The amount of confusion on this thread proves that Detroit doesn’t make enough American cars to tell the world who they are and what they’re made of. Back when owning a Cadillac actually meant something, asking for a strippo model with a V6 engine would get you laughed out of the showroom.

You think BMW has this problem? Even with the G35-37 nipping at its heels, everyone knows what makes them unique, and you don’t need Car and Driver giving them 1st place all the time to notice.

And if you think I’m calling for the death of the Fusion, Malibu, Focus, etc you are completely missing the point: Detroit’s unique selling point is making a few REAL American Cars (sedans?) besides the Mustang and Corvette.

American cars came in lots and lots of sizes and styles.Some were Big, some small and some fast. Some big AND fast, others small and fast.So, what exactly stood out as THE American car? And why should one do so today?

Paulie, this is only about current American cars whose blueprints (the parts, not their country of origin) are significantly more American than a Camry. Or Audi. Or whatever. But since you brought it up…

I am sure you can find the common traits in all of those cars you mentioned. If you can’t find the similarities in powertrain, styling, ride and handling compared to their foreign competition of their time, I really can’t help you see it from my point of view.

In the 50’s, when American cars were large and big finned(?), there was also the sleek Thunderbird or the Corvette.

In the 60’s, we had the big Caddies, Buicks Chyslers as well as the mid sized muscle cars.

1. The Corvette and Tbird from the 1950s were far larger than their imported competitors. And they had tailfins, even if they were small-ish.

2. Big Caddies were sleek and low to the ground. Massive too, but look at the lines of a Caddy to a Merc and tell me which one looks like its flying while standing still.

American car?

There wasn’t really such an animal.
There were American cars, but not one.

American cars came in lots and lots of sizes and styles.

Some were Big, some small and some fast.
Some big AND fast, others small and fast.
In the 50’s, when American cars were large and big finned(?), there was also the sleek Thunderbird or the Corvette.

In the 60’s, we had the big Caddies, Buicks Chyslers as well as the mid sized muscle cars.

So, what exactly stood out as THE American car?
And why should one do so today?

The only real category the American car misses out on is the super tech, super performing large family sedan.
This is won by MBW and MBenz.
But really, these are filling the 55 grand to 100K price category.
Not exactly a position desired for large market control and the “people’s” car.

Now, it does not matter if this sight thinks the MKS is an American car.
Its is, and it offers much more than any other competitor for the price.

My American cars (no trucks allowed) today…

The Caravan.
The MKS.
The 300.
The Corvette, Mustang and Charger and Challenger.
The Taurus (2009,10).
Malibu
Impala.
CTS.
Focus.
Jeep Wrangler.
Fusion.

The navel being ‘too far’ from the hips is a strong indicator of a certain…ability, much treasured by most of the male population that realize what it means…think about it for a minute and you will get it…don’t think a specific posting is appropriate on pure, conservative TTAC, unfortunately. it is a physical trait that occurs more frequently in gymnasts, however

It’s not for everyone…but…there is no real American car, and that’s precisely why the “whole industry is collapsing.”

FORD

Take the current Lincoln Town Car, bring back the NAV system, give it a stereo designed by guys who feel about sound quality the way Baruth feels about speed, drop the drive train from the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor in it, plush up the seats, and make the suspension engineers test and design it and revise it until you can lock the cruise control at 100MPH and be rock solid coast to coast on our interstate system.

Chrysler

The 300 has it just about right but banish the V6s as options. Either you get a HEMI V8 or an SRT HEMI V8, period. If you don’t like it, the salesman has a lovely FWD sedan to show you over here.

As far as the 300s “ass-tastic” interior is concerned: start building it to a higher standard, not to a price-point.

GM

Sadly there is almost nothing in the GM stable to fit the bill. Forget the old Caprice tooling, find the tooling from the mid 80s to early 90s Fleetwood. Big, square, long, vertical taillight, in your face AMERICAN luxury. Re-engineer it for Lexus levels of NVH, design a full frame that uses everything the General has learned about strengthening truck frames in the last decade of SUV insanity, drop a big torquey V8 and hell even use an Alison automatic to back it up. I don’t care how much HP it makes but it needs to make 400 lb/ft of torque at just off idle. Heck make it a turbo diesel and tell Mercedes to kiss your a**. The interior needs to be as comfortable as a living room on wheels.

Unfortunately nobody that runs one of these companies has the balls to do this. :(

Despite all the crap TTAC drops on them, I’d rather see the Tesla Model S be the future of American autos – it is good looking, eco-efficient and generally an exciting car. I like that they sell direct and that they are making stuff happen, unlike the Big 2.whatever.

Bring back the Chevette, only this time dress it up with some snazzy lightning-bolt decals, and insist with a straight face that it will “drive the Japanese back to their shores”.

Now that’s a real American car.

I must hold off my American Car until I have test driven the new Ford EcoBoost.

(I HATE that name!)

If it turns out as well as all the review(er)s are proclaiming, it will have to be included in my concept.

There were some great videos posted by NECO members of their 3.0L Swaped Cougars stomping Mustang GTs, 330’s and some riced out preludes and the like. If I remember there were also some videos at the track of a 3.0L SC Cougar destroying a Vette and a Cobra.

I always considered the 3.0L swap the embodiment of what the new edge Cougr should have been. Well, that and a rear wheel drive setup!

I want to know where the woman came from. I will be happy to import one of them and make her an American.

Voila, a new American car that makes a nice profit. Perhaps you can start a recing series, get some promo and create a new legend. That would keep the Mustang plant working overtime.

You think I’m delusional? Check out the 67-68 Cougar.

Bob Elton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAqPMJFaEdY

Real America is long gone.

The problem is that the Real American Car, today, is the Camry. It’s fast, roomy, reliable, reasonably styled, good-riding and inexpensive to run. Whatever the next Real American Car is, it’ll have to be faster, roomier, more reliable, less ugly. better-riding and less expensive to own. My bets are on the Volkswagen NMS.

The point behind this is exactly correct. Autos are a pretty mature market and everyone’s already figured out what packages work. The differences at this point are based more on execution than fundamental innovation.

The “real american car” is one that needs to evoke the right sense of marketable heritage and contain enough quality to not stick out. Detroit has mostly failed more or less on both accounts. Strangely enough, Chrysler does better on the former while GM has been improving on the latter. Maybe someone can figure out a way for them to share the positives of each other.

BTW, the VW NMS look like a VW Lavida.