enthusiast driver. Already in the mid-50s, BMC boss Leonard Lord and Donald Healey had started thinking about a smaller companion car to the Austin-Healey 100 and the MG A, which were very successful on american shores. In May 1958, Austin-Healey presented the Sprite, Britain's first sports car which used an unitized construction instead of a classic body-on-frame architecture. The Sprite really was a basic car: it wasn't even delivered with a soft top, the doors were lacking inner panels, and to enhance rigidity, Donald Healey omitted even a trunk lid, forcing Sprite owners to access luggage and spare tire through the interior. The whole front end was made of one piece, and popping the hood was a spectacular procedure, because, like in a race car, the whole front swung up. To cut costs, the Sprite shared most of its mechanics with other BMC cars, and used the same engine that powered the tiny Austin A35 sedan. With 43 h.p., it wasn't the most powerful engine, and it was quite heavy, too. Hence, the Sprite was tiny and affordable, but not so lightweight after all. Still, you could throw the Sprite around at wish and go sideways in curves, or, in other words: have fun! The rudimentary design provided a pure driving pleasure which definitely attracted the enthusiast drivers it was conceived for.

Gerry Coker, who had already drawn the beautiful Austin-Healey 100, was responsible for the styling of the Sprite, and if you judge the lines and proportions, he did an awesome job, especially for such a small car. The only disturbing detail are the strangely positioned headlights, which were originally intended to be retractable. Last-minute cost cutting demanded fixed headlights, which perhaps did hurt the designer's ego, but on the other hand gave the car its unmistakable identity. The small Austin-Healey soon became nicknamed "Frogeye" in Europe and "Bugeye" in the U.S., and with 48.987 cars produced between 1958 and 1961, it was very successful on both sides of the Atlantic.

1946 Mercury 4-Door Town Sedan

"You're a step ahead when you step into the new 1946 Mercury. Here's more beauty – all the way through – from massive new front grille to colorful two-tone interiors. More all-around performance: faster pick-up, power that flattens out hills, and bigger brakes that give you safe, sure stops with pressureless ease. There's more economy, too – for Mercury is surprisingly easy on gas and oil. Here's the heritage of over four decades of engineering skill . . . here is what you've been waiting for – the 1946 Mercury!"

Since the launch in 1939, Ford's beautiful sister brand was in a dilemma: being purely a Ford under the skin, but purposed to be an upmarket product, Mercury's heftier price tag had to be justified with something. For Mercury, this "something" was power and more glamour. And, surprise, the simple strategy worked pretty well. While Ford was known for a restrained, almost frugal use of any trim and equipment, Mercury followed in the footsteps of GM, adding glitter and the full set of amenities to its cars.

The prewar Mercury had a enlarged Flathead Ford V-8 engine, and 10 hp more power than the Ford, but these subtle differences between both brands were reduced merely to ornamentation when the civilian car production resumed right after the war. Mercury and Ford now even looked similar. Both brands shared the same body and had identical V-8 engines implanted. The only difference: the 1946 Mercury rode on a 2-inch longer wheelbase than the Ford, but it was barely noticeable, as the car just had a slightly longer bonnet.

The trick to lure the affluent customers into believing that their car was worth paying so much money was in Mercury's glamour strategy: While Ford's front grille, in example, consisted of stamped metal, the beautiful "High-Style" front grille of the Mercury resembled a shiny electric razor with its multiple chromed and precisely assembled plates. Just add some more chrome trim on the side fenders and running boards and nicer interior appointments, and off you went in a pretty glamorous looking car. Mercury fared pretty well in postwar times, when the hungry car market absorbed almost everything on wheels regardless of it's premium price compared to a similar Ford.

For the next generation and right in time for the company's 10th anniversary, Mercury should finally get its own distinctive design that justified the premium price tag. Ironically, Mercury's dilemma was now passed on to Lincoln: both brands now shared the same body, and just a longer frontend ahead of the windshield (which was necessary to accommodate the bigger engines) characterized the classier Lincoln. History repeats itself...

Unlike other postwar cars which appear identical over several model years, it's quite easy to distinguish a 1946 Mercury from a 1947 or 1948 model. The former sports a painted grille frame and a simple, straight bumper just like our pictured car, while the latter have a fully chromed front grille and vertical "winglets" added to the outer edges of the bumper.

