After watching the first episode of the Great Cars: The Television Series six disc box set, selected from the hit PBS documentary series that takes a look at renowned automobiles from around the world, I found myself favorably comparing it to Automobiles, a History Channel staple that I used to watch religiously. That comparison shouldn't have surprised me; after checking out the website for Great Cars: The Television Series, I saw that it was conceived and directed by Michael Rose - the same man behind Automobiles. Largely utilizing archival footage including company promotional films, commercials, newsreels, interviews, and stills, along with new footage of the cars in action, Great Cars: The Television Series is an entertaining, informative series for the uninitiated and curious, as well as the confirmed car nut.

Besides being able to do a basic brake job and tune-up, I really don't know much about cars, or their histories. But Great Cars: The Television Series emphasis isn't really on the technical side (it's not like Trucks!, where you learn how to drop an engine), but rather on the production background of the great cars that make up the modern mythology of the automobile, as well as the people who brought them to life. Told in neat, clean, nicely compact 25 minute segments, each Great Cars: The Television Series segment looks at a classic car, and how it came into being. Narrated by enthusiastic Britisher Reg Abbiss (somehow, a British accent seems most appropriate when talking about cars), Great Cars: The Television Series avoids the stodgy traps that most of these car documentaries fall into (lots of talking heads, slow, deliberate pace) by using clips of rare, archival footage from the manufacturers to help tell the story. I love archival industrial footage like this, and the original promotional films, commercials and newsreels are fascinating glimpses into the past. Taking a particular car's story from initial concept to current day's production, Great Cars: The Television Series packs a ton of information into its spare 25 minute episodes.

Watching just the 25 minute episodes on broadcast TV would be entertaining enough, but the bonus features on the Great Cars: The Television Series DVD box set really completes the picture. Each disc has a wealth of extras pertaining to each automobile, including many of the archival features that were sampled and clipped in the main documentary, available in their entirety. New featurettes are also included, expanding on the information presented in the main episodes. The only complaint I have with the box set's production is that many of the extra features are undated. As a lover of archival footage, I always like to know what the date is for a particular promotional film or commercial. But it's a minor drawback for the set. After watching each segment and its bonus features from Great Cars: The Television Series, you'll come away entertained, and with a pretty fair education on each car and its history.

DISC ONE:

Corvette
Returning from World War II, many soldiers told stories of the loves they'd left behind. For some, it was a mechanical sweetheart -- the European sports car. So, the nation was primed for the debut of the 1953 Corvette, a fiberglass two-seater that was the first mass-produced American sports car. This first car was more show than go, bot over the years Corvette has evolved from a cute-looking roadster to the menacing Sting Ray, and now to one of the world's sleekest, sexiest and fastest high-tech sports cars.

DISC TWO:

Mustang
The 1964 Mustang created a stampede in American showrooms similar to the frenzy created by the Beatles. Ford conducted a series of Gallup polls to see what baby boomers wanted in a car -- the Mustang was it. Just three years after the Mustang's unveiling at the New York World's Fair, the one millionth Mustang trotted off the assembly line; clearly the Mustang was the inexpensive sporty car the world was waiting for.

Cobra
Like a coiled snake, this car scared the world's racing elite and made its creator, Carroll Shelby, a household name. In 1959, Shelby was America's best competition driver but a heart condition forced him to give up racing. Instead of retiring from the circuit he decided to jump back in with his own cars -- not an easy feat -- and within four years, his dream car was born: the Cobra.

GT-40
In the 1960s, a young Ford Motor Company executive named Lee Iaccoca decided that Ford needed to compete with the world's best companies in high performance motor racing. He convinced Ford that they should buy Ferrari. But after Enzo Ferrari sent them packing back to Detroit, Ford decided to beat Ferrari at Le Mans, no matter what the cost. Their secret weapon would be the GT-40.

