On Saturday, February 4, 1995 at 2:30:06 PM UTC-8, Network US wrote:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT: Wendy Rose
(810) 851-3121

THE HISTORY CHANNEL AIRS
A NEW DOCUMENTARY SERIES DEVOTED TO CARS
AUTOMOBILES
SUNDAYS, AT 7:00 PM EASTERN TIME

FINALLY! A TV SERIES ABOUT CLASSIC CARS -- From race cars to sports cars,
to trucks and limousines, the first-ever hour-long television documentary series on automobiles looks at classic cars and the people who loved and
made them: airs every Sunday at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT on the History Channel. AUTOMOBILES delves into the historical, social and anecdotal stories of
some of the greatest automobiles of the world, from the Model T to the Corvette and everything in between.
The series appeals to the enthusiast and the mildly curious, as each
program profiles an individual automobile and its impact upon the world. Money, power and some of the most legendary and charismatic people of the 20th Century like Henry Ford, Enzo Ferrari, John DeLorean, Lee Iacocca and Dr. Ferdinand Porsche are featured. The series also examines the reasons behind an auto's creation: why it was designed, what the manufacturers
tried to achieve, who the people behind the project were, what technology
was employed, and what impact the auto had upon society and our lives.
"The series fills a long vacant niche in television programming," said Michael Rose, producer of the series, and an avid auto enthusiast. "AUTOMOBILES offers a new perspective by placing viewers on a mobile
balcony where they can view how the automobile has affected our world. We take our guests behind the wheel for a hands-on experience with some of
the world's most exotic cars. Each episode tells an amazing story and is
told with passion and depth."
AUTOMOBILES is a world premiere and a co-production of The History Channel and Network USA., Inc.
The History Channel, a new 24-hour cable programming service, features historical documentaries, movies, and miniseries. The History Channel is
a part of A&E Television Networks, a joint venture of The Hearst
Corporation, Capital Cities/ABC, NBC.
The History Channel is available on select cable and satellite systems.
To find out if it is available in your area, call your local cable system. You can contact Michael Rose on CompuServe @ 72714,2275 or call (810) 851-3121 for more information.
Each Sunday, the world premiere series AUTOMOBILES will showcase a
different make and model, such as:
CORVETTE -- The 1953 Corvette was the first American car to fulfill the yearnings of soldiers returning from war. While overseas, some men fell
in love with a woman; others fell in love with a mechanical sweetheart:
the European sports car. Chevrolet's fiberglass two-seater was the first American sports car, but it almost shifted itself right out of production. Initially, it was equipped with an automatic transmission, not a sporty stick. But over the years, the Corvette has evolved from a cute-looking roadster to the menacing Sting Ray and now to one of the world's sleekest, sexiest, and most high-tech sports cars.
PORSCHE 911 -- The Porsche 911, one of the world's most sought-after automobiles, was introduced in 1965. It replaced the 356 lineup and was master-minded by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche's son, Ferry. The younger Porsche
just wanted to create a car "with space for a set of golf clubs." The six-cylinder Porsche 911 was originally called the 901, and its styling is
a direct descendant of the 356. When the 911 was introduced, it was small
and sleek, but it was by no means an economy car. It cost over $10,000. Regardless of the price, its powerful, sexy lines and superb performance
have kept the 911 in production for more than twenty years.
TUCKER -- Just after World War II, Preston Tucker wanted to be the first
auto maker to introduce an entirely new car, not just a touched-up pre-war model. Tucker set up shop in an old Dodge plant and got financial backing through stock and dealers. Despite his "futuristic" car models, the government thought Tucker was a swindler and began a lengthy investigation Tucker and several of his employees were eventually charged but acquitted
of mail fraud and conspiracy. By the time the trial was over, Tucker's
hopes were shattered. Preston Tucker dared to dream the impossible dream.
THE JEEP -- The Jeep was drafted in World War II and soon became the
American soldier's best friend. The unusual-looking vehicle was used as a combat car, postal carrier, snow plow, and ambulance. It could forge a stream, dig trenches, churn the water in a wash tub, and serve as a
wedding altar. After the war, it was thought this amazing vehicle would
fade away like an old soldier. But today, Jeep-like vehicles are among
the world's top sellers. By the next century, sales are expected to peak
at 17 million.
