Top 10 Greatest American Cars of All Time
In honor of Independence Day, we're bringing back this 2015 story on the greatest American cars of all time. Did your favorite make the list?
America may not have invented the automobile. That honor goes to German engineer Karl Benz and his Patent Motorwagen of 1886. But America quickly made the automobile its own. By 1904 the United States led the world in automobile sales and production, and by 1913 80 percent of all the cars made in the world were made right here. American automakers — there were 253 of them active in 1908 alone — were pioneering new technologies and new vehicles at an astonishing rate.
So as we celebrate the Fourth of July, why not celebrate the 10 greatest American cars of all time? You can define greatness is many ways, but these are all automobiles that were hugely influential in terms of their technology, design, engineering, and their impact on society and popular culture. These are machines that changed our world.
There are other cars that are perhaps equally deserving of inclusion on this list. So let the arguments begin. If you think we've missed an all-time great, let us know.
Ford Model T
Henry Ford's Model T was produced for 19 years, from 1908 to 1927, and almost 15 million were made, with prices falling from $825 to $260 by 1925 as Ford refined the mass-production process. But the Model T was more than just a car. It put America on wheels and so changed the way Americans worked, the way they lived, and the way they played. Shopping malls, motels, planned suburbs with affordable housing, well-paid manufacturing jobs, and an emerging middle class eager to enjoy the perks of prosperity — this was modern, 20th-century America, and the Model T helped create it all.
Ford Model 18
Launched in 1932, the Ford Model 18 was the first mass-market car in the world with a V-8 engine, and created a paradigm for American cars that continues to this day. In the 1930s Ford V-8s were prized for their performance—gangster John Dillinger wrote to thank Henry Ford for building "as fast and sturdy a car as you did"—and after World War II they formed the backbone of the nascent hot rod movement, being cheap, plentiful, and easy to modify for extra performance. With '32 Fords—Deuce Coupes—still regarded as the most desirable of all hot rods, this is a car that's remained a pop-culture icon for more than 80 years.
Duesenberg Model SJ
Also launched in 1932, the Duesenberg Model SJ was the antithesis of the cheap and cheerful Fords and Chevys most Americans drove through the depths of the Depression. The Duesenberg SJ was, simply, a hand-built, money-no-object supercar, the 1930s equivalent of a Bugatti Chiron. With their twin-cam, four valves per cylinder, supercharged straight-eight engines, Duesenberg SJs were said to be capable of 104 mph in second gear and 140 mph in top; in 1934 a lightweight roadster averaged 135 mph for 24 hours on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Just 36 SJs were built between 1932 and 1935. Gary Cooper and Clark Gable owned the only two short-wheelbase SSJ Duesenbergs ever built.
Jeep MB
"The Jeep, the Dakota airplane, and the landing craft were the three tools that won the war," claimed Dwight D. Eisenhower, Allied Supreme Commander during World War II. More than 700,000 Jeeps had been built by the war's end, giving Allied troops overwhelming superiority of movement on the ground. Post-war, the tough, nimble, go-anywhere Jeep enjoyed a second, more peaceful career as a recreational vehicle, establishing the nexus between capability, style, and functionality that still underpins 21st-century car buyers' love affair with crossover vehicles. The Jeep is the car that saved democracy. And it was the seminal SUV.
Oldsmobile "Rocket" 88
Rock 'n' roll began with a song about a car: Elvis Presley was still driving a gravel truck when 19-year-old Ike Turner walked into a tiny studio owned by Sam Phillips in Memphis in 1951 and recorded "Rocket 88," a paean to the fastest American sedan you could buy at the time, the Oldsmobile 88 powered by the 135-hp Rocket V-8 engine. Launched in 1949, the Rocket-powered 88 was America's first muscle car, proving almost unbeatable in stock car racing through 1951. The record "Rocket 88" was an unexpected hit, and the royalties enabled Phillips to start Sun Records, the label that gave musicians such as B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and, of course, Elvis their starts.