DISC THREE:

Porsche
One of the most desired and envied sports cars ever created, Porsche has set the worldwide benchmark for automotive performance and styling. With the addition of the new Cayenne SUV, Porsche is no longer just about sports cars, but it's still performance-driven and stylish. Whether it's the 911 or the Cayenne, they're fun, powerful and precise machines designed for people with a passion for driving. All Porsches share a common legacy of automotive innovation, a legacy that began with the company's namesake, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, in the early days of the 20th century.

DISC FOUR:

Mercedes-Benz
Carl Benz - tinkering in his Mannheim, Germany, workshop - gave the world its first automobile powered by an internal combustion engine. Over one hundred years later, the company bearing his name is still one of the world's most innovative automakers. From that first single-cylinder motor-wagon, to elegant town cars for wealthy industrialists in the 1920s, and futuristic Grand Prix racers in the 1930s, Mercedes carved out a niche as the builder of the best cars possible. Its sport custom-bodied cars from the 1930s command over $5 million dollars at auctions today. Find out how a company can maintain its status as one of the truly great cars for over 100 years.

DISC FIVE:

BMW
BMW started out as a builder of aircraft engines, before moving to motorcycles and finally, cars. Its aircraft engines set speed records in the '30s and its sports cars were stylish, elegant and fast. The horizontally-opposed engines on BMW's motorcycles caught the eye of the U.S. Government and this led to Harley-Davidson being ordered to copy them for wartime use. After the war, BMW fought to reclaim its status as a producer of world-renowned sports cars and motorcycles. Today, it's clear that this company has carved out a place among the builders of unique and fast vehicles that many proclaim are the "ultimate driving machines."

DISC SIX:

Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari's greatest desire was to become a racecar driver and he earned plenty of kudos during his apprenticeship at Alfa. Through sheer force of character he left to form a company of his own, creating one of the most formidable racing machines ever produced. Follow the incredible story of Enzo Ferrari and his company into the present and see his namesake car, the Ferrari Enzo. It has a top speed of 217.5 mph, and a price tag to tilt the radar gun: $500,000. Enzo would love it!

Alfa Romeo
Long before Dustin Hoffman discovered it in the film The Graduate, a promising Neapolitan entrepreneur named Nicola Romeo took over this fledgling auto company and turned it into a racing and sports car legend. In the 1920s and early '30s, Alfa's team boss, Enzo Ferrari, and his drivers dominated European sports car racing as their lightweight but powerful car tore up the tracks. Today, classic Alfas fetch millions of dollars from collectors who want to relive racing's greatest moments.

The DVD:

The Video:
The full frame video image for Great Cars: The Television Series is colorful and crystal clear, with many of the vintage, archival footage looking pretty spotless, as well.

The Audio:
The English 2.0 stereo soundtrack is strong and appropriate for this kind of DVD presentation. There are no subtitles or close captioning options.

The Extras:
There are a wealth of bonus features on each of the six discs for the Great Cars: The Television Series box set:
On the Corvette disc, there's an eight and a half minute mini-documentary entitled Harley Earl Biography. Next, there's an eleven and a half minute archival promotional film, with TV host Dave Garroway, entitled Hall of Wonders: The First Corvette. Next up, we have a twelve and a half minute archival promotional film called Zora Arjus Dunton and the Experimental Chevrolet Corvette from 1957. The Aerovette is an archival newsreel that runs two and a half minutes. 1954 Motorama is a nine and a half minute General Motors promotional featurette, while Designed for Dreaming: 1956 Motorama looks at the following year's show. Next up, Introducing the Mako Shark II is an archival promo running three and a half minutes. And finally, Introduction to Corvette Fuel Injection (it says "Infection" on the menu, for some reason), is another promotional film running four minutes.

Final Thoughts:
If you're a fan of Michael Rose's earlier car series Automobiles, Ultimate Autos, or Dream Machines, you'll love Great Cars: The Television Series. Produced with a welcome professional gloss, Great Cars: The Television Series is an informative, entertaining look at the world's greatest cars. You don't have to be an expert to watch the show, so just sit back, and check out those great wheels. I highly recommend Great Cars: The Television Series.