r base, and exploring and exploiting new markets in far-off lands.
             As the American automobile market grew past infancy in the early part of the century, innovations in manufacturing, marketing, and financing led to the emergence of the natural top players in the market-pioneering American car companies. In 1903, over 100 distinct automobile manufacturing companies existed, but within two decades, mergers, bankruptcies, and legislative changes consolidated the original hodge-podge group into a more manageable number. Some boutique manufacturers continued to function, such as Packard and Nash, but the real powers of the day were the so-called "Big Three" conglomerates, including the Chrysler Group (encompassing Dodge and Plymouth), Ford Motor Company and subsidiaries Lincoln and Mercury, and entrepreneur Billy Durant's supercompany-General Motors. Under Durant's savvy yet ruthless leadership, GM acquired the once-independent companies Chevrolet, Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Buick, arguably the oldest and most prestigious American marque at the time. By the time World War Two curtailed automobile production in 1941, the Big Three dominated auto sales and production in the U.S., moving nearly 3,7 million units annually. The only competition these giants experienced was among themselves, and each generally enjoyed the seemingly inalienable right to supremacy that appeared to have been divinely granted to the Big Three.
             The passing of a few more decades, however, brought the first seeds (ill winds?) of what was to be a terrible blow to the primacy of the Big Three. Cars from Japan and Europe, most notably the populist transportation device known as Volkswagen's Beetle, began making inroads into the American car market, and capturing dollars from American's wallets. This shift seemed subtle at the time-in 1960, imports commanded only 7.1% of the market, a figure which grew steadily but quietly to 12....