THE MORGAN -- The Morgan is a design that holds firmly to its ancestry -- simple, yet sporty, but no longer inexpensive. The Morgan got its start
from the Morgan three-wheeler that was produced from the early 1900s to
1951. The Roadster is still hand-made; only ten cars are built each week
at the Morgan factory in Malvern Link, England. All Morgans are presold,
and buyers are often put on a six-year waiting list. The Morgan seems antiquated to some, and it is a stark contrast to today's typical
high-tech car. Only the Model T and the VW Beetle had as few
modifications to an original design. But the Morgan is more than just an automobile; it is an art form with its own spirit and soul.
MUSTANG -- The 1964 Mustang created a stampede in American showrooms
similar to the frenzy created by the Beatles. Ford had conducted a series
of "gallop" polls to see what baby boomers wanted in a car . . . the
Mustang was it. Men, women, the old, and the young couldn't wait to get
in the saddle of a pony car. Just a short two years after the Mustang's unveiling at the New York World's Fair, the one millionth Mustang trotted
off the assembly line. The Mustang was the inexpensive, sporty car the
world was waiting for.
AVANTI -- The stylish and fast 1963 Avanti was the last-ditch hope for Studebaker. The automaker was on the verge of bankruptcy. It needed a
hot seller to remain in business. Studebaker's president called in famed designer Raymond Loewy, and within weeks the automaker had a car.
Although the $5,000 fiberglass Avanti was just too expensive for most car buyers and it didn't save Studebaker, the Avanti would live on. Over the
next three decades, Avanti lovers would try to keep the dream alive,
buying the company and making changes here and there to the timeless
design. But in 1991, it was the end of the line for the Avanti. No one
rode in on a white horse and no one had dreams of a booming car company.
The only surviving Avanti factory is in Youngstown, Ohio. The plant no
longer manufactures cars; now it's just a parts warehouse. But Avanti enthusiasts still hold onto the dream that someone will resurrect their beloved car.
JAGUAR E-type -- In 1961, Jaguar set out to capture the world market with
the legendary XKE or E-type car. The Jaguar company actually got its
start 40 years earlier in Lancashire, England as the Swallow Sidecar
Company. Within five years, the company branched out into automobile body manufacturing. All models began with S.S. for Swallow Sidecar. But as
World War II came to an end, the name "SS" had a sinister connotation.
This unique car company needed an exceptional name. Jaguar Cars Limited borrowed its name from a wild breed of jungle cats. The E-type Jaguar was fast -- 140 miles per hour, but somewhat pricey at $4,500. Never mind the cost; the Jaguar E-type stole the hearts of the exotic car lover and is
one of the most romantic roadsters ever produced.
1955-57 CHEVY -- In 1955, Chevrolet's "Hot One' burst on the scene with a flurry of fins and chrome. Chevy had created an innovative series of cars with an all-new optional V8 engine. The front chrome "egg crate" grille
on the cars was widely criticized as being outlandish and hard to keep
clean. But decades later it was hailed as a masterpiece of design. The
car's big news was the ferocious small block V8. It was light-weight and powerful, pumping out at least thirty more horsepower than the standard six-cylinder engine. The new V8 engine helped transform Chevy's image
from meek to mighty. Forty years later, descendants of this engine are
found in millions of race cars, boats, fork lifts, generators and, of
course, Chevrolets. It's no wonder Chevy ads shouted, "Don't mess with
this baby."
MERCEDES-BENZ COUPE -- In the early fifties, Mercedes-Benz created the
300SL as a way of recapturing its pre-war racing glory. The 300SL was
first put to the test in 1952. It lost its first race to a Ferrari but
then won contest around the world. A New York businessman convinced Mercedes-Benz to make a street version of the SL racer, backing up his request with 1,000 orders. But only 1,400 people were willing to pay
$10,000 for this radically styled Gullwing car. Eventually, the original design was replaced by the more conventional convertible. Regardless of
the design, the Mercedes-Benz SL series will always remain a striking interpretation of a sports car.
TURBINE -- Chrysler, in the early sixties, borrowed an age-old idea -- the windmill -- to create the Ghia-bodies Turbine powered car. The engine had
a third fewer parts from that of a regular piston engine and could run on
any combustible liquid -- even Tequila or perfume. Outside air was pulled
in by the fan blades, forced into different chambers, and heated to over
1700 degrees Fahrenheit. This searing heat made the motor move.
Volunteers test-drove the Turbine cars and were impressed, but the big problem was emissions. Chrysler engineers worked for nearly two decades
to refine the turbine engine, but money ran out. The Turbine is back
today, but it's part electric. Engineers hope this is the answer to the "clean car" quest of the 21st Century.
