I am certainly not the first to note that Americans love their cars. Despite sticker shock, the loss of the automotive loan interest deduction, and historically high gas prices, they continue to buy over 7,500,000 new cars (excluding SUVs and light trucks) a year, and there are 135,000,000 cars registered in the US. This love affair is not limited to cars made by American companies or manufactured in the United States.

Americans seem to be quite fickle (or, more positively, "selective") in their purchasing behavior, buying that vehicle that appeals most to them because of styling, safety, cost, etc. An item in the March 25 issue of Parade magazine indicates that such behavior is not necessarily the norm elsewhere, or at least not in Europe. L.W. Winik notes therein that in Germany, the 10 best-selling cars are all of German manufacture; that in France, nine of the top ten motor cars are French-made; that in Italy, Fiat makes three of the five best-selling vehicles; and that in Sweden, Volvos and Saabs occupy the top four spots. Americans, on the other hand, now buy Japanese, Korean, and European cars in such significant numbers that imports and transplants (automobiles built in the US by a foreign firm) account for nearly 60% of new retail car sales. In recent years, the Toyota Camry has more often than not been the best-selling model in the United States, something that no doubt contributed to the historic announcement in late April that Toyota had surpassed General Motors in terms of first-quarter 2007 car sales worldwide.

Whether contemporary Americans should be as loyal to their national manufacturers as many Europeans seem to be is open to question. What is clear, however, is that past and ongoing interest in foreign marques has allowed Americans to know and appreciate an incredibly broad range of cars, even when the United States dominated the worldwide automotive market. One result of this phenomenon is that American auto historians have a global perspective. Thus, in 1996, the SAH began to hold an annual dinner for our colleagues in Europe, an event that also provides a nice excuse to tour automotive-related venues on the continent. Similarly, in 2001, we realized the wisdom of creating a Cugnot Award for books published in a language other than English.

Recently, I had the opportunity with other SAH officers and Board members to tour two automotive museums in Florida, the Collier Collection in Naples (unfortunately no longer open to the general public) and the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum in Pinellas Park. I carried back two observations from that trip that are pertinent to the discussion above. First, while my research has focused exclusively on American cars and their socio-cultural impact, I was fascinated by the foreign vehicles on exhibit in each museum. For the first time, I really understood the significance of the Czech-built Tatra for European (not just automotive) history and the emergence of a "people's car" in that part of the word. Second, as we toured both facilities, I was struck by the wealth of knowledge evidenced by my colleagues as they commented on the design, mechanics, and history of the international vehicles that they were viewing. I am sure that many of our other American members possess a similar degree of knowledge regarding foreign cars.

Thus, while one can bemoan or criticize the lack of loyalty that contemporary Americans seem to have for their national marques, it has had at least one unambiguous, beneficial effect. It has created a generation of car aficionados who appreciate and purchase the best that the world's automakers can create.

Since my automotive history degree column back in the January-February issue continues to generate responses (see Letters), I would like to return for the last time to that topic, focusing on two points. First, I like the idea of a graduate (master's) degree in the field, as opposed to the undergraduate (bachelor's) degree I was initially promoting. The former would probably have a larger potential "student" market and thus enhanced chances for economic viability. It would also allow for a more in-depth study of the various topics, since students could be expected to already possess certain background knowledge from their undergraduate education and life experience.

Second, many of respondents have commented on the near impossibility of successfully steering any automotive history degree through the shoals of campus politics. Having spent 36 years as a college professor or administrator, I know from whence they come. Yet, the proverbial winds of change are sweeping through American higher education, driven by the need to attract students in a tight market. As a result, the success of individual colleges and universities depends more and more on establishing a unique "brand" that separates them from the others with whom they compete. If we can prove that there is a sufficient market for an automotive history degree, the powers-that-be at one or more institutions will embrace it as one of their distinguishing characteristics.

- Mike Berger, SAH President