Chevrolet Corvette
Making its debut in 1953, the Corvette is 10 years older than Porsche's 911, and every bit as iconic. Like the Rolling Stones, the Corvette has had a patchy track record—the asthmatic 165-hp C3 of the mid-'70s is the equivalent of disco-era Mick and Keef phoning it in. But when it's been good, the Corvette has been breathtaking. The beautiful Bill Mitchell-designed C2 Sting Rays, particularly the fuel-injected 327s with four-speed manual transmissions, were arguably better cars than the contemporary Jaguar E-Type, while today's mid-engine C8 is a true high-performance sports car with leading-edge technology and performance equaling that of rivals costing two or three times the price.
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang not only created a new automotive genre—the ponycar—but was also one of the first cars designed for a specific demographic. When Ford's Lee Iacocca realized the first wave of baby boomers were coming of driving age, and that they would want to drive something very different from the big, soft land yachts their parents loved, product planner Hal Sperlich proposed wrapping mundane Falcon mechanicals in sporty sheetmetal. The Mustang proved an overnight sensation, with more than 1 million sold in the first 18 months of production. But performance that truly matched the style wasn't really unlocked until the Shelby GT350 appeared in 1965, establishing the formula that has kept the Mustang alive for more than 50 years.
Ford GT
Henry Ford II thought he had a deal. Nine months of negotiation were over, and on July 4, 1963, he was planning to be in Maranello, Italy, signing a $10 million deal with Enzo Ferrari that would give Ford Motor Company a half share in the storied Italian sports car maker. A Ferrari-Ford sports car was already being planned, with an Italian V-12 engine in an American chassis. But the deal never happened—Enzo Ferrari pulled out at the last minute. An enraged Henry then authorized the development of the Ford GT40, with the express goal of humiliating Enzo's blood-red racers in the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Which it did, convincingly, in 1966. The icon inspired two generations of successors, including the latest Ford GT powered by a twin-turbocharged V-6.
Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler Town & Country, and Dodge Caravan
Others had toyed with the concept, notably VW's Microbus of the '60s and Lancia's 1978 Megagamma, but it was Lee Iacocca and Hal Sperlich—the same team who'd made the Mustang happen at Ford 20 years earlier—who at Chrysler in 1983 revealed the perfect combination of size, seating, and drivability that came to define a new segment-busting family vehicle, the minivan. Within a decade almost every mainstream automaker offered a minivan in the U.S., making traditional station wagons obsolete. The segment has declined in recent years, but the basic formula established by Chrysler remains the definitive one: front drive, sliding side doors, and a highly flexible seating package for seven or eight passengers.
Tesla Model S
The mere fact the Tesla Model S exists at all is a testament to innovation and entrepreneurship, the very qualities that made the American automobile industry the largest, richest, and most powerful in the world. We've not yet become a nation of bankers or burger-flippers. America can still make things. Great things. But what marks the Tesla Model S as one of the all-time great American cars is that it has single-handedly changed the tenor of the conversation about electric vehicles. The Model S made electric cars cool for auto enthusiasts. How? It's good-looking and quick. Very, very quick. In Plaid guise, we clocked the Model S at just 2.07 seconds to 60 mph. That's monumentally impressive—the quickest production vehicle we've ever tested, and an American-made EV at that.
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We've seen concept cars featuring four-wheel-steering that makes it possible to pull up next to a parking space and drive sideways right into it, thanks either to four-wheel 90-degree steering or spherical tires that can just roll sideways. Don't hold your breath for these sideways parking car concepts, but supplier ZF recently showed off a front suspension design capable of steering the front wheels 80 degrees—enough to drastically reduce the amount of surplus parallel-parking space required for easy insertion/extraction and to tighten U-turn diameters considerably.The Missing LinkIn most front suspensions, a tie-rod connects the suspension knuckle directly to the steering rack. ZF proposes inserting a second link. This one runs roughly parallel with the tire, connecting the lower control arm in front to the knuckle at the other end. The traditional tie-rod then connects to this link, a bit closer to the control-arm pivot. The mechanical advantage this creates can more than double the range of tire pivot rotation from a typical 35 degrees in either direction to 80 degrees without extending the travel or dimensions and functionality of the steering rack.Why Has Nobody Produced This Yet?Swiveling the wheels and tires 80 degrees either way requires a lot of packaging space that is typically reserved for crash-structure frame rails, and their spacing has generally been dictated by a front-mounted combustion powertrain. Another problem is the lack of any sort of constant-velocity joint capable of transmitting drive torque over such an extreme angle, which makes the concept impractical for traditional front-drive vehicles. Finally, implementation would require a means of limiting the max allowable steering angle to parking-lot speeds, because suddenly dialing up 80 degrees of steering at speed could roll a tire off the rim and flip the vehicle.Enablers: Electronics and Electric DriveModern electronics are more than up to the task of limiting steering angles to certain speeds, and this obviously means any rear-engine, rear-wheel drive vehicle could adopt this steering setup today and begin seeking out incredibly tight parallel parking spaces and hanging U-turns inside their garage or on their neighborhood street. Indeed, ZF demonstrated the concept on a rear-motor, rear-drive electric BMW i3. Another key enabler will be in-wheel electric drive motors, which eliminate the need for shafts and CV joints. These have yet to find favor with mainstream automakers, but advances we've covered by Orbis and Indigo address the technology's limitations in ways that could bring them to market—especially in ride-hailing and delivery vehicles, which stand to gain maximum benefit from the improved maneuverability.When and How Much?ZF's EasyTurn Suspension is so simple that it can be implemented quickly, whenever a manufacturer signs on the dotted line, but as of press time ZF had yet to announce any such contracts. And no supplier ever talks specifics on cost, but clearly this design adds a couple of ball joints, a link, and a bit of extra machining, so this won't be a budget-buster. Consider our fingers crossed for this cool concept.
