| When you think of exceptional cars that are built in | | | | survived World War II and was one of the most |
| Europe, does your mind run strictly to cars made by | | | | mass produced and loved cars in the world. From the |
| Rolls Royce, BMW, or Mercedes? Perhaps Jaguar and | | | | 1950s forward the Beetle managed to make |
| Lamborghini come to mind as well. Each of these | | | | motorized transportation available to people who |
| makes deserve all the accolades given to them. Still, | | | | otherwise could not afford a car. From college |
| there are three makes that are, for various reasons, | | | | students in the US to migrant workers in Mexico and |
| exceptional. Let's take a look at Volvo, Volkswagen, | | | | from the gritty cities of Holland to the Irish |
| and Audi, the three makes featured in this article. | | | | farmlands, the Beetle made owning a car affordable |
| For a country of just nine million to produce one | | | | the majority of the masses. Even after importation |
| automaker would be amazing enough. To lay claim to | | | | to the US ceased during the 1970s, the Beetle was |
| two automakers is simply phenomenal. Both Volvo | | | | produced for another generation and sold in Mexico. |
| and Saab are from this particular country which is | | | | Without drawing out the point too far, the term that |
| Sweden. Now a part of Ford Motor Company, Volvo | | | | best describes Audi's quattro technology is "superior |
| has greatly influenced the automobile industry over | | | | handling." Perhaps that is an understatement but |
| the years. Safety standards that had been universally | | | | when Audi introduced quattro all wheel drive the |
| low elsewhere are much more appreciated with | | | | company threw the gauntlet down and told the rest |
| Volvo. Front end crumple zones, reinforced roofs and | | | | of the auto making world that quattro was the |
| specially designed interiors have all had their origin | | | | standard by which all luxury sedans would be judged. |
| with Volvo. Out of these high safety standards have | | | | Audi's quattro technology has given the company |
| come a line of cars that are, indeed, some of the | | | | such a huge advantage over competitors that over |
| best built and safest cars on the road. Fortunately, | | | | the years it has been banned from certain types of |
| through Volvo's leadership, many automakers around | | | | racing. Indeed, Audi's quattro technology provides |
| the world have incorporated Volvo's high safety | | | | continuous traction long past when other road |
| standard. This is what makes Volvo exceptional in my | | | | handling schematics have reached their threshold. |
| eyes. | | | | So, there you have it. Three truly exceptional |
| The company that brought to the world the first | | | | automobiles from the European continent, exceptional |
| people's car, the Beetle, is also exceptional. First | | | | in ways, perhaps, that should be labeled as |
| designed in Germany during the 1930s, the Beetle | | | | extraordinary. |