Nothing Beats an All-American Car
America is home to some of the most famous car brands on the planet. We're talking Ford, Chrysler, Buick, Cadillac, Tesla — the list goes on! All of these brands have gone on to build incredible reputations within the industry. And to celebrate that, we're going to take a deep-dive look into the history of 12 big names in particular, charting their rise to prominence. So fasten your seatbelts, folks.
Ford
Where better to start this journey than Ford? After all, it's arguably one of the most influential car brands in automotive history! The Ford Motor Company was founded back in June 1903 by Henry Ford, an ambitious industrialist. Having already built his first car around seven years earlier, he spearheaded a project that changed the game forever.
Yep, Ford released the iconic Model T in 1908 — a car that would rack up around 15 million sales over the next 19 years. The brand only grew from there, rolling out vehicles such as the Thunderbird, the Mustang, and the Taurus across the following decades. It became a powerhouse in the industry.
Jeep
As World War II began, the United States Army looked to get their hands on a new "light reconnaissance vehicle." Willys-Overland Motors stepped up to the challenge, and created a prototype in November 1940. From there, production on the first Jeep motor began a year later. And going into 1945, the Jeep brand made its bow.
The brand went from strength-to-strength after that. Over the next few decades, Jeep established itself with a range of awesome on and off-road vehicles. The Wagoneer, the Grand Cherokee, and the Wrangler are just some examples.
Lucid Motors
Compared to most of the brands on this list, Lucid Motors is a young pup in the industry. It started out life as Atieva in 2007 — a supplier of powertrains and EV batteries to other companies. Then, around seven years later, plans were put in place for Atieva to build its own electric car.
Atieva changed its name to Lucid Motors in 2016 and went on to release its first vehicle in 2021. The car's name? The Lucid Air. Since then, the Lucid Gravity has also come out. We can't wait to see what's next!
GMC
Back in 1900, Morris and Max Grabowsky founded the Grabowsky Motor Company. They changed the name to the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company a couple of years later, before General Motors acquired it in 1909. After that, Rapid was soon folded into a new brand known as the General Motors Truck Company in 1911.
The name was shortened to GMC after 12 months or so! Ever since then, it's gradually established itself as the go-to brand for drivers looking to buy utility motors and trucks.
Dodge
How's this for a cool journey? After getting their start with a bicycle company in the late-1890s, Horace Elgin Dodge and John Francis Dodge established the Dodge Brothers Company in 1900. They were producing important vehicle components for other automotive companies during that time. But in 1914, the siblings built their first car under the Dodge brand.
The Dodge Model 30 proved to be a big success, firmly establishing the brand in the process. And while Dodge was eventually bought by the Chrysler Corporation in 1928, it's continued to produce some amazing cars in the decades since.
Rivian
Another fairly young brand, Rivian was established in 2009 by an engineer named Robert "RJ" Scaringe. His main aim was to make more sustainable forms of transport. So, the brand started to design and develop new electric vehicles over the next few years, ahead of a big moment in 2015.
Yep, Rivian introduced its R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck models at that time. The vehicles eventually hit the market in 2021. And with more models on the way, the future looks very bright for the brand.
Cadillac
Cadillac got its start back in 1902, as Henry Leland established the brand. It didn't take long until the vehicles under its banner were lauded for their quality. By 1904 it had more than 2,500 motors on the market! Cadillac's stock continued to rise for the next few years, ahead of its acquisition by General Motors in 1909.
From there, the brand went on to create some incredibly stylish cars. The DeVille wowed motorists in the late-1950s, as did the Fleetwood and Seville the following decade. Today, Cadillac's fully-focused on going electric.
Tesla
Tesla was established by Marc Tarpenning and Martin Eberhard in the summer of 2003. Elon Musk was then named chairman the following year. The brand introduced its first electric vehicle, the Roadster, in 2006 — but there was a two-year wait before it hit the market. It was worth it, though.
While the Roadster wasn't a significant hit, it did pave the way for Tesla's huge success going forward. With cars such as the Model S and the Model 3 following it, the brand became a juggernaut.
Chrysler
When Walter P. Chrysler joined the ailing Maxwell Motor Company in 1920, massive changes soon followed. He took control in 1923 and renamed the business two years later, calling it the Chrysler Corporation. The Chrysler brand was introduced that summer. And it certainly had an effect. Chrysler became very popular thanks to its line-up of cars.
The Imperial, the New Yorker, the Windsor, the Concorde, and the Newport are just some of the brand's big-hitters. What a selection! Nowadays, Chrysler is part of a new company called Stellantis.
Buick
The Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company first opened its doors in 1899, producing two cars over the next couple of years. It was then renamed as the Buick Motor Company in 1903, before General Motors bought the brand five years later. By that point, Buick had already built more than 8,000 vehicles.
And the brand only got stronger as time went on. Thanks to those efforts, Buick leads the way as the oldest carmaker still in business in America. That's some achievement, right!
Lincoln
Remember Henry Leland from earlier? Well, he didn't just start Cadillac! In 1917 he and his son Wilfred also established the Lincoln Motor Company. But they weren't in control for long. Due to significant money problems, the Ford Motor Company bought the business in 1922. The Lincoln brand survived, though.
As the years progressed, Lincoln became known for its luxury motors, with the Continental and Town Car models standing out. Today, the brand is focused on competing in the SUV market.
Chevrolet
The Chevrolet Motor Company was born in November 1911, and it didn't take long until its debut models went into production. Going into 1918, the company then joined General Motors and became one of its brands. From there, Chevrolet has gone on to establish itself as a giant in the industry.
Yes, the brand has been responsible for some truly beloved car models over the years. The Corvette, the Bel Air, the Camaro, the Impala, and the Chevelle are just a few star-studded examples.
Through: Ivan Radic