Like it or not, it was hard to miss the 2023 Acura Integra Prototype that debuted last year in its Yellow Pearl paint job. That prototype is now going into production—and being revealed soon in salable form— though it might not get that striking yellow color as an option immediately, according to alleged leaked details on the IntegraTalk forums.Details gathered from screenshots of a dealer ordering guide—if accurate—may reveal the upcoming Integra's trim and specifications ahead of orders opening later this week, on March 10. Here's what the forum-leaked order guide shows:The 2023 Integra will come in base, A-Spec, and A-Spec Tech trim levels, with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) listed as standard and a six-speed manual option only listed as available for the top-of-the-line A-Spec Tech trim, according to the screenshots. It doesn't appear that the company's available 10-speed automatic transmission will be an option on launch, either.The CVT is here because in all likelihood it's the very same transmission utilized in the mechanically related Honda Civic. It's even paired with the Honda's same 1.5-liter turbocharged I-4 engine. Power figures for the new Integra have yet to be announced, but we anticipate an output of at least around 200 horsepower, meaning the Acura will use the the 200-ish hp version of the 1.5-liter turbo four used by the sportier Civic Si.The forum posts also offer a look at the upcoming Integra's paint options, and sadly there doesn't appear to be any yellow option (yet), despite the Integra prototype debuting in a bright yellow color. The paint options that are listed include Platinum White, Lunar Silver, Performance Red, Liquid Carbon, Majestic Black, and Apex Blue.We may just be looking at partial information and there could be more options at launch, or it's plausible that Acura is holding back the yellow for an upcoming Integra Type S model that surely will follow the regular-grade version. The company recently trademarked the name and has been Type S'ing numerous nameplates in its lineup, including the TLX sedan, MDX SUV, and NSX supercar.If this order guide is accurate, you can't quite order the car that Acura debuted in prototype guise last year. You can order something close, in another color. Oh, and you will also have to upgrade to the highest available trim level if do not want the CVT.That may not be what Acura fans had hoped for—a second coming of the brands' premium sport compact formula distinct from a regular Honda—but at the end of the day, there's still a new turbocharged, manual-transmission Integra just around the corner that isn't a crossover or an EV. Maybe that's something. We'll be able to confirm full details on the Integra's available options when ordering begins March 10.
