Top 10 Most Interesting and Significant Cars Made in the US
In celebration of Independence Day, AutoGuide.com is celebrating the top 10 most interesting and significant cars produced in the U.S.
Just because an automaker is Japanese or German doesn’t mean all of its vehicles are produced overseas. In fact, you may be surprised to see what cars are manufactured right on American soil. The opposite is true too; just because a car comes from an American automaker doesn’t guarantee that it’s built in the U.S.
10. Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry may have topped the American-Made index for the second year in a row and for the seventh time overall, but it’s not exciting enough to garner any spot higher than 10th on our list. But still, the Toyota Camry is the best selling passenger car in the U.S. and even though it comes from a well-known Japanese automaker, it’s built in the U.S., and is more American than some actual American cars.
9. Ford F-150
America’s best-selling vehicle deserves a spot on the list, as the Ford F-150 embodies everything good about American automotive manufacturing. There’s also the rich history of how Ford became an automotive powerhouse in the U.S. and we simply have to pay our respects to such a brand.
8. Tesla Model S / Model X
Both the Tesla Model S and Model X are built in the U.S., and joining it in the near future will be the Model 3. The American electric automaker has taken the automotive industry by storm in recent years, succeeding where other automakers like Fisker has failed.
7. BMW X5 M / X6 M
Did you know both the BMW X5 M and BMW X6 M models are built at the German automaker’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina? These high-performance SUVs share a manufacturing plant with the X3 and X4, as well as the standard X5 and X6. Considering how popular crossovers and SUVs are in the U.S., BMW made the wise choice to produce them right here in America.
6. Chevrolet Camaro
You could argue all day where the Chevrolet Camaro really stands on a list of cars made in the U.S., but you can’t argue that it doesn’t belong. There are very few American sports cars that have the heritage and prestige as the Chevrolet Camaro.
5. Ford Mustang
But then there’s the Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro’s main rival for decades. We chose to put it a notch above the Camro just because of how important the Ford Mustang is to American culture. In fact, now that it’s sold worldwide, it shows just how much of an icon it has become.
4. Chevrolet Corvette
And then there’s the Chevrolet Corvette, which can politely tell the Camaro and the Mustang to move aside to the right lane. Some would say that the Chevrolet Corvette is the most American car there is, and that will be true starting next year.
3. Dodge Viper
That’s because the Dodge Viper is officially dead, and in our books, it’s currently the most American car ever made. It boasts a massive 8.4-liter V10 engine, which is the largest displacement engine available today.
2. Mercedes-AMG C63 S
Like the rest of the C-Class lineup, the Mercedes-AMG C63 and C63 S are now built in the U.S. at the company’s plant in Alabama. And that’s only the case for the vehicles sold in the U.S., as they are not exported for worldwide consumption. Hardcore Mercedes fans dislike the idea that the C63 and C63 S are assembled in the U.S., but they can at least sleep at night knowing the AMG powerplant still comes from Germany.
1. Acura NSX
After years and years of waiting, the 2017 Acura NSX has finally arrived. The nameplate was once widely considered the greatest sports car to ever come from Japan, but now it’s built in America at the automaker’s Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio. It goes to show just how much faith Honda now has in the local workforce and the engineering capabilities the company has developed since it started producing cars in the U.S. in the early 1980s.
Discuss this story on our Acura NSX Forum
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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