The Least-American American Cars

It was the most talked about two minutes of television in years; a kind of post-industrial morality play with a thumping soundtrack and a new Chrysler rolling through the gritty streets of Detroit, past vacant factories and shadowy stadiums named for bygone heroes. This, Chrysler brand CEO Olivier Francois told the audience at the 2011 New York International Auto Show, was not just another Super Bowl commercial; this was a car that was proud to be “imported from Detroit.”

It was soul stirring to say the least, backed up with the strains of a live gospel chorus and mind-blowing audio effects. Still, in these times of multinationals and gazillion-dollar bailouts you had to wonder – how American was it?

An interesting question to be sure, and one Chrysler loyalists might find preposterous. After all, Chrysler has been an American institution since 1920; the marque brought us the Hemi engine, the minivan, and interiors swathed in rich Corinthian leather. But that was then.

_{Source: Car and Driver}