"It's the No. 1 Car all the way through!"
I'll say! Sophisticated yet racy, with maybe a hint of ivy-league.
Also the car of choice for Thirties gangsters:
1933 Essex-Terraplane 8-cylinder cars were believed to have the highest horsepower-to-weight ratio of any production automobiles in the world, and were favored by several gangsters of the day, particularly John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and John Paul Chase, for their lightness, acceleration, handling, and discreet appearance.
Presumably they didn't buy the bright red ones.
And then there was Robert Johnson:
And I feel so lonesome
You hear me when I moan
Well I feel so lonesome
You hear me when I moan
Who been drivin' my Terraplane
For you since I been gone?
Now, you know the coils ain't even buzzin'
Little generator won't get the spark
Motor's in a bad condition
You gotta have these batteries charged
But I'm cryin', please, please don't do me wrong
Who been drivin' my Terraplane
Now for you since I been gone
1938 was the final year for the Terraplane. Too many conflicting cultural signifiers. The red, perhaps, was the final straw.
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