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There's something about cars that leads people who write about them to adopt a wonderfully refreshing and engaging tone. It's like they all listened to Car Talk way back when and took copious notes. You don't see this with other topics.

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I don't love cars, but I _love_ Top Gear. It's got that tone you describe, sort of breezy and light but about something real.

Like the sister comment said, maybe it's vessels, because aviation news can be similar. I don't know why, but it's one of the last things untainted by politics and division.

At first I had it worked back to America's tinkering past. I don't make that association, so I find the tone really interesting, but I can see how it would be easy to get a sense of Wilbur and Orville Wright building their first aircraft and feeling the joy of moving in a manner you've never moved before.

But the vessel angle is interesting too.

Not just cars. Also (especially) ships. I think vessels of any sort actually. Don't forget that we name boats and some people name their cars too.