AUSTIN-HEALEY -- The Austin-Healey was one of Britain's most popular
sports cars and, in 1953 when it was introduced, the Big Healey had its headlights set on the United States. The idea was to raise money for the post-war British economy, and it worked. For every Big Healey sold at
home, 17 more were sold abroad; 95 percent in the States. In 1959, the Austin-Healey 3000 appeared. It was a more powerful car that pushed Austin-Healey sales to their peak in the late sixties with over 17,000
sold. The Austin-Healey will forever be one of the major British sports
cars that whet the world's appetite.
FIREBIRD -- Pontiac created the 1967 Firebird as its answer to the pony
car. But it was more than that. The Firebird was the culmination of
Pontiac's decade-long drive to remake its image. After years of sagging sales, Pontiac had to perform a miraculous turnaround or GM would drop the division. Its new leadership was animated by one thought: "You can sell
an old man a young man's car, but you can't sell a young man an old man's car. " The Firebird was the final clean break from the old and stodgy.
The Firebird name, derived from Indian mythology, meaning "action, power, beauty and youth" said it all.
BMW COUPE -- In the early 1960s, BMW produced a coupe that would have a pivotal effect on the company for years to come. The 1500 series helped
put the Bavarian automaker back in business, similar to what motorcycles
had done decades earlier. The current BMW Coupe is a direct descendant of
the 60's BMW. The 1500, 1600, and 2000 series were so impressive that an American distributor convinced BMW to set up operations outside of Europe. Today, there is no mistaking a BMW. Despite its steep price, BMW sales continue to soar at home and abroad. The BMW is a mark of elegance and beauty, a sophisticated car that people all over the world yearn for.
FORD GT40 -- The 1964 Ford GT40 was created to overpower Ferrari on the
track at LeMans. Henry Ford's efforts to buy Ferrari were thwarted, and
the "race" was on. The GT40 sported an aerodynamic design and was able to reach speeds over 220 miles per hour and the winner's circle at the 1966 LeMans. That same year, a "production" version of the GT40 became
available. It was built by a Ford factory in England. The price was set
at more than $15,000, not including delivery costs. When ordering a GT40, buyers had to send along their measurements because the pedals were adjustable, not the seats. Whether on the highway or race track, the GT40 became a breath-taking piece of machinery that always turned heads as it roared by.
CHRYSLER MINIVAN -- When Chrysler came out with the minivan in 1984, the automaker probably had no idea of the cult following the vehicle would attract. The Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager were America's first production "garageable" vans created for families. The minivan was an entirely new type of vehicle -- a cross between a conventional van and a station wagon. The minivan has lots of space and windows, comfortable
seats, and all the other extras found in production cars. In just one
decade, the minivan has transformed our driving habits and become one of
the world's top-selling vehicles carting families, pets, work tools, and recreational equipment.
MODEL T -- The Model T, known as the "Tin Lizzie" or the "Flivver," was
quite a gal. Beginning in 1908, she helped unite people from near and
far. "Tin Lizzie" made her family famous -- the Fords. "Lizzie," like
other Model Ts, only went 40 miles an hour. While she wasn't quick or
even very pretty, she was inexpensive. For the first time ever, the
average person could afford a car, and "Lizzie" put the world on wheels. THUNDERBIRD -- The 1955 Ford Thunderbird was meant to fulfill the desire
for a sporty American car,. Ford never had plans to make the T-bird a
true sports car, but it would possess the elements of a racer -- two
seats, sleek styling, and high performance. In two years, about 40,000 T-birds were sold. Hoping to appeal to more people, Ford took the
Thunderbird in another direction. It came bigger and gained a backseat. Regardless of the T-bird's design, it is one of the most durable names in U.S. automotive history, with cars still rolling off the assembly line bearing its name. It appears the Ford Thunderbird will always be a part
of America's landscape.
VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE -- The VW "Beetle" is a phenomenon. In its heyday, it
was the best-selling car in the history of the automobile and is still in production nearly a half-century later. The 1947 "Beetle" was designed
and built by one man, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche. Originally, it was part of
Adolf Hitler's plans for a People's car. The "Beetle" has had over 78,000 modifications, but its basic design stayed the same. This classic
automobile was made in more countries than any other car, including the United States, Africa, Mexico, and Britain. The "Beetle" is probably one
of the world's best examples of great engineering and exceptional design.

Where can I get the documentary about the Firebird?
I can't find it anywhere on VHS or DVD.

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