10 Best American Car Manufacturers

Is it accurate to say that American cars are getting overshadowed by those cheaper Asian-made cars in terms of sales? And what about the many European-made luxury cars, are they really a better purchase than the American luxury cars? Some car brands may be cheaper and luxury cars may be glamorous, but there’s nothing better than sitting in a car, revving its engine, and knowing that we are inside an American-made automobile. The quality is still there, and the traditional look and feel never goes wrong with these homegrown vehicles. Here are ten of the best American car manufacturers.

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10

Buick

It’s best to start this list with the oldest car manufacturing company in America. Established in May 1903, Buick is still one of the most reliable American car manufacturers operating for 116 years now. Over that time they made historic cars we see in old pictures, newspapers, and magazines. Vintage cars that time will never forget like the 1961 Buick LeSabre. The company was born in Motor City (Detroit), then moved to Flint. By 1923, Buick has already made a million vehicles, then they release the Riviera, Roadmaster Skylark, and Electra in the next 40 years. Enjoy a Buick SUV today like the Terraza or Enclave.

9

Cadillac

Antoine Laumet de La Mothe Cadillac was a French adventurer who explored and discovered Detroit City. He is why we have Cadillacs today. This company was named in honor of the man who discovered this great city. Henry Leland started the Cadillac car manufacturing company and it was the first American company in history to receive the Royal Automobile Club of England’s Dewar Trophy. It’s also the only American company to receive the award twice. Cadillac was also the first company to make cars with passenger seats and an enclosed cabin. Cadillac is just an innovator and a true-blooded trailblazer of a company.

8

Chevrolet

Here’s another American car manufacturer founded in Detroit, Michigan. A racecar driver and industrialist friend teamed up to venture on a car company they named Chevrolet. The entrepreneur was William Durant or Billy, and he named the company after his racer friend Louis Chevrolet. They started the company in 1911 and here it still is now. Some of Chevrolet’s iconic vehicles include the Chevrolet Suburban (created in 1936), the Chevrolet pickup (1948), the Corvette and Camaro. These are timeless car models many Americans still drive today. Presently, Chevrolet’s star automobiles (aside from the new Corvette and Camaro) are the Colorado, SS, Malibu, and Bolt.

7

Chrysler

Walter Chrysler was the man behind this American car company. It was June 94 years ago that this man founded the company that would be the third biggest to come out of Detroit. Despite two major financial crises, Chrysler is still here, standing strong and manufacturing quality vehicles. 

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From the ’80s K-cars and minivans to the Dodge Viper and Jeep releases of previous decades, Chrysler never fails to wow the general public with new models and vehicles. The best cars they made were the Chrysler 300, PT Cruiser, Newport and the Imperial. Today, the company is known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles after they merged.

6

Dodge

Dodge turned 100 years old five years ago. This means that the brothers John Francis and Horace Elgin established it in 1914. From bicycles, the family business grew to supply auto parts, then they thought to themselves that maybe they should eat the cake, too. 

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That’s exactly what they did, an acquisition by two companies throughout the years did not erase the name. They bought into the new Ford company and was acquired by Chrysler in 1928. From its roots, the DNA of a family of builders, Dodge continued to build and distribute cars. Some of the best are the Dodge Challenger, Charger, and Ram.

5

Ford

The question of what the most famous car in the history of the world was is up in the air. But the Ford Model T certainly is on the top of that list, and arguably #1. The Ford Model T was created in 1908 and until 1927 it sold 19-million models when the country only had about 119 million people in it, and definitely a lot fewer roads to drive on. 

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Henry Ford might as well be named the father of the American automobile. From the Model T, the company has made advances and gave us Thunderbird, Mustang, Taurus, Explorer, and the F-Series line of popular pickups.

4

GMC

GMC was first known as Rapid Motor Vehicle Company and was established in 1902 by Max Grabowski. A 1911 merger orchestrated by General Motors gave birth to the General Motors Truck Company, hence the name GMC. Thanks to that, because the name and logo would have been less impressive if it stayed RMC. GMC’s specialty from the beginning was big automobiles, they called it then rapid trucks. Through the years GMC’s name has been synonymous with SUVs, vans and large powerful vehicles. The best GMC cars made were the Sienna, Savana, Suburban, Yukon, and the classic GMC trucks and pickups.

3

Jeep

Here’s one example of a silver lining in the vast history of world wars. The Jeep was created to aid soldiers in traveling distances using an ultra-reliable vehicle. In the 1940s no such vehicle existed yet, an all-terrain lightweight car, until the Jeep. It was dubbed “Go anywhere. Do anything” and auto-maker John North Willys’s Jeep or Willys MB did not disappoint. 

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From then on the American company has worn a badge of honor while providing quality automobiles to the public. Jeep has made timeless vehicles like Wagoneer, Cherokee, Wrangler Rubicon, Grand Cherokee, and their youngest brothers-in-arms Renegade and Compass.

2

Lincoln

In the world of luxury cars, Lincoln is a pioneer. This American car manufacturer started making luxury vehicles at a time when luxury was not affordable for a lot of people. The exit of Cadillac founder Henry Leland marked the founding of the Lincoln company in 1917. Teaming up with his son, they named the company after Honest Abe. Then in 1936, they released their first luxury car costing $1,320, that’s gotta be worth millions after inflation today, haha. Classic Lincoln cars were the Town Car, Zephyr, Mark LT, and Navigator SUV. Lincoln’s latest cars are SUVs: Nautilus, Aviator, MKC, and the Lincoln Corsair.

1

Tesla

The revolutionary mind and inspirational influence of Nikola Tesla prompted entrepreneurs Marc Tarpenning, Martin Eberhard, JB Straubel, Ian Wright, and Elon Musk to name their young car manufacturing company Tesla Motors. This company truly deserves the inventor’s name on their products because they revolutionized the automobile and made an electric car that is as fast, if not faster now, as a gasoline-powered vehicle. They first unveiled their creation in 2008, the Tesla Roadster, wowing everyone, including the descendants of the first steam-powered train. From there, they tinkered and improved their prototype, releasing newer cars and naming them Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y.

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