A car engine. (Courtesy)

The greatest magnets for girls and women in the 90s were the few men who drove cars or lorries.

Although cars still play a role in many love stories today, their importance was even more pronounced in the 90s. Drivers used the steering wheel as bait to nail and bag girls.

In the 90s, just like now, love stories, songs, and films often featured cars as props. However, unlike today, cars were a rarity in villages back then. It was everyone’s dream – or rather, fantasy – to be behind the steering wheel.

Having a car in the 90s meant that anyone in the village who had an emergency had to come to you to beg for a ride or hire the vehicle. There were no Ubers or even traditional taxis, making driving a real privilege.

The few men who drove had little trouble attracting the finest women around, as each one wanted to sit next to the master of the steering wheel by any means possible.

It didn’t matter that the cars of the 90s were not as glamorous or stylish as cars are today.

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In our village, we mainly had carburettor pickups, mostly Datsuns, Peugeots, and older versions of the Toyota Hilux. Saloon cars were mainly Datsun 120Ys and the Ford series.

These were the only car models around, and they were few and far between. Those who owned one were regarded as wealthy, and naturally, girls and women are drawn to wealth because of the benefits that come with it.

While most young men in the village showed off their muscles and sports shoes, a select few flaunted their cars.

On the dusty village roads, the drivers would roll down their windows to greet the girls and women and often offered them rides. They were in a class of their own and faced little competition for the prettiest girls in the village.

An engine rev was enough to draw the attention of the entire village, while a honk could make girls swoon.

The influence of these men with cars was so powerful that musicians even sang about them. One such song by H.M. Kariuki questioned what made drivers “perfect womanisers, philanderers, and lounge wizards.”

Kariuki notes in the song that many drivers did not own large tracts of land or money “like him” but still managed to win the best girls. He concludes that the secret lies in the steering wheel and the sound of engine revs.

These were the men who caused scenes in villages and towns as girls fought over them.

They were also responsible for many pregnancies. A trip around the village or to a nearby town for a cup of tea was often enough for a girl to pledge her love. Unfortunately, these men were also known to be skilled at “jumping” pregnancies.

While men today struggle to attract a girl by flaunting cash, a fancy house, mega TVs, and exotic holidays, the 90s man needed only one trick – a car – and the finest girls were his.

An engine rev and a manual gear shift were enough to make a girl go gaga.