When I was a youngster, I would sit on the front porch with Dad in the summer. As a car would go by, Dad would identify it by make and model. Eventually, I knew every car on the road. If you weren't sure where you parked your car in a lot, I could find it for you right away.
Today, all cars look alike. Sometimes I can tell the make by the hood ornament, but don't ask me about the model. This would be a problem if, say, I witnessed a hit and run. I couldn't say what kind of car the perp was driving.