Cosby imbues Blacktop Wasteland with not only realism but also metaphors that express underlying truths. One pervasive metaphor is the novel’s motor vehicles, which signify something about the characters and plot events. For instance, the opening chapter describes a number of would-be drag racers gathering in an isolated location with their rebuilt muscle cars, all of which have long been out of production. It is this location that Cosby calls a “blacktop wasteland.” Like the cars and drivers gathered there, it retains the merest vestiges of its former glory. Indeed, it is in hopes of reclaiming his past glory that Bug is drawn to this locale.

The characters also drive vehicles that express what sort of person they are. Kia drives an unassuming Honda, pairing perfectly with her reliable, enduring personality. Lazy rides in an ominous black Cadillac—fearsome, mysterious, and imposing. Kelvin drives an old-school Nova—quick, stylish, and appealing to women. Bug has two vehicles. When he drives his truck, he is the honorable, unassuming mechanic. When he drives his hot rod Duster, he becomes an entirely different person.

Bug also has the ability to transform vehicles so they imply one thing while secretly having a different meaning.