Synopsis

CARS takes us on a wild ride, from wacky autos of years past to futuristic vehicles that drive themselves, showing that cars have always been more than a crucial mode of transportation - they are the stuff of our dreams. This fascinating one-hour documentary draws on personal stories and privileged behind-the-scenes access to create a portrait of the automobile that will astound and delight.

We see an average man sharpen his evasive driving technique on a collision course, ramming another car off the road. We see a Sport Utility Vehicle implode in a staged wreck while crash-test professionals monitor damage to a life-like dummy. We see the car's nightmarish power to create traffic jams capable of stopping all activity in a major metropolitan center, and the technological lengths urban areas must go to prevent the chaos of gridlock. From the top designer who carefully sculpts a clay car model for manufacture, to the hobbyist who tweaks his import's engine before taking it on a full-throttle spin, to those of us watching at home, the car is clearly capable of captivating the imagination.