1949 Oldsmobile 88 4-Door Town Sedan

"The city fades behind you - the straightway stretches before you - you're off on a glorious adventure! You're driving a 'Rocket' Engine Oldsmobile - discovering power and pace such as you've never known before in a motor car! Better yet - you know as you go that each thrilling mile costs you less - thanks to the 'Rocket's' remarkable gas mileage! Coupled with Oldsmobile's Hydra-Matic Drive*, the 'Rocket' gives you Futuramic economy to match its Futuramic smoothness and eagerness! Owners across the country tell us they are getting over 20 miles to the gallon ... at cruising speed! And this unbeatable Hydra-Matic-'Rocket' combination comes to you at its lowest cost in the nimble, spirited '88' Oldsmobile. See your Oldsmobile dealer - and make a lifelong date with the '88'!"

What you see here, parked behind the Iglesia del Santo Angel Custodio in La Habana Vieja, could rightfully be called the first american muscle car: for 1949, Oldsmobile  introduced the "88" Series, a combination of the rather light chassis of the 6-cylinder "76" Series and the brand-new "Rocket" V-8 engine. This combination proved to be an immediate success, especially appealing to younger and performance-hungry drivers. The customer's demand for the new "88" was so huge, that Oldsmobile dropped the "76" line already in 1950 and from now on only offered V-8 engines.

With it's groundbreaking overhead-valve "Rocket" V-8 engine, Oldsmobile declassified every other car around, including Cadillac, which had also introduced an own OHV V-8 engine in 1949. The new layout placed the valves directly above the combustion chamber. This allowed for a much higher compression ratio than the side-valve engines which were common at the time, and thus for more efficiency and (in theory) a higher fuel economy. Yet, Oldsmobile exploited the extra potential for more power rather than better mileage.

The historic significance of Oldsmobile's "Rocket" engine lies in the fact that this innovative engine design literally opened the flood gates, and by 1955, every major car manufacturer in the U.S. offered an own overhead-valve V-8. The race for horsepower was in full swing, and the basic layout of the OHV V-8 should become a standard for american cars well into the 80s.

Furthermore, the unconventional choice of mating this mighty engine with the light GM "A-body" made the "88" one of the fastest cars in America at the time, save for some imported exotics. The "88" literally would drive circles around a similar looking Chevrolet or Pontiac. With the "Rocket" engine, Oldsmobile's brand image rapidly shifted from "conservative" towards "performance", and before Fidel Castro's revolution, even the cuban police trusted in Oldsmobile as being the ideal chase-car. Throughout the 50s, other GM divisions should successfully repeat Oldsmobile's "recipe" of mounting massive engines into smaller cars and so boost their sporty image.

1954 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible

"Here is a car that's so easy to drive  . . .  so spirited  . . .  so smartly styled  . . .  that it easily doubles your traveling enjoyment. Fact is, 'most any trip is a pleasure trip in a new Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible. You'll like the vacation-size luggage compartment  . . .  the durable, washable vinyl upholstery that keeps its good looks over the miles. And, you can have any or all of the automatic power features you want as extra-cost options. See the new Bel Air Convertible at your Chevrolet dealer's soon."

We seriously doubt that you can find a much better looking Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible across the Florida Strait. Mind you: this ain't Miami, this is Cuba, where official dealerships, factory spare parts or old-car junkyards are non-existent. All the more, we marvel at the determination and stamina of the cuban motorists who keep their cars in such a good condition! But then again, good looks make for good business. Our pictured Chevy Bel Air convertible, much like others, is frequently used as a parade car for fiestas de quince, and that secures a good and steady income for its owner.

In the traditional hierarchy, convertibles were always among the best-equipped and costliest cars in the lineup of any manufacturer, and therefore you can find quite a few postwar convertibles on cuban roads, although the climatic conditions here make open driving not as exciting as one might think. Yet, to own the top model was reason enough for many choferes in Cuba's show-off society to put a convertible in their garage – or better in front of it. However, as soon as the trendy "hardtop convertibles" became fashionable, "real" convertibles gradually disappeared from the customer's wish-list.

Same car in new suit, Chevrolets lineup was completely restyled for 1953, and looked dashing. Under the skin, the cars still had the mechanics of their predecessors, but such loud two-tone colors and interior appointments were previously unseen in Chevrolet's price class and they made the competition look quite bland. Once again, Harley Earl and GM Styling were boldly setting the trend – and the whole industry followed. Especially the Bel Air convertible excelled in the style department, matching interior hues and "fashion fiesta" exterior colors. No one would like to sit on plastic seats today, but back in 1954, an all-vinyl interior was chic: "The gay, color-harmonized interior is distinctively tailored. The all-vinyl seats and sidewalls stay new-looking  . . .  wash clean in a jiffy."

