Mothers and delinquents, two niches in the automotive market which are totally opposite. Mothers look for large and spacious vehicles, which allow them to move around the city to common places such as the house, childrens' school and other places of frequent visits like supermarkets. Mothers usually pay more attention to the details of interior design in the vehicles, enjoy driving cars of 5 doors with spacious interiors, and with low gasoline consumption. In addition to looking at details such as how spacious the trunk is because, after all, they are not only going to place the purchases of the market there, but also they will place their children's bags after they practice any sports activity, and for that they need space and comfort while the children are sitting and safe in the backseat. Usually, for mothers, when they are looking for a car it is not their highest priority how many seconds it takes the vehicle to go from 0 to 100 km or the engine features, which is why they tend to focus on vehicles a little more basic than an automotive enthusiast.
While in the case of criminals, definitely, they do not look at the base models offered by brands, usually they look at details such as engine features, type of transmission, speed, power, trunk and passenger seat space, gasoline consumption, and price. Besides, many criminals usually look for luxury vehicles that also offer that feeling of power and respect. But everything depends on what use they will give to the vehicle, such as typical thefts in the city, fleeing the law at high speeds or simply driving around the city without being seen by the authorities while planning a crime.
20 Soccer Moms: Honda Odyssey
The Honda Odyssey minivan currently occupies the highest position among the most purchased and driven by mothers. This is because Odyssey offers a capacity to hold up to 8 people, in addition to having a whopping 38.4 cubic feet of cargo and fuel economy with capacity for 18 cities, 27 highways and 22.0 miles combined per gallon, all this and more make Odyssey the preferred option for mothers who have more than 2 children, and need a vehicle that offers safety, space and comfort to perform their daily activities without inconvenience.
The Honda Odyssey went on the market for the first time in 1994 and currently has 4 generations. From the latest generation that covers 2011 to 2017, we can highlight features such as its 3.5L J35Z8 V6 engine and a 5-speed automatic transmission (2011-13) that later became 6-speed automatic (all models 2014-17).
19 Lawbreakers: 1966 Chevrolet Impala
The Impala is a classic by Chevrolet, and the fourth generation (1964 -1970) was the most successful of the brand, selling more than one million units in the United States. This generation came available in several body models such as 2-door convertible, 4-door hardtop, and 4-door station wagon, among others. And the same happened with respect to the engine features that were changing according to the new versions.
Initially, the engine was 250 cu in (4.1 L) Turbo Thrift I6, but then it became available in 454 cu in (7.4 L) Turbo-Jet V8.
But in addition to its power and aesthetic beauty, the Impala became famous for other reasons. During the 60s, a series of murders began to occur in Northern California and later in other locations, the killer was called Zodiac Killer and he used to enjoy sending letters to the local Bay Area press that included four cryptograms. According to police reports and some witnesses, Zodiac used to drive an Impala. Currently, the case is still unresolved.
18 Soccer Moms: Dodge Grand Caravan
Yes! Moms love minivans. And although true car enthusiasts consider minivans conservative vehicles with a basic interior that is not at all attractive, mothers enjoy this type of vehicle because they are large, safe and reliable to move from point A to point B without so much drama. According to experts in the area, the Grand Caravan is a useful minivan but it is far from being awesome.
The Dodge Caravan was introduced in the market for the first time in 1984 and has 5 generations, which has become one of the favorite options for families who require a city vehicle. The fifth generation (2008- present) has in its latest version a 3.6 L 283 hp (211 kW) Pentastar V6 engine, accompanied with a transmission of 62TE 6-speed automatic (3.6, 3.8, 4.0 engines) and has a body of 5 doors for greater comfort for users.
17 Lawbreakers: 1990 Chevrolet Caprice
The Caprice was a vehicle manufactured by General Motors, that was introduced to the market for the first time in 1964 and reached to have three generations in the automotive market.
The last generation (1976-1990) had a sedan 5-door body, 350 cu in (5.7 L) Oldsmobile Diesel V8 engine and a 4-speed automatic transmission.
