The Holland America Westerdam pulled into New York Harbor from Rotterdam on Jan. 17, 1949, carrying the seed of an automotive empire -- the Volkswagen Type 1, later known as the Beetle.

The first-generation Durango, based on the Dakota pickup, held up to seven passengers and towed up to 7,500 pounds when properly equipped. Original designs for the Durango featured a rear-facing third row similar to older station wagons marketed by Detroit's automakers. To make room for a more practical, forward-facing third row, Dodge shortened the length of the Durango's front doors and raised the roof two inches beyond the front seats, engineering changes that allowed for stadium seating.

U.S. auto sales rose 2.2 percent in December, capping a year that saw overall volume rise 0.6 percent even as automakers endeavored to counter slumping car demand with healthy light-truck deliveries. The seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of sales in December -- 17.72 million -- was a high for the year, providing automakers with momentum and optimism heading into 2019.