The 1950s were the golden age of the American automobile, and the cars were faster, bigger, and more boldly styled than ever before. Sunday driving--Cleaver-style--in the regal family Ford, Edsel or Plymouth topped the list of national pastimes; and teenagers, behind the wheels of their daddies' thundering T-birds, had fun, fun, fun across America's highways. The economic prosperity of the country made for an "ultramatic" boom in car manufacturing, and the advertising industry followed suit. This reprint of a Chronicle Books classic collects the "masterpieces" of automobile advertising, culled from the pages of such popular periodicals as "Life, The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, Look, " and "Holiday." Their colorful illustrations and catchy copy give these ads a "power-packed beauty" all their own, offering a fun look at 50s culture and values. So take a cruise down memory lane with this fond look back on a time when tail fins and chrome were the standard, and the American car was the true King of the Road.