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The grand touring car concept originated in Europe in the early 1950s,<ref name=":27" /> especially with the 1951 introduction of the [[Lancia Aurelia|Lancia Aurelia B20 GT]],<ref name="dawson" /><ref name=":0" /> and features notable luminaries of Italian automotive history such as [[Vittorio Jano]],<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/LWFWIW/focusLWFWIW.php?db2=LWF&db=ct&n=78 |title= Vittorio Jano |work= The Motorsport Memorial |access-date= 17 June 2017}}</ref> [[Enzo Ferrari]]<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/features/opinion/keith-botsford/the-pride-and-passion-of-enzo-ferrari/ |title= The pride and passion of Enzo Ferrari: CAR+ archive, August 1977 |date=24 September 2015 |work=CAR Magazine |first= Keith |last=Botsford |access-date=17 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.grandprixhistory.org/fer_bio_main.htm |title=Enzo Ferrari - Biography |work=grand prix history |access-date= 17 June 2017}}</ref> and [[Giovanni Lurani|Johnny Lurani]].<ref name=":23" /> [[Motorsport]]s became important in the evolution of the grand touring concept, and grand touring entries are important in [[Sports car racing|endurance sports-car racing]]. The grand touring definition implies material differences in performance, speed, comfort, and amenities between elite cars and those of ordinary motorists.
In the [[World War II|post-war]] United States, manufacturers were less inclined to adopt the "ethos of the GT car",<ref name="dawson" /> preferring to build cars "suited to their [[Interstate Highway System|long, straight, smooth roads]] and [[Automatic transmission|labor-saving lifestyles]]"<ref name="dawson" /> with wide availability of powerful [[Straight-six engine|straight-six]] and [[V8 engine]]s in all price-ranges like the 1955-1965 [[Chrysler 300 letter series|Chrysler 300]]. Despite this, the United States, enjoying early [[Post–World War II economic expansion|post-war economic expansion]], became the largest market for European grand-touring cars,<ref name="dawson" /> supplying transportation for movie stars, celebrities and the [[jet set]]; notably the [[Mercedes-Benz 300 SL]] (imported by [[Max Hoffman]]),<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/goodwood-festival-of-speed/10879555/Mercedes-Benz-300SL-gullwing-review.html |title= Mercedes-Benz 300SL gullwing review |last= English |first= Andrew |work= Telegraph.co.uk |date= 6 June 2014 |access-date= 17 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.danjedlicka.com/classic_cars/gullwing.html |title= Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupe History | first= Dan |last= Jedlicka |website=danjedlicka.com |access-date=17 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/automobiles/18HOFFMAN.html |title= Max Hoffman Made Imports Less Foreign to Americans |last= Osborne |first= Donald |date= 18 March 2007 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date= 17 June 2017 |issn= 0362-4331}}</ref> the [[Jaguar XK120]], and the [[Ferrari]] ''[[berlinetta]]s'' (imported by [[Luigi Chinetti]]).<ref>{{cite news |url= https://petrolicious.com/articles/luigi-chinetti-s-life-was-dedicated-to-motorsport |title= Luigi Chinetti's Life Was Dedicated to Motorsport |last= Parker |first= John i|date= 13 May 2014 |work= Petrolicious |access-date= 17 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1994/08/20/obituaries/luigi-chinetti-sr-93-automobile-importer-and-champion-racer.html |title= Luigi Chinetti Sr., 93, Automobile Importer and Champion Racer |last= Siano|first= Joseph |date= 20 August 1994 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date= 17 June 2017 |issn= 0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://autoweek.com/article/car-life/60-years-ferrari-america-celebrated-rodeo-drive |title= 60 years of Ferrari in America celebrated on Rodeo Drive |work=Autoweek |date= 13 October 2014 |first= Mark |last= Vaughn |access-date= 17 June 2017}}</ref> Classic grand-touring cars from the [[History of the automobile|post-war era]] especially, have since become valuable cars among wealthy collectors.<ref name=":20" /><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/55-million-world-s-most-expensive-car-n694786 |title= This 1962 Ferrari could be set to be the world's most expensive car |work=NBC News |date= 12 December 2016 |first= Gemma |last= Acton |access-date= 17 June 2017}}</ref> Within ten years, grand touring cars found success penetrating the new American [[personal luxury car]] market
{{cite news |url= http://www.anythingaboutcars.com/1950s-imported-cars.html|title= The 1950s Imported Cars Wasn't Much of a Threat to the Big Three |work= anything about cars |access-date= 17 June 2017}}</ref>
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