Why do men, myself included, love cars so gosh darned much?
Now, there are plenty of women that have an encyclopedic knowledge of the automobile’s history, and, Danica Patrick notwithstanding, there have been a number of incredible women in motorsports history. But nonetheless, head to any auto show, classic car meet, Cars and Coffee event, or whatever, and you’ll find crowds of mostly dudes ogling over sensuous metallic curves and discussing engine specs like gospel. I’m guilty of all of it myself, and because it’s an occasionally-embarrassing affliction, I have to reconcile it somehow. And so I ask: is this male car obsession biological?
Plenty of men (and women) love cars because of the sense of accomplishment when you complete repairs, modifications, or a restoration, and because of the wonderful community car folks have to offer. The 20th century was dominated by the automobile, and the sense of history one gets from discussing pre-war Deusenbergs, 60s muscle cars, or even the sillier aspects of the 90s import scene, is a joy and makes for one hell of an involving hobby.
At the same time, let’s be honest: Any guy who’s felt the adrenaline of roaring about in an absurdly fast car, or sat up a little bit straighter because he was riding around in a Rolls, can’t say he wasn’t paying close attention to see if he got looks from all the pretty girls on the street.
