Why Do We Love Cars?

This is one of those questions that seems like a no-brainer until you try to tackle it. Why do people fall in love with their mode of transportation? The simple answer is that many people do not. While many claim to be enthusiasts and purchase their brand new Porsche as evidence, only a select few use excuses to hit the open road. These people are the true lovers and their lives would simply not be the same without cars.

Part of the reason we love cars is likely due to the fact that our parents, brothers, or friends loved cars and influenced us to take part in the culture. Similar to a dad bringing his kids to a baseball game and they in turn fall in love with the game, cars are typically something we learn to love over time. For me, it was riding in my dad's 1997 Mustang Cobra convertible that forever turned me into a car lover. The burble and crackling of the 4 valve V8 making all the right noises has quite the impression on a 5 year old. 

http://www.businessinsider.com/fast-and-furious-inspired-by-racer-x-2015-4

I think, however, that there is another aspect of why we love cars. This lies more in the connection between man and machine. Having control over something so powerful and forceful is a feeling that can hardly be replicated by any other experience. The shove in the back on acceleration and g loads in corners make us feel powerful and contributes to our want to discuss these feelings with other people. So much of car magazines and auto blogs are purely describing how a particular car feels to drive. Just imagining these feelings is enough to spark interest in the automotive community. The ability to bond over what "looks" and "feels" best allows us share these experiences; allowing people to come together with a common passion. 

In short, I think that loving cars boils down to the way we were raised and having an experience that makes us interested in these machines. From there, meeting others who share our knowledge for these machines makes us truly love them.