America mightn’t have invented the automobiles, but it’s certainly the country that popularised it and quickly made it its own, with many of the world’s most iconic cars products of the US.
Yet for all that’s great and good in American automobile history, there’s also been some real stinkers. This year’s US presidential election has also brought out the best and the worst of the country, and so to honour that here’s our list of the five best and five worst American cars of all time.
BEST: Pontiac Firebird
America is, of course, probably most famous for its muscle cars, and Pontiac’s entry into the pony car market was one of the most iconic. This is thanks in no small part to its famous ‘Screaming Chicken’ bonnet decal and its starring role in the Smokey and the Bandit movies.
The ultimate ‘mom’s new boyfriend’ car, it’s also known for being the car that KITT from Knight Rider was based off, and was well-loved in its own right for its performance and burly V8 engines.
WORST: Pontiac Aztek
Regarded by many as the absolute worst car of all time and the vehicle which was almost single-handedly responsible for Pontiac’s downfall, the Aztek was criticised as harshly for its horrible styling as its shoddy handling.
A classic example of car made by committee, the Aztek had been repeatedly fettled with by GM’s design board and the result was a vehicle with looks so severe it couldn’t have been more instantly hated if it had a Swastika tattooed on its forehead.
BEST: Ford Mustang
Few cars can claim to have created an entire automotive genre by themselves, but the Ford Mustang certainly can, and it also lays claim to being the most-liked car on Facebook ever.
Introduced as the first wave of baby boomers were up-and-coming and wanted something a bit more special than the big land barges their parents favoured, the Mustang proved an overnight sensation with brutish performance and the looks to match.
WORST: Ford Mustang II
Proof that second album syndrome can also apply to cars, the second-generation version of the Mustang was everything that the original was not.
Introduced just in time for the 1973 oil crisis, the Mustang II was a weak and malformed shadow of its predecessor, built on the same platform as the much-reviled Ford Pinto and came with a horrible, underpowered four-cylinder engine as standard.
BEST: Ford Model T
The car that changed it all, the Model T was the first mass-produced automobile in the world and was to be the vehicle that officially began America’s love affair with the automobile.
It’s almost impossible to overstate the significance of the Model T, which didn’t just change the way Americans worked and travelled, but the way they lived and even the way they thought. Without the Model T, modern 21st century America likely wouldn’t exist as it does now.
WORST: Ford Pinto
Known as “the barbeque that seats four”, the Pinto’s major downfall was the fact that its fuel tank was mounted in the rear of the vehicle and had little protection, meaning that the slightest bump could turn it into a fireball.
As if the car’s reputation wasn’t bad enough, Ford was taken to court over the Pinto's inclination to explode and ended up paying out millions of dollars’ worth of damages in one single court decision.
BEST: Chevrolet Corvette
America’s answer to the 911, the Corvette is actually a decade older than the Porsche and is every bit as iconic. Like many cars it’s had a patchy track record with hits and misses in almost equal measure.
But when it’s been good, it’s been breathtaking. Arguably the C2 Stingrays were better than the Jaguar E-Types of the time, while today’s 650 horsepower Z06 is a true giant killer, rivalling the performance and technology of cars two to three times its price.
WORST: Plymouth Prowler
Retro-modern cars are never a good idea, the Chrysler PT Cruiser is proof of that. Another particularly rotten attempt came in the form of the Plymouth Prowler, which was intended to be a modern take on the classic hot rod.
Described by critics as looking like “a pie wedge on wheels”, the Prowler was widely derided for its poor performance and its bulging, awkwardly-proportioned appearance.
BEST: Tesla Model S
The fact that the Tesla Model S exists at all is testament to the ingenuity and innovation of the American car industry, and the fact it’s become so popular is testament to Tesla’s ability to make great cars.
Undoubtedly the car to finally make electric vehicles desirable, the Model S has almost single-handedly changed the conversation about electric power. With a 0-62mph time of less than three seconds in its most powerful guise, it also happens to be the fastest American saloon ever made.
WORST: Chevrolet Vega
Introduced at the height of the mid-70s oil crisis, the Vega ironically had an insatiable need for the black stuff just to stay running and was known as “the car that invited Americans to buy Toyotas and Hondas”.
Credited with doing serious and lasting damage to General Motors’ reputation, reliability was also disgraceful and the very first prototype fell to pieces just eight miles into its first shakedown on a test track.
