While we might like to think there are many differences between foreign and American cars, the truth is that they heavily influence each other, integrating the best features of each market into their products.
These exchanges have happened throughout the history of the automobile and have created the vehicles we drive today, both foreign and American.
Increasing Fuel Efficiency
For the longest time, foreign cars had the advantage in fuel efficiency, driven largely by the higher cost of gas in European markets. However, American manufacturers didn’t want to settle for second best and made great strides to improve fuel efficiency until they became neck and neck with foreign cars. Today, they are now improving even faster.
Increasing Reliability
At one point in time, American vehicles were generally considered to be unreliable compared to foreign cars. This pushed American manufacturers to improve the quality of their cars to create sturdy vehicles that are reliable on the road.
Currently, American low- and mid-priced vehicles have better quality than their foreign counterparts, though high-end cars haven’t experienced the same rate of improvement.
Powerful Engines
Muscle cars are an iconic part of American history, and the push to create more and more powerful engines was heavily influenced by foreign cars. However, the way this was achieved was a little different in America. More recently, there has been a movement to balance this power with fuel efficiency, a long-standing weakness of muscle cars.
Sleek Aerodynamic Designs
Similar to engine design changes, the sleek aerodynamic exteriors commonly seen in foreign markets were intended to increase the overall fuel efficiency of a vehicle. This created a sophisticated look that really took off in America, replacing the old boxy designs previously dominating the streets.
There are still significant differences in the appearance of foreign and American cars, but they’re getting more similar as time passes.
Luxury Car Market
Foreign cars are designed with their appearance and comfort as a top priority, making them more luxurious than typical American vehicles. This created a luxury car market that American manufacturers were eager to enter and capitalize on the higher price tag.
While the low and mid-range American cars are still high-quality, luxury cars include more luxury features and materials to mimic those seen in foreign vehicles.
Better Safety Features
Foreign markets often have stricter consumer and manufacturing safety laws, meaning their cars often require better safety features. Technologies coming out of Germany and other European companies also spurred the increasing safety of foreign vehicles.
American consumers saw these changes and pushed American manufacturers to increase their standards.
Longer Lifespans
Along with reliability and fuel efficiency, foreign cars had longer lifespans than American vehicles for decades. However, recent strides have been made towards closing this gap, allowing more American cars to be on the road for longer and better compete with foreign vehicles.
Sports Cars and Hot Rods
Foreign cars dominated the immensely popular sports car market in the 40s and 50s. However, they came with a high price point, limited parts availability, and difficult maintenance, leading to the onset of American manufacturing. Because of their popularity, American sports cars, and later hot rods, became yet another staple of American history.
Technologic Enhancement
European cars have always been industry leaders in technological features. However, these features are rapidly being adopted by both car and technology enthusiasts across the globe. This demand for new technology puts pressure on American car manufacturers to implement these advancements as well.
Improved Handling
As the overall quality of American vehicles has improved in trying to keep pace with foreign cars, the handling has also notably improved. This enhances the overall driving experience and decreases driver fatigue, greatly appealing to many consumers. While not a direct result of foreign cars, this improved handling is largely due to other changes made in response to their influence.
Foreign and American cars both have advantages and disadvantages and have greatly influenced each other throughout automotive history. No matter which car you drive, it’s important to know what your warranty covers to best care for your vehicle.
