To learn about a country, simply open a history book. To understand a nation, begin by closing the book and looking to the streets—because the ultimate expression of a place and its people lies in anything with an engine and a steering wheel.

In America, for example, look no further than that most American of automotive creations, the Muscle Car. These brawny beasts trade luxury and comfort for defiant design and torque to spare, like an overpowered advertisement for Manifest Destiny.