What's our Most American Car?

I don't see the Honda Accord on your list...what gives?

I vote for Ford GT

I'd have to agree with casp201. Even with the changing tide toward smaller cars, American is still baseball, apple pie, and a pickup truck... for now anyway.

yeah, silverado or the caravan, possibly the enclave. other than those 3 everything else has had some or a lot of world influence.

To me the quintessential american car still being made are the Ford Mustang and the Cheverolet Corvette. Of what you have the Cadillac CTS comes closest to being "all american". The Silverado and the Ford 150 aren't cars, last time I looked!

Silverado could have been assembled in Canada. I'd suspect either the GT or the Enclave, then followed closely by Caravan/Silverado/Aura.

Judging by the comments, it seems like people are referring to vehicles literally built in the USA. Shouldn't it be more of an "American" culture issue? In which case, the pickup truck or muscle car is likely the most "American".

I'm not sure where that leaves us Canadians though :P

Where is the Aura made? Either way I wouldn't call a rebadged Opel American. Or the G8 GT even thought its the best car for the money on that list IMO. I'm going to have to say the CTS. I think it represents what American engineers are capable of, and that they can build just as good of cars as anyone else in the world if it wasn't for tight GM budgets.

Ford GT!

The Ford GT draws heavily from the 1960's Ford GT40, the design of which was contracted out to Lola, a British company. That should disqualify it as being "all American".

I would have to say that either the Dodge Caravan or the Chevy Silverado. Since puckup trucks have been used in the US so long and they scream USA, I'd have to say the Silverado. It is an all-American vehicle.

"I'm not sure where that leaves us Canadians though :P"

Sorry, I should've done Most Canadian Car two days ago. My bad. Edge and Civic (maybe Silverado) would be up for that.

Also, the Aura is not a rebadged Opel.

Got to be the Ford GT - we got pissed at the Italians, so we went home and built something that wiped the floor with them all over Europe. The modern GT is a tribute to the best indignant automotive ass-kicking this country ever dished out.

1. Ford GT - it was designed here, and built here, and has all the best virtues of American cars (power, styling, sound, take no prisoners performance).
2. Cadillac CTS - also designed and built here, but takes 2nd place because of its European tuned suspension and steering, and it was tuned on the Nurburgring.
3. Buick Enclave - again, designed and built in the U.S., but the styling has a slight Asian and European influence.
4. Ford Edge -
5. Chevy Silverado - Although this is "America's truck", a big portion of them are built in Mexico and Canada. This knocks it down to #5 behind those that are built here.
6. Dodge Carvan - sort of American, but it was designed when Daimler owned them, and it too has plants in Canada with plenty of other foreign made parts.
7. Ford Focus - It's an American econobox, and that's not necessarily a good thing. Also built in Mexico.
8. Saturn Aura - Nice car, but it's a rebadged Opel, which makes it European, not American.
9. Pontiac G8 GT - everyone says how American this car feels, but I think that's just coincidence that the Australians happen to design cars to the same recipe of American muscle cars. But this is an Australian car to its core.

I'm going to go with the CTS as a modernized version of all that is good about American cars.

vacagrande,

"Got to be the Ford GT - we got pissed at the Italians, so we went home and built something..."

Actually, Ford went to England to contract out the GT40 to Lola.

Setting aside "made in America", certainly the most American in "spirit" is the Silverado.

Special not to the Ford GT, due to its Ferrari-spanking racing history. But that history was made overseas. And it was an actual racecar. The new ones are toys.

I love the CTS, G8, Aura, but those are trying to measure up to foreign rivals. Perhaps they are just as good. But the Silverado is the only vehicle that is truly considered the benchmark in its class, and which the foreign companies are trying to mimic us, rather than the other way around.

And again, the GT is a nice halo car for Ford (..er, was, until they quit making it. What's their halo car now?) The Silverado is for the common man, and that, I think, is the real American spirit. Average Joe can work his tail off and make himself a success.

You said "American Car," so that leaves the Silverado truck right out.

