This month professors from the School of Public Health offer readers comments on the "20th Century's Top 10 Achievements in Public Health."

By Dr. Richard M. Andres

The following are my choices for the Top 10 cars of the 20th century. Well, not exactly. Who am I to pick the top 10, especially since some 126 renowned automotive journalists from 32 countries recently spent three years on this process? A list of 200 cars was reduced to a list of 100 and posted online. Enthusiasts from around the world were invited to vote for their 10 favorite cars. The list eventually was reduced to five finalists, and a special jury selected the "Car of the Century." I go along with their top five, but I selected the remaining five from the list of 100 and stuck to American cars.

First, the top five.

1. The "Car of the Century" is the Model T Ford. The Model T appeared in 1908 with a price tag of $850. The appeal was its combination of low weight, good power, simplicity and durability. Maintenance was simple, and the car had the ability to handle rough roads. By 1925, Ford, with his innovative mass production techniques, had the price down to $250. The car had a 2.9 liter engine producing 20 hp and could do a staggering 68 kph.

2. The Mini of the U.K., which was produced by the BMC starting in 1959. The car, still produced, is roomy inside, small outside (10 ft. overall length) and was inspired by fears of oil shortages. Engineering innovations included rubber compression independent suspension, front wheel drive, transverse engine mounting and an integrated engine and transmission.

3. The French Citroen DS19, produced from 1955 to 1965. The shape of the DS19 was unlike any other car and was an instant success. The engineering was even more impressive. A pneumatic-hydraulic system was used to actuate the car's power steering, power brakes, gear change, clutch and suspension. The car would ride and corner level, no matter what the loading. The car was seen to "rise up" as it was started.

4. The Volkswagen Beetle, first produced in 1946. In 1934 Dr. Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to design and develop a people's car. The car was to have ample space for a full family, be comfortable and to have sufficient power to climb mountains. Indeed, the little bug proved superior in the snow-covered mountains. The car is simple and durable. The latest version, with is 1.585 liter fuel injected flat-four engine, will reach 124 kph.

5. The Porche 911. The racing success story of this production sports car is well known. It has won its class at the 24 hours of Le Mans more than any other car. The car has changed significantly since 1963, but its shape remains essentially the same. The present 3.6 liter air-cooled 408 hp engine will propel the 911 at an amazing 124 kph.

The next five selections are my choice. There is no common selection criteria for these choices except that I minimized my brain-pain by restricting the choices to American cars. It will be obvious that I have a passion for sports cars. The selections are:

6. The Chrysler Airflow, manufactured from 1934 to 1937, incorporated advanced aerodynamics for its time. Not that pretty and not that fast, it managed about 147 kph on a 5 liter engine. As a teacher of aerodynamics, I just couldn't pass it up.

7. The Cord model 810/812 was well ahead of its time. It was built from 1935 to 1937. Cord offered a centrifugally supercharged 812 with a 190 bhp V8 engine producing 190 hp. Large chrome exhaust pipes exited the engine compartment through the sides of the hood. This car had great looks with a lot of go.

8. The Willys Jeep was built from 1941 through 1945. The Jeep was primarily a military product but inspired the more modern and powerful versions now built by Daimler-Chrysler. The original Jeep, produced by Willys-Overland, was very easy to assemble and disassemble.

9. The AC Cobra 427 was built from 1965 through 1967. The Ford V8 engine in this car produced 425 bhp and gave the car a 260 kph top speed and great acceleration. A number of versions of the Cobra are being marketed as build-it-yourself kit cars.

10. The Dodge Viper has been around since 1992. The 8 liter V10 engine produces 405 bhp and a GTS coupe version is available with 450 bhp. The standard engine and six-speed gearbox give it a speed of 266 kph. The Viper recently made a very impressive showing at Daytona.

Had I included foreign cars, my choices would have been different, but the task was just too great!

Dr. Richard M. Andres is a professor emeritus of aerospace and mechanical engineering.

Please note this reflects my own interpretation of history, and it is not an official list representing the collective ideas of the department of history at Saint Louis University.

Have an idea for a Top 10 list? Call Joe Muehlenkamp at 977-2519.

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