Series
Great Cars: The Television Series
“From past to present, come hit the road with Great Cars!”
Documentary
From race cars to luxury cars, from foreign elegance to domestic muscle, Great Cars offers an in-depth look at the world's fastest, most expensive, most exciting and most unusual automobiles, along with the people who loved and created them.
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Seasons & episodes
S1 · 13 epS2 · 13 epS3 · 13 epS4 · 13 ep
- 1Porsche1 Jan 2004 · 25mOne of the most desired and envied sports cars ever created, Porsche has set the worldwide benchmark for automotive performance and styling. With the addition of the new Cayenne SUV, Porsche is no longer just about sports cars, but it's still performance driven and stylish. Whether it's the 911 or the Cayenne, they're fun, powerful and precise machines designed for people with a passion for driving. All Porsches share a common legacy of automotive innovation, a legacy that began with the company's namesake, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, in the early days of the 20th Century.
- 2Land Rover8 Jan 2004 · 25mExplorers have always sought out the extremes on earth. They seek that which has never been done, whether to climb the tallest mountain or to walk where no one has ever been before. This is Land Rover's territory and for over 50 years these rugged vehicles have helped to peel away the mysteries of our planet.
- 3BMW22 Nov 2003 · 25mBMW started out as a builder of aircraft engines, before moving to motorcycles and finally, cars. Its aircraft engines set speed records in the '30s and its sports cars were stylish, elegant and fast. The horizontally-opposed engines on BMW's motorcycles caught the eye of the U.S. Government and this led to Harley Davidson being ordered to copy them for wartime use. After the war, BMW fought to reclaim its status as a producer of world-renowned sports cars and motorcycles. Today, it's clear that this company has carved out a place among the builders of unique and fast vehicles that many proclaim are the "ultimate driving machine."
- 4Jaguar22 Jan 2004 · 25mThis unique car company needed an exceptional name and Jaguar Cars Limited found one in the name of a wild breed of jungle cats. In 1961 they introduced a car that was as exotic as their name - the E-Type Jaguar. It became a vibrant symbol of the Swinging Sixties.
- 5Corvette29 Jan 2004 · 25mReturning from WWII, many soldiers told stories of the loves they'd left behind. For some, it was a mechanical sweetheart - the European sports car. So, the nation was primed for the debut of the 1953 Corvette, a fiberglass two-seater that was the first mass-produced American sports car. This first car was more show than go, but over the years Corvette has evolved from a cute looking roadster to the menacing Sting Ray, and now to one of the world's sleekest, sexiest and fastest high-tech sports cars.
- 6Mercedes-Benz5 Feb 2004 · 25mCarl Benz - tinkering in his Mannheim, Germany, workshop - gave the world its finest automobile powered by an internal combustion engine. Over one-hundred years later, the company bearing his name is still one of the world's most innovative automakers. From that first single-cylinder motor-wagon, to elegant town cars for wealthy industrialists in the 1920s, and futuristic Grand Prix racers in the 1930s, Mercedes carved out a niche as the builder of the best cars possible. Its sport custom-bodied road cars from the 1930s command over 55 million dollars at auctions today. Find out how a company can maintain its status as one of the truly great cars for over 100 years.
- 7Rolls Royce12 Feb 2004 · 25mIt is an icon, a symbol of excellence, a symbol of empire. As we trace the storied development of the company founded by Henry Royce and Charles Stewart Rolls, we'll see how Rolls-Royce Motorcars grew to represent the best in the world.
- 8Alfa Romeo19 Feb 2004 · 25mLong before Dustin Hoffman discovered it in the film "The Graduate," a promising Neapolitan entrepreneur named Nicola Romeo took over this fledgling auto company and turned it into a racing and sports car legend. In the 1920s and early '30s, Alfa's team boss, Enzo Ferrari, and his drivers dominated European sports car racing as their lightweight but powerful car tore up the tracks. Today, classic Alfas fetch millions of dollars from collectors who want to relive racing's greatest moments.
- 9Ferrari26 Feb 2004 · 25mEnzo Ferrari's greatest desire was to become a racecar driver and he earned plenty of kudos during his apprenticeship at Alfa. Through sheer force of character he left to form a company of his own, creating one of the most formidable racing machines ever produced. Follow the incredible story of Enzo Ferrari and his company into the present and see his namesake car, the Ferrari Enzo. It has a top speed of 217.5 mph, and a price tag to tilt the radar gun: $500,000. Enzo would love it!
- 10Cadillac25m
- 11Mini25m
- 12Jeep18 Mar 2004 · 25mThe 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, snowplow and ambulance.
- 13VW25m
Details
- First aired
- 1 Jan 2004
- Last aired
- 27 Jun 2005
- Status
- Ended
- Language
- English
- Network
- PBS
- Episodes
- 52
- Votes
- 1 on TMDB
