That thinking changed when Ford, Pontiac and Dodge began to shoehorn powerful motors into mid-sized cars. Designers like John DeLorean and Carroll Shelby countered the conventional wisdom that the US was only interested in massive cars for the family. It turned out that there was a market for sports cars just waiting to be tapped. The US had its own engineers, engine builders and designers ready to help develop their own super cars. Some of which could hold their own against the best from across the Atlantic. These "muscle cars" could be had at a fraction of what the exotics cost, making them very appealing to consumers. Some classic car fans denounced the US as producing crude and unrefined brutes. Critics would argue that the muscle cars reflected everything that was wrong with America. They handled roughly, accelerated uncontrollably and bullied other cars off of the street. The brightly colored machines were simply too flamboyant for their own good. As the great Muhammad Ali once said "it ain't bragging if you can back it up." The US would never apologize for the powerful cars that could blow the doors off of the imports.
Namco celebrated western bravado in the 1992 arcade game Lucky & Wild. It was one of the very few games to combine driving with light gun mechanics. In the game two undercover cops drove all over the state chasing down criminals and causing millions of dollars in collateral damage with their muscle car. Japan had synthesized an experience out of the buddy cop movies and television shows like Starsky and Hutch, Lethal Weapon, Miami Vice and Tango & Cash. Lucky & Wild was much more cartoonish and over-the-top than the chase sequences captured in Ridge Racer Unbounded. Players could race through a freeway, the inside of a mall and even through a burning casino all while pursuing a target. It was the best chase elements in Terminator 2 and the hijinks from the Blues Brothers mixed together.
What the manufacture needed however was a more unique identity. Other companies like Assoluto and Bisonte already had lean, angular racers. The Lizard cars were just too reminiscent of the European prototype class cars. They had to be refined so that they reflected western tastes more accurately. Bulky American cars were already represented by Danver so a change was in order. It started with the name but was reflected in the rides.
The Evolver had an equally outlandish sister dubbed the Wisdom. This car also featured cutting-edge technology wrapped in a retro-inspired package. This car was the Corvette equivalent for the fictional manufacturer. The Wisdom had the styling cues of the classic American sports car from the '60s and '70s. The flared fenders, raised hood, tall tail, bright colors and tapering rear window were right from the golden era of muscle cars. At the same time the stance and angles used for the car were much lower and sharper than they would have been during the classic era. This was clearly a car designed by modern developers for modern racing needs. It would become the envy of people that thought Ferrari had cornered the market on wicked design.
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