Unfortunately, a 1990 Caprice was used by criminals in 2002 to cause chaos and paranoia between Maryland and Virginia during the fall of that year. The criminals began to shoot with their sniper rifles at people from the car. And because of their ability behind the wheel, they managed to sneak away quickly without being detected.
16 Soccer Moms: Chevrolet Suburban
For mothers who never find too much space in their vehicles, the Chevrolet Suburban seems to be the solution to all their concerns in the automotive field.
The Suburban is a classic of the automotive industry that has been available in the market since 1935, reaching 11 different generations of vehicles that have been able to adapt to each decade while offering greater power, speed and luxury designs in its interior, so it is still one of those vehicles that moms love because its spacious inside and its perfect for driving in the city. The eleventh generation has a 5-door body, 6.2 L EcoTec3 V-8 Flex Fuel (Yukon XL Denali 2015-present); and an 8-speed GM 8L90 automatic transmission (Yukon XL Denali).
15 Lawbreakers: 1993 Ford Bronco
Ford introduced to the market its new truck called Bronco in 1966, this type of SUV was an ideal vehicle for people who needed it for multiple purposes, such as moving around the city, camping or for jobs that required a vehicle that would adapt to different floors. And for a long time, it was one of the favorite people's SUVs, reaching up to 5 generations.
The last generation had a 3-door station wagon body style, a 302 cu in (4.95 L) 302 V8 engine and a 4-speed E4OD automatic transmission.
But in 1996 a white Ford Bronco hit the news in the United States when former NFL star OJ Simpson starred one of the most remembered chases of our times after his wife Nicole Brown and a young man called Ron Goldman were murdered in the Simpson residence. Two years after the pursuit, Ford announced the suspension of the model in the market, and to this day it is unknown if O.J. Simpson was responsible for those murders.
14 Soccer Moms: Nissan Altima
Not all in the world of family cars are SUVs. Some mothers prefer a medium-sized vehicle, and among moms' favorites cars, we can find the Altima sedan, a vehicle that Nissan started producing in 1992 and is still available on the market today.
The Altima is the ideal option for mothers who are looking for a city car to transport their children from one place to another and do not require as much space as mothers seeking an SUV.
This 5-door sedan offers low fuel consumption engines, side curtain airbags, a smooth ride, V6 power and features the best in technology, as well as a spacious and comfortable interior for both the driver and passengers.
13 Lawbreakers: 1968 Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle is, probably, one of those motor engineering classics that we still enjoy seeing on our streets. These cars bring to the driver the best balance between compact, powerful and fast. The Beetle is a 2-door vehicle with a maximum capacity of 5 passengers, has the rear engine and was manufactured by the German company Volkswagen from 1938 to 2003.
And even if a Beetle seems like a peculiar choice for a serial killer, Ted Bundy in the 70s thought it was ideal to attract his victims. Bundy confessed at least 30 murders, but it is believed that it could have been more, and although he was caught and sentenced to jail, time later Bundy proved to be quite skilled and escape from police custody. At the time he escaped he decided to steal an orange Beetle that was later on display at the National Museum of Crime and Punishment in Washington, DC.
12 Soccer Moms: Ford Explorer
Maybe, this will hurt, but we must admit that at some point the Ford Explorer became a "mom car," but that does not take away all its great features. In fact, Explorer has always been the ideal option for mothers who like to put a foot on the throttle and feel like a goddess behind the wheel every now and then.
Ford introduced this SUV for the first time in 1990 and it has become one of the favorite vehicles of the faithful followers of the brand with 5 generations. Explorer offers a V6 powertrain that produces 290 hp, and can even be modified to an EcoBoost V6 of 365 hp, which is accompanied by a transmission of 6-speed 6F SelectShift automatic (3.5L), and a body of 5 doors with an elegant interior that attracts the attention of everyone not only of mothers.