But I'm voting for it anyway, no matter where it happens to be built, because pick-ups simply don't show up in great numbers anywhere else. They are the most overtly American vehicles in layout or configuration of any in the group. Nowhere else in the world (except Canada) will you see a truck used as a personal use daily-driver by those who aren't tradesman: stay-at-home moms, accountants, etc. Even the fun-loving Aussies can't fully embrace pick-ups--they still prefer Rancheros and El Caminos.

Of course low, low fuel prices have always been an American hallmark, too, allowing this sort of thing to go on. The party might well be ending as we type.

I believe the CTS's engine was assembled in Australia, dropping the domestic content a bit. I'm still with the GT.

i have to go with the silverado(a tough all american truck) and with the g8 gt( a mixture of american muscle and a hint of authentic australian). i know the g8 is half aussie but isnt that what america is " the melting pot". a little bit of everything thrown together.

and just because it says " what's are most all american CAR" doesnt mean it rules trucks out. trucks, suvs, sedans ect. is all under the category CAR.

"Actually, Ford went to England to contract out the GT40 to Lola."

A homage, then, to the grand American tradition of outsourcing.

It's gotta be the silverado; a big stupid truck with a broken transmission how much more american can you get.

My top 3 choices would be the Silverado, the GT, and the Caravan. While the minivan segment was invented in the US, it is not extremely popular. I think when most other countries look at the US, they think of a good 'ol American pick-up truck (whether they associate that with good or bad feelings is another topic), so the Silverado gets the win.

My top 3 choices would be the Silverado, the GT, and the Caravan. While the minivan segment was invented in the US, it is not extremely popular. I think when most other countries look at the US, they think of a good 'ol American pick-up truck (whether they associate that with good or bad feelings is another topic), so the Silverado gets the win.

I think despite its Aussie roots, it's the Pontiac. It's what American cars used to be: gutsy unique design, rear-wheel, powerful, fun to drive, and economical. The CTS has all of these qualitites too, excepty economy, and that cancels it in my book; it's American, but it's not America's car.

Ford GT plz

I vote for the CTS. It's unique, ostentatious, and fun to drive. Also, I think that when people in other countries think of American cars, Cadillacs have got to be at the top of the list and Cadillac has done a better job with this CTS than the previous generation.

The Aura is an American Chevy Malibu/G6 wearing an imitational Opel Vectra exterior.

The Aura doesn't even come close to the quality of the Vectra's interior. The exterior is also but merely a knockoff of the Vectra. Americans don't pay for the luxuries in the real Opel Vectra, which starts at US $36,700.

The Aura is an American production made in Kansas City.

Is the Grand Caravan made in America?
if not the silverado is most american if it is then the grand caravan

Next to the pick-me-up truck as All-American transportation, the quintessential American car is the station wagon, built to haul oversized families and their gear great distances to gawk at things on the way to visit grandma. While I personally would prefer to see a Corvette on the list, it is realistic to consider production volume as a component. Station wagons have far outsold Corvettes because they are so more useful in daily life.

The Enclave is station wagon utopia: room to bring everyone's stuff; cool styling; driver-oriented bells and whistles; a smooth, quiet ride; passenger entertainment that eclipses the license plate game; and gas mileage that challenges even the biggest bladders.

The minivan was a nice fad whose time has come, but the station wagon is roaring back as the family vehicle of choice.

Chevrolet Silverado:
-Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
-Flint, Michigan
-Fort Wayne, Indiana
-Pontiac, Michigan
-Silao, Mexico

Dodge Grand Caravan:
-Fenton, Missouri, USA
-Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Ford Edge:
-Oakville, Ontario, Canada
-Buffalo, New York

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Just to give you a quick check on facts, the Focus is built at the Wayne assembly plant, NOT Mexico. Yes, for a time, some of the earlier Foci were built in Mexico, but not at this time.

Oh, I vote Focus!

My vote goes for the Chevy Silverado. Pickup trucks were started in America, and for the time being pickups are still about as down-to-heart American a car as you can get.

I vote Ford GT nothing says american more than lots of horsepower and a fast car like that.

