Joy Behind the Wheel

Michelle Corson · November 16, 2021

As I write this blog post, California is hitting a new all-time-record high for the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline. At one gas station in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles, a gallon of regular unleaded was $5.99, and a gallon of premium gas was $6.59. On average, California’s gas prices are higher than any other state. The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is $3.41. A year ago, it was $2.12.

Also today, the Lucid Air, the first model from California-based electric car start-up Lucid Motors, has been named MotorTrend’s 2022 Car of the Year. This is a first time that any automaker has won that award for its first model. And with a range of 520 miles on a single charge, the Lucid Air sets a new benchmark for electric vehicles.

In the United States, plug-in electric cars account for less than 2% of the vehicle market. As gas prices soar, consumers may have renewed interest in these cutting-edge vehicles, but I am more inclined to believe that we will see a broad adoption of electric vehicles in years to come less due to environmental concerns and cost of fuel than to a market preference for tech toys.

There are certainly more and more choices these days. GM brought back the Hummer as electric, Ford made an all-electric Mustang crossover. For car lovers, it’s an exciting time.

The simple truth is that cars bring us joy. Our clients at On the Road Lending tell us this with every on-time payment. They adore their cars, they take loving care of them, and they are thankful for the lifechanging influence their cars have on them—better cars, better jobs, better lives! They also just love to drive!

 I have a soft spot for classic cars—with a twist. Right now, I’m restoring four old Mercedes 450SLs, and I plan to electrify a couple of them. One of them though—a beautiful blue 1975—I’m keeping pure. It’s amazing how well a 50-year-old V8 can run.

I love the history behind this vehicle. It was owned by a lady from the Hamptons and Palm Beach. She purchased the car new in 1975 and owned it until her death in 2011. I’ve connected with one of her sons on LinkedIn. He said she took great care of the car (It shows!) and that he and his brother used to ride around in the back with her.

I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this gem!