91Èȱ¬

Will Grant takes a ride in Cuba to discover how people get around and whether the thaw in relations with the United States will make any difference to their lives. The country is known the world over for its classic cars, a consequence of the American trade embargo imposed after the revolution in 1959, when, as one motoring journalist quipped, "the tail fin was still a recent innovation in automotive design". There are a few collectibles but spare parts are almost impossible to come by and most vehicles are held together with sticky tape and glue. It is almost as if Cuba has been stuck in a time warp for half a century with around 60,000 vintage cars now attempting to navigate the country’s notoriously bad roads. Car ownership is still a dream for most people but the reality is a chaotic bus service, a bone-shaking ride in a horse and cart or hitching a lift. How do people cope and will things change?

Produced by Mark Savage

(Photo: For Sale. One of Cuba’s celebrated classic cars - on the outside but not on the inside. Credit: 91Èȱ¬)