by Mike Gulett –
In continuing my investigation into the artificial intelligence program, ChatGPT, I wondered what the program would think about the differences between two different classic car models. Then it occurred to me that I was curious what two great writers would think about the Iso Grifo and Aston Martin V8. Specifically I wanted to know what Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway would think, and write.
It turns out that a user can ask ChatGPT to write an opinion in the style of a famous writer, as if that writer had written that opinion. I know that these two writers were not alive at a time when they could have seen or driven one of these classic cars but this game is still interesting.
Below I asked ChatGPT to “Compare and Contrast the Iso Grifo with the Aston Martin V8” in the style of these two writers, separately. Here is what it wrote. Notice how much shorter the Hemingway version is. They both mention women and whiskey and they assume that a man is driving – signs of their times?
Sit back, get comfortable, maybe pour a glass of Scotch, light up a Cuban cigar and read what these two great writers may have written in someone’s fantasy.
The Mark Twain Version
Well now, friend, if you’re looking to compare the Iso Grifo and the Aston Martin V8, you’ve come to the right place, though I must warn you—this is like comparing a fine Italian opera to a rousing British battle hymn. Both will stir your soul, but one does it with a flourish of hand-stitched leather and the other with a stiff upper lip.
The Iso Grifo, now there’s a machine that drips with the kind of extravagance only an Italian could dream up. It’s the sort of car you’d expect to see parked outside a café in Rome, engine cooling after a spirited chase through winding streets—probably with some dashing rogue behind the wheel, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and a woman he’s just met but already stolen a kiss from. It has the kind of bodywork that makes men sigh and women reconsider their commitments. The long, low-slung silhouette is a whisper of danger, a hint of speed, and a promise of adventure. And under the hood? Ah, that’s where the trickery lies. The Italians, in their infinite wisdom, decided that when it comes to making power, no one does it better than the Americans. So, they borrowed a brutish Chevrolet V8, planted it like an olive tree in the middle of Maranello, and said, “There, that’ll do.” And my, did it ever. It roared like a lion with a belly full of bourbon, fast and unbothered by the complications of temperamental Italian engineering.
Now, the Aston Martin V8, that’s a different kind of animal altogether. Where the Grifo is a hot-blooded Mediterranean, the Aston is as British as an overcast sky and a well-tailored suit. It doesn’t shout, it doesn’t boast—it merely suggests, in the most refined manner possible, that it is better than you. It has the presence of a gentleman spy, perhaps because one rather famous gentleman spy did indeed favor one. The V8 under its bonnet is no borrowed beast—it’s homegrown, powerful in a way that feels deliberate, like a strong handshake that doesn’t need to prove anything. The styling is less dramatic but no less appealing, muscular yet reserved, like a man who could win a bar fight but would rather discuss poetry over a glass of scotch.
On the road, the Grifo is rawer, wilder, and lighter on its feet, whereas the Aston is more composed, heavier with a sense of duty, like it has somewhere important to be but refuses to be in a hurry. The Grifo is the car you take when you want to be noticed; the Aston is the one you take when you don’t need to be.
So, which is better? Well now, that depends on the man behind the wheel. If you like your thrills loud, fast, and with a dash of chaos, you’ll take the Grifo. If you prefer your power wrapped in a quiet confidence and a measure of class, the Aston is your steed. Either way, you’ll arrive in style—and that, my dear friend, is what truly matters.
The Ernest Hemingway Version
The Iso Grifo and the Aston Martin V8 sat low on the road like good fighters waiting for the bell. The Grifo had an Italian suit, sharp and cut right, but under the hood, it had an American heart, big and iron-lunged, a Chevy V8 that rumbled like distant thunder. It was fast, fast in a way that made men grin and women grip the seat. It did not care for long conversations, only the open road and the next straightaway. It was simple. A machine built for speed and pleasure. No lies, no fat, just power.
The Aston Martin V8 was English, and it knew it. It had a gentleman’s charm, but beneath the tailored wool, it carried a clenched fist. The V8 was its own, a proper British engine, hand-built with patience and whiskey in the air. It did not roar—it announced itself. It was not as fast as the Grifo, but it was a long-distance man, steady and sure. You could take it to dinner and to war.
The Grifo was passion, the Aston was pedigree. One was a knife, the other a hammer. Both could kill, but only one did it with a smile.
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
Being a Hemingway affectionato, I think ChatGPT just about nailed Papa.
” There are some things which cannot be learned quickly, and time, which is all we have, must be paid heavily for their acquiring.
They are the very simplest things, and because it takes a man’s life to know them the little new that each man gets from life is very costly and the only heritage he has to leave.”
Ernest Hemingway
Very interesting experiment, when it comes to car reviews I think I prefer technical writers to novelist. The contrast in these two authors styles is extraordinary.
I love it! As a writer who has had some of his work likened to Steinbeck’s, I appreciate and thoroughly enjoyed both. However, I lean towards Hemingway.