What is the domestic content percentage for each of the cars in the Edmunds fleet? I think that along with final point of assembly the truest answer.

If the car isn't assembled in the US the nameplate doesn't matter. Stocks are fungible commodities and can be bought by foreign investors. But, if a car is assembled in the US and has 75% or more domestic content, then it's an American car IMO. Then, you can go to nameplate as a tie breaker if legacy plays a part in your determination. I know 75% is somewhat arbitrary, but there are very few cars with 90% domestic content, if any, so that's why I set the bar there.

The GT is great but a copy of a car made in the UK originally I believe.

My vote goes to the CTS. It's not trying to be anything else.

Heck I'm Canadian, what do I know. G8? Was that an IQ screening item? Designed, engineered and build outside North America. It's got the heart of an american car.

I choose the CTS. The CTS exudes everything about American cars- bold styling, powerful engines, flashy but classy, comfortable and solid.

Silverado. It's a true everyman's car. Especially with $5000 cash back and financing terms that even homeless people could live with. They should give away free cowboy hats too.

Focus is a contender because it's really cheap enough for anyone to get. Doesn't have that 'Merican V8 and towing capacity though.

That's the kind of egalitarianism this country's all about. American Dream and all that...everyone can own a new car even if they don't make much.

Too bad you don't have a Cobra for me to vote for. Even with its British made Ace body, it did just as much Ferrari butt-kicking as the GT40 and is purely American in the fact that it has an American 427 underhood. Frankly, cars built these days are never "All-American" due to the amount of outsourcing to parts dealers and manufacturing plants outside the country and overseas.

"Actually, Ford went to England to contract out the GT40 to Lola."

Right, and when those cars didn't finish the race in '64 and '65 Henry Ford II put Carroll Shelby in charge, he re-engineered the chassis/suspension and threw in a Ford big-block 427. Then they took the first three spots.

You can argue the Silverado, Caravan or CTS in terms of "Most American" but the original Ford GT, once it started winnng Le Mans, was no more British than the 427 Shelby Cobra.

My vote goes to the CTS as well, though I think the G8 GT is most American in spirit. Its Australian roots disqualify it in my mind, though.

I dont think it matters where the car is built...so many cars are now built here and there that it doesnt matter. Its what embodies the overall spirit of America. If you were not American and looked to the US what vehicle would first come to mind? France-Citroen Japan-Honda Germany-VW England-(anycar that has electrical problems) USA- I would have to go with that oversized gas guzzling wasteful farm implement of a Pick up truck. It is as American as it gets, although I'd rather drive a GT. Its gotta be Silverado FTW.

Definitely between the CTS and the G8:

CTS: bold American styling, innovative features, relatively large engine for its class, lots of chrome executed tastefully, just like Cadillac used to do.

G8: bold American styling, performance to back up those looks, practical, roomy interior, classic pushrod V8 noises. Just like the old muscle cars.

In my opinion, none of these cars are particularly "American". I mean the Ford GT is built in Wayne, Michigan but a lot of the components are from Europe and it was inspired by a car that was developed and built in England. Then you have the Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Ford Edge, all of which are made in Ontario, Canada. The Pontiac G8 is a great car but its not one we can really be proud of. The engine is made in Mexico and it is assembled in Elizabeth, Australia. Then you have the Ford Focus, most of which are made in Mexico. The only cars that are actually assembled in the United States are the Buick Enclave, the Cadillac CTS, and the Saturn Aura. Both the Buick and the Cadillac are made in Lansing, Michigan and the Saturn is made in Kansas City, Kansas. If I had to choose one of these cars as the most American, I would probably choose the Cadillac because the Saturn Aura is based on the German/British Opel/Vauxhall Vectra and do we really want to say the best American car in the Inside Line Long-Term Fleet is a people-mover with rather ungainly proportions. Oh, and by the way, the Hyundai Veracruz isn't "hecho in Alabama" as James Riswick says. If you look at the window sticker of a Veracruz it says the final assembly point is Ulsan, South Korea.