11 Lawbreakers: Volkswagen Fox
The Volkswagen Fox was a car designed primarily for the city, being a variation of Gol in North America. Initially, it was offered as a sedan with 3 to 5 doors, but later it was discontinued in 1991. The first versions had a four-cylinder petrol engine mounted longitudinally 1.8L, 81 PS (60 kW, 80 hp)
And although this Volkswagen probably does not seem to offer anything interesting, some people might think different.
But this vehicle hit the news when a teacher in Seattle, called Mary Kay Letourneau, fell in love with her teenage student, and when she was discovered she went to jail for the rape of a minor but was released after 6 months because she was also pregnant her student was the father of the baby. The teacher was captured again the following year in a Volkswagen Fox having relationships with her under-age student in 1998.
10 Soccer Moms: Toyota Sienna
The Sienna is a minivan specially designed to be a city and family vehicle from the Toyota brand. Sienna offers an alternative version of what we know as minivans in the market and we can find it at a reasonable price of $30,000, ideal for families with tight budgets.
And while motorsport enthusiasts see with boredom eyes at the 266-horsepower V6 Sienna, with an 8-speed automatic transmission (MY2017-) and sliding doors, mothers see a reliable and safe car to transport the family from one place to another in the city. In fact, this family vehicle has been so profitable in the market that it has 3 generations. The first model was released in 1997.
9 Lawbreakers: Oldsmobile Delta 88
Oldsmobile Delta 88 was a full-size car that was sold from 1949 to 1999. It had 10 successful generations on the market, and the 88 became the presentation image for Oldsmobile, especially in the early years' thanks to its performance, relatively compact size, light weight and advanced high compression V8 engine.
And although it was a positive reference for the brand, John Wayne Gacy, decided that the Oldsmobile Delta 88 would be the ideal car to go under the radar to be able to kidnap his victims. He sexually assaulted, tortured and murdered them. John managed to kill around 33 young teenagers and men between 1972 and 1978 in Chicago. After being captured and prosecuted, John was sentenced to be executed by lethal injection in 1994.
8 Soccer Moms: GMC Terrain
The GMC Terrain is the proof that mothers love big cars. This crossover SUV was built on GM's Theta platform, so it has not had much time in the market. It was first introduced in 2010 by General Motors and in January of this 2018, they presented the second generation. In addition, Terrain was introduced as a replacement for Pontiac Torrent.
The terrain is an attractive vehicle for mothers not only because of its size but because it has a comfortable interior design with leather seats, cup holders, and the latest technology.
And what mothers most enjoy is knowing that they have a trunk spacious enough to place their children's things and their shopping, while driving a vehicle that looks great and is reliable. The first generation has a 5-door body, 3.6 L LFX V6 engine, and a transmission of V6 Models 6T70.
7 Lawbreakers: 1996 BMW 750iL
The BMW E38 Series 7 was sold during the years 1995 and 2001. It did not disappoint with respect to the expectations of the consumers that looked for a BMW, it was big, fast and very expensive. In 1996, a premium 750iL would have cost around $ 90,360 but at the time it was worth every penny. But the problem with the series 7 was that the repairs were really expensive, so these vehicles were only handled by wealthy people. The most common version had a 3.9L M67 V8 turbo engine and a 5-speed automatic transmission, although the manual version was also available (5-speed manual or 6-speed manual).
However, this vehicle has become as much of an icon in popular culture as the person who died inside it. In 1996, after a game of Mike Tyson, Knight and Tupac Shakur were leaving the event in their BMW when later in the night they were intercepted by a white Cadillac and the people of that vehicle started firing, fatally wounding Tupac. Bullet wounds on vital body points caused his death a few hours later.
6 Soccer Moms: Honda Accord
And although some people think that Honda is one of the worst brands in the automotive industry, mothers love it, due to its low costs, pleasant designs according to the expectations of a family and its reliability behind the wheel.
But if something Honda has shown us, is that they really understand what the market and their target want, that's why Accord has managed to stay in the market through the years as one of the low-cost city vehicles. The first time this mid-size vehicle was introduced to the market was in 1976 and the 10th generation was presented in July 2017.