1958 Studebaker Commander

"Long known for value, the names Commander and Champion take on a new deluxe meaning this year. They are (as a pleasant fact) basically low-priced cars. Yet they offer a luxury which only Studebaker could provide and still maintain quality and safety from front grille to rear fins."

Amazing, how the tone of Studebaker's advertisement changed within a year, emphasizing on "basically low-priced cars" rather than on "a look of importance", like in 1957. The reason: by 1958, the Studebaker Packard Corporation was already in big financial trouble, and customers didn't buy into a glamorous image anymore. Packard was in an even bigger mess, now selling badge-engineered Studebakers as "luxury cars", but Studebaker's designers were on an equally short leash.

While the competition launched a sparkling firework of fancy new designs, Studebaker had to rely on the aging body which already served the 1953 lineup and which was shared with Packard since 1957. Restyled tailfins and new double-beam headlamps in strangely tacked-on fiberglass  pods were the only updates that the tight budget would allow.

But, as sometimes difficult conditions lead to creative outbursts, this story has a rather happy end, as Studebaker, deliberately searching for a market proposition, had invented the "compact" Lark for 1959, which shared it's body with the big Studebakers. Presented amidst a sharp economic recession, these "compact" cars sold like crazy, and kept the ailing company afloat for a few more years.

1958 Plymouth Belvedere 4-door Sedan

"Only from Plymouth: the Broadway Look at a Main Street Price."

The stunning Plymouth lineup for 1957 earned rave reviews, and rightfully so: like the new cars from all other Chrysler brands, the Plymouths now sported an extremely low, road-hugging design. Although being 2 inches shorter than their predecessors, they looked much longer, mainly due to the graceful horizontal body lines, and due to the switch to a space-saving torsion-bar front suspension. This new suspension also accounted for superior handling, and with their powerful engines, the new Plymouths were fast and eager cars for the time's standards. Compared to this second generation of "Forward Look" cars, the competition suddenly looked quite chubby.

The new Plymouths for 1958, pictured here, were merely an minor update, now sporting four headlights and a restyled front grille. Even Plymouth's advertisers had perhaps difficulties to sell these updates as innovations. You can sense it in the sales catalog, which merely focused on "exciting new exterior colours", "a wide range of striking new fabrics", or tailfins, now called "Directional Stabilizers", as novelties.

Here's some more advertisement poetry for your enjoyment: "There's more than getting 'more for your money' in owning a Plymouth. Add to the dollars you save the proud knowledge that one of the world's greatest cars is yours. Don't settle for less. No matter what your budget is, there's a Plymouth to fit ... as your Plymouth dealer will gladly prove to you ... today!"

1952 Buick Special 4-Door Tourback Sedan

"When better automobiles are built BUICK will build them. Sure is true for '52."

Sixty years ago, this Buick Special 4-Door Tourback Sedan, model 41D, rolled from an assembly line in Flint, Michigan. And sixty years later, despite looking quite battered, it's still in a pretty original condition: six decades of daily driving without pampering didn't do much harm to the massive grace of this elegant automobile.

There's a reason why Buicks of the early 50s have a reputation of being almost indestructible cars. Of all GM divisions, especially Buick managed to excel not just with bold styling, but also with an impeccable build quality. And in a time, when the decade's styling-craze just began to kick-off, the inner values of a car still played a much more important role for the buyer's decision. Optimized and lightweight construction for better fuel efficiency or higher profits? No, señor! Instead, massive and durable metalwork and a "Fireball" V-8 engine so big that it probably never came even close to deploying its full potential. Engineered this way, cars like the Buick Special could survive for more than half a century without regular manufacturer maintenance. Sure, flashier Buicks can be found in Cuba, but we like this particular Buick Special from Sancti Spiritus for its original patina and for the fact that, until now, its embellishment is almost complete and didn't get lost over the years.

In 1952, the Buick Special was the "smallest" and leanest car in Buick's portfolio. The design was largely carried over from 1951, and just sported subtle alterations, like a different chrome trim for the new model year. Small chrome "fins" were now added atop the rear fenders, but it certainly wasn't a year of major changes. Change wasn't necessary anyway, as Buicks were constantly selling good. Despite being pricey offers, the output was good for a fourth place in the annual production statistics, closely trailing the budget brands Chevrolet, Ford and Plymouth. However, Buick's production for 1952 was only limited by government restrictions due to the korean war, but this was a problem which every major american carmaker had to face in 1952.