ford bronco Full OverviewOnce upon a time there was something called the Ford Bronco. People loved the off-roader, and to this day, they recount memories of adventuring in the family Bronco. The 2021 Ford Bronco has brought the nameplate back to the fore, but the original Bronco hit the scene in 1966 and galloped speedily until its ultimate demise in 1996. Unfortunately, after 30 years and various generational changes, the Ford Bronco was no more. Gone but not forgotten-especially that first-generation 1966-77 iteration—it's still sought after by restorers, off-road racers, and classic iron aficionados. It was one of Ford's most iconic nameplates.Fast-forward to 2021. Twenty-five years after Ford kicked its popular SUV out of its stalls, the forlorn Bronco returned. While many 2021 Ford Bronco owners still await their vehicle's arrival, we've had the chance to get behind the wheel of a few. Most recently we tested a two-door 2021 Ford Bronco Black Diamond powered by the 2.3-liter EcoBoost I-4 and backed by the seven-speed manual transmission. The exterior may look black from certain angles, but it's actually Antimatter Blue Metallic, a color Ford will not offer for model year 2022.Black Diamond vs. BadlandsBut wait, haven't we tested this two-door, 275-hp, 315-lb-ft 2.3-liter turbo four-cylinder, manual-transmission 2021 Ford Bronco before? Yes, but that was the more-outfitted Badlands trim with different suspension goodies. For what it's worth, we also tested a four-door Bronco Outer Banks.How did the 2021 Ford Bronco Black Diamond stack up against the Bronco Badlands? After putting both on the scale, a weight discrepancy arose in the former's favor: the Bronco Black Diamond registered 4,491 pounds, the Badlands 4,732 pounds. That means the Black Diamond is 241 pounds lighter, a not-insignificant difference, and we wondered how much it would play a part in our track testing.The previously tested two-door Bronco Badlands galloped to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 15.8 seconds at 86.4 mph. The Black Diamond managed 0-60 in 7.9 seconds and trotted the quarter mile in 15.8 seconds at 85.8 mph. Those figures represent a 0.2-second difference in acceleration and a 0.6-mph difference in the quarter mile, both favoring the heftier Badlands. Why was the heavier car slightly quicker to 60? Likely because it rode on all-season tires with a bit more grip than the all-terrain rubber the Black Diamond wore.The differences equate to nothing in the real world and especially on the trail, as these are not high-performance track cars vying to shave every hundredth of a second. Rather, these Broncos are bricklike SUVs with removable tops and doors, meaty all-terrain tires, good ground clearance, heavy off-road components, and G.O.A.T. modes to help conquer impassable trails. They're just not quintessential traits when it comes to the track.We first tried to launch the Bronco Black Diamond at 4,000 rpm, and the engine bogged. Stepping up to 4,500 rpm also did not produce a good run. We were concerned an even more aggressive approach might break the drive train, but 5,000 rpm did the trick: The Bronco launched with some wheelspin, and the rear even kicked out a little bit. The manual transmission did not like quick, rushed shifting; it's happier with a gentler approach to the clutch. The engine felt lively enough to make the SUV feel light.HandlingWhen it came to our figure-eight course—which evaluates acceleration, handling, and braking, as well as the transitions in between—the 2021 Ford Bronco Black Diamond recorded a 28.8-second lap. We noted the Bronco was quite playful with the traction and stability control systems turned off, and we were shocked at the ease of heel-toe downshifting the SUV. The Badlands recorded a 29.6-second lap, 0.8 second slower than the Black Diamond.As expected, there was some nose dive and body roll when it came to hard braking and cornering. We likened the dive under hard braking to the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland, a comparison that evoked a chuckle every time we experienced the phenomenon.On the RoadThe Ford Bronco Black Diamond we tested tracked nicely on the highway, wandering less than a Jeep Wrangler thanks to its independent front suspension rather than a live axle setup. Some off-road vehicles are really a handful to keep in one lane on the highway—a real white-knuckle experience—but that wasn't the case with the Bronco. Wind noise was our biggest complaint, as it was loud enough that we could barely hear the person riding in the passenger seat.The 2021 Ford Bronco Black Diamond doesn't come with the upgraded suspension of some other Broncos or modded off-roaders, so it wasn't able to soak up heavier hits on the road. Rather, we bounced and jolted our way through rough patches. We slowed down for dips and respected it for what it was: an entry-level true 4x4 off-roader that'll get the basic job done while being a perfectly capable on-road transporter. Those who want more may need to wait for the Bronco Raptor, which also isn't a trophy truck.We had the rare treat of driving the Bronco Black Diamond in some significant SoCal rain, and it was fun. We slipped the transfer case into 4-Auto and selected Slippery mode just to ensure we didn't get sideways on freeway entrances. Traction