If you are planning to carjack a vehicle and lead police on a high-speed chase, this would be the wrong vehicle in which to attempt it! Nothing is quite as noticeable in traffic as the eye-catching Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. For me, seeing the Wienermobile again brings back memories of my childhood. It's not the same one I visited as a kid, of course, because the Wienermobile has changed over the years. An idea of the company founder's nephew, the Wienermobile first appeared in 1936 traveling the streets of Chicago promoting Oscar Mayer "German Style Wieners". Since then, the Wienermobile has been redesigned several times.
I never thought I would be behind the wheel of such a tasty vehicle, but I had the opportunity at a Wienermobile appearance in Southern California in 2002. The hot dog theme is apparent throughout the vehicle. Check out the hot dog shaped dashboard and, believe it or not, I was sitting in a relish-colored seat! Directly above my head was a computerized "condiment control panel" and while many vehicles come with a sunroof, the Wienermobile has a "bun roof". This particular Wienermobile is a 1995 model created by world-renowned automobile designer Harry Bradley. It's 27 feet long, 11 feet high and can travel in excess of 90 miles per hour! Each Wienermobile in the fleet has it's own identity, and this one bears the license plate BIG BUN.
Ok, I was just pretending to drive the Wienermobile. The real driving is done by a team of talented and personable "Hotdoggers" who have attended Hot Dog High in Madison, Wisconsin, where they learn about the company's products and history as well as receiving specialized driver training. I'm sure they're careful drivers, but Oscar Mayer undoubtedly has a hefty car insurance policy on a vehicle this unique.
Fun Facts: In 1988, Al Unser, Jr. took the Wienermobile for a test lap at the Indy 500. Did you know the Wienermobile is also a movie star? It has appeared in two movies: "Ladybugs" starring Rodney Dangerfield and "Another You" starring Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder. And while hot dogs are considered as American as baseball and apple pie, Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs are enjoyed in other countries as is the Wienermobile, which you'll see touring Canada, Japan and Spain!
For further information about the Wienermobile, click here to visit the Oscar Mayer website.