The last generation offers, like the previous ones, a 5-door sedan-style body, but with a 2.0L i-VTEC I4 engine PGM-Fi DOHC i-VTEC + 2 Electric Motors (Hybrid), and a 10-speed automatic transmission or 6- manual speed. In addition to an elegant and stylish design that catches mom's attention who look for vehicles that stand out.
5 Lawbreakers: Ford Van
The Ford E-Series, also known as the Ford Econoline and Ford Club Wagon, is a range of full-size trucks that came on the market in 1961, being the replacement of Ford's F-Series panel van and reached to have the minus 4 generations. The last one was discontinued in 2014.
However, the most popular model among criminals was probably the third generation available in the years 1975 and 1991 because of its large internal space to move people and objects. This generation had a 3-door van body, an engine in its latest version of 7.3 L Navistar diesel V8 and the transmission was available in two styles 4-speed automatic and 5-speed manual. In fact, this van was usually used by companies to move their goods, so criminals saw it as an ideal vehicle to be under the radar. And as a curious fact, we can mention that the Econoline is one of Hollywood's favorites vehicles to use in their films.
4 Soccer Moms: Honda Pilot
Mothers not only take care of household chores and about take their children from one place to another, also in many cases they are responsible for managing the household economy, for this reason, Honda is among the favorite vehicles of families with tight budgets, who can not aspire to pay for a Mercedes-Benz GLS AMG 63 4MATIC or a similar high-end vehicle.
Honda Pilot is a mid-size crossover SUV that reached the market in 2002 and has 3 generations. This type of SUV usually attracts people's attention because it provides that feeling of comfort accompanied with a nice style in a 4-door body, V6 engine, and 6-speed automatic transmission. In addition to having 200-Watt Audio System w / 7 Speakers, incl. Subwoofer, and a 5-Inch Color LCD Screen.
3 Lawbreakers: Nissan Skyline GTR
But criminals also enjoy luxury cars like the Nissan Skyline GTR, which has a body style coupe, an engine 3.8L twin-turbocharged V-6 and a 6-speed twin-clutch automated manual transmission. Besides, this beauty can go from zero to 100 mph in 7.0 sec.
Joaquin Guzman, best known as the Chapo Guzman has been one of the great Mexican drug lords of our last times. And he used to head the Sinaloa Cartel, but beyond his atrocities as a criminal is known for his fascination for luxury cars. In fact, during his capture in 2014, 43 luxury vehicles were seized.
But how all that is related with the Skyline GTR? Well, in 2011 Guzman, deposited 15 headless bodies in GTR Skylines, outside a Mexican mall.
2 Soccer Moms: Honda Civic
And for those mothers who prefer vehicles with sedan-style bodies, the Honda Civic seems to be among the favorites, especially for its prices and reliability behind the wheel.
In general, Civics are the option of small families that need a city car and have only one or two children, so they do not need as much space inside.
The Civic was introduced to the market in 1972 for the first time and has had 10 generations of vehicles. The latest generation has an in-line 4-cylinder engine, 158 @ 6500 rpm horsepower and 6-speed manual transmission. In addition, the tenth generation features a new exterior fastback design, with the rear C-pillar flowing towards the tailgate, while the front of the car features a new chrome wing design that flows through the top of the headlights.
1 Lawbreakers: Corvette C7 Z06
The Corvette (C7) is a sports car produced by Chevrolet that was presented for the first time in 2013. This beauty is available in a style body 2-door targa top or 2-door convertible, also its first version had an engine 6.2 L LT1 V8, while its transmission was 7-speed Tremec TR-6070 manual. All that accompanied by a luxury interior with leather seats and the best in technology, completing the experience for the driver.
As I explained before, El Chapo Guzman, was a sports cars enthusiast and among his prized collection of 43 vehicles, and I must emphasize that most of them were armored for safety reasons, he had a Corvette C7 Z06. In fact, when he was captured in March 2014 by Mexican authorities, Guzman was sleeping on a Mexican beach inside his new Corvette.
Sources: univision.com, caranddriver.com, motor1.com, utoblog.com, autoevolution.com, complex.com