was ample, and although we didn't need to, we liked knowing we could have forded a couple feet of water should the need arise.As for the stick shift, the clutch was user-friendly and easily mastered by any seasoned manual driver within about four stoplights. It's technically a seven-speed, but one of those gears is a 6.588:1 crawler gear. The manual option, however, isn't compatible with some Bronco tech options such as trail control, trail turn assist, and trail one-pedal drive. Those features require the 10-speed automatic. The manual versus an automatic debate for off-roading is something we won't tackle in this piece, and besides, both sides are 100 percent sure they are correct.What Makes the Bronco Black Diamond Cool?There are half a dozen Ford Bronco trims, and the specifics of each can be mind-boggling. Ford describes our Black Diamond tester as "next-level outdoor adventure," and it falls third from the bottom of the lineup after the base and Big Bend models. For being relatively low on the pecking order, it had a rad feature palette for less than $40,000. However, opting for the 2.7-liter turbo V-6 EcoBoost engine ($1,895), 10-speed automatic ($1,595), and the four-door ($2,345) quickly elevates the price.Solid DetailsFirst, check out those wheels. Those are 17-inch glossy black steelies, and they're standard on the 2021 Ford Bronco Black Diamond. Sure, the base Bronco—which may have already disappeared—has 16-inch silver steelies, but the black is oh-so-spot-on. The Black Diamond also offers an optional aluminum wheel for people who aren't down with the steelies. The tires, 265/70R-17 General Grabber A/TX's, aren't too shabby for a modest trim. Many would consider Grabbers an upgrade.Next, the interior. The Ford Bronco Black Diamond barely misses the cut for the larger 12.0-inch screen, but we can live with the 8.0-incher. But our attention was drawn to the interior material, a Dark Space Gray with Black Onyx marine-grade vinyl paired with rubberized flooring—complete with drain plugs that make the whole interior less vulnerable to water. The vinyl felt super soft, plush, and inviting, not at all like the plasticky vinyl you may be thinking of. It looked classy, too.Finally, a few random traits distinguish the Bronco Black Diamond: It is the lowest trim to have seven G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) modes, it comes with standard rock rails and underbody protection, and it features the heavy-duty powder-coated modular steel front bumper and powder-coated steel rear bumper. You'll also appreciate auxiliary switches in the overhead console.Two-Door Family LifeFull disclaimer: We sold our four-door Jeep Wrangler upon news of kiddo number two. Our first born has still not forgiven us for selling "her" Jeep; we stand firm that its replacement, a Ford Raptor, is a roomier fit for family life.Hence, we found no surprises when squeezing a family of four into the two-door 2021 Ford Bronco tester. It was tight, and the car seat process was cumbersome (but it always is). But it worked, despite our larger Chicco car seats filled by preschool/early elementary children. But it wasn't necessarily pleasant. Getting out of the Bronco after securing the seats took some ninja skills, as does hoisting children into those seats and tightening their belts. The driver and passenger seats were perpetually in the way.As for luggage? Pack light. With just a backpack per person, your cargo room disappears quickly. The kids were afforded a nice view, as they were seated relatively high; merely an arm's length away, they might as well have been driving. The smaller child was confused as to why he had no door, despite our assurance there was none and that it was OK."Bronco" may be much easier for toddlers to say than "Wrangler," but the truth is, both SUVs—and even the larger four-door versions—are marginal tools when it comes to family life.All the FeelsDriving the 2021 Ford Bronco Black Diamond felt fun, sporty, and adventurous, almost nostalgic but modern. It felt youthful, vibrant, and it has an impact across a wide swath of the population: A mom during school drop-off noticed it. We couldn't quite tell how Jeep Wrangler drivers or old-school Bronco purists perceived us, but we imagined the best. Competition raises the bar, and the Wrangler needs a strong rival. And we all needed the Bronco's return, even if just for the grins.Looks good! More details?SPECIFICATIONS 2021 Ford Bronco 2-Door Black Diamond (Advanced) BASE PRICE $38,340 PRICE AS TESTED $38,935 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 4-pass, 2-door SUV ENGINE 2.3L Turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4 POWER (SAE NET) 275 hp @ 5,700 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 315 lb-ft @ 3,400 rpm TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,491 lb (55/45%) WHEELBASE 100.4 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 173.7 x 75.9 x 72.9 in 0-60 MPH 7.9 sec QUARTER MILE 15.8 sec @ 85.8 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 135 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.71 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 28.8 sec @ 0.57 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 17/19/18 mpg ON SALE Now Show All
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