America is home to some of the biggest car manufacturers in the world. While the automotive industry traces its roots to Europe, the automotive revolution is traced back to the United States of America. Back in the day, cars were only built for society’s elite demographic.
However, this changed when Henry Ford introduced the world to affordable cars. This went on to set the pace for competition among car manufacturers, with every car company trying to outdo the other.
This competition led to the rapid development of the American car industry. Vehicle innovation was at its all-time high. Big cars were quickly making their way into the garages of many people, and these big flamboyant cars were nicknamed “Land Yachts”. The land yacht culture was cultivated in the early ‘50s and continued until the late ‘90s.
10 1963 Dodge Custom 880
From the early ‘60s, the demand for the bigger car was on the rise and Dodge was not to be left behind. With the pressure to compete with Chevrolet and Chrysler, Dodge went ahead and built the 1963 Dodge Custom 88O.
The Custom 880 is a four-door hardtop rear-wheel-drive sedan. This land yacht is powered by a 360.8 cui V8 engine that pushes 265 horsepower and delivers 380 lb-ft of torque. This behemoth measures 214.8 inches in length, 79-inches in width, and weighs 3745 pounds. The Dodge Custom 880 has a top speed of 119 mph and accelerates from 0-60 mph in 8.3 seconds.
9 1975 Dodge Charger SE
When you think of the Charger, the first thing that comes to mind is a loud and aggressive muscle car. However, the 1975 Dodge Charger SE was the opposite of what the modern charger is. The Dodge Charger SE is more of a luxury coupe than it is a muscle car.
The Dodge Charger SE is a two-door coupe that measures 216 inches in length and 76.3 inches in width. The 1975 Dodge Charger SE features a 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine that sends 150 brake horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque to the car’s rear wheels.
8 1970 Ford LTD
The 1970 Ford LTD was one of the best-selling Ford vehicles between 1969 and 1978. Over 7.75 million units of the second generation Ford LTD were sold during the nine years of production.
The Ford LTD featured some of the most intriguing gizmos and fixtures. These included retractable headlights, a die-cast grille that was inspired by the Ford Thunderbird, attractive exterior molding, an electric clock, and a Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission. The Ford LTD is powered by a 5.8-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine that delivers 240 brake horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. This car measures 216.2 inches in length and 79.2 inches in width.
7 1971 Buick Riviera
The 1971 Buick Riviera was built to compete with and outdo the Ford Thunderbird. Nicknamed the “boat-tail”, the 1971 Riviera is a second-generation Riviera that Buick made bigger and bolder than its predecessors.
This car features a unique design that has its rear end curved to mimic a boat tail, hence its nickname. Although the Riviera looked beautiful, it didn’t garner as much popularity as Buick hopped it would. The car’s full-flow ventilation system had a habit of sucking in rainwater and exhaust fumes into the car. This was a shortcoming that many Buick clients could not overlook.
6 1969 Dodge Polara
The 1969 Dodge Polara is a four-door sedan that features a 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine that was mounted on the front. This engine has a maximum output of 230 brake horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque.
The Dodge Polara is a perfect definition of a land yacht. This car measures 220.8 inches in length and 79.3 inches in girth. During its production, the Dodge Polara was available in five different body styles, that all came with standard V8 engines that varied in power outputs.
5 1959 Chrysler New Yorker Town & Country Wagon
The 1959 Chrysler New Yorker Town & Country Wagon is an all-American five-door wagon whose design is attributed to Virgil Exner. This vehicle features a rear-wheel-drive drivetrain, a 6.4-liter V8 engine that was paired with a three-speed automatic transmission.
The engine in this car pushes 350 horsepower and delivers 470 lb-ft of torque to the vehicle’s rear wheels. The Chrysler New Yorker & Country Wagon measures 220.1 inches in length and 79.5 inches in width. This ride accelerates from 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds and its top speed stands at 123 mph.
4 1980 Plymouth Gran Fury
The 1980 Plymouth Gran Fury is a car that was once considered a police favorite. During its production years, the Plymouth Gran Fury lived to satisfy the demands of the fleet market. Unlike other cars that got bigger as the years went by, the Plymouth Gran Fury downsized.
The Plymouth Gran Fury has three engine options – a 3.7-liter slant 6 I6 engine, a 5.2-liter LA V8 engine, and a 5.9L LA V8 engine. All these engines are paired with a three-speed automatic transmission. The Plymouth fury measures 221.5 inches in length and 79.3 inches in width.
3 1973 Chevrolet Impala Custom Coupe
When Chevrolet unveiled the 1973 Chevrolet Impala Custom Coupe, their pitch sounded more or less like a political campaign speech. While its marketing was unorthodox, the Impala Custom Coupe lived up to the hype.
This two-door coupe was powered by a 350 cubic-inch Turbo-Fire V8 engine that was paired with a turbo hydramatic transmission. This engine had a maximum output of 145 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. The 1973 Chevrolet Impala Custom Coupe measures 221.9 inches in length and 79.5 inches in width.
2 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible
The 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible is the "Golden one”. The last 200 units of the Eldorado were bought in a scramble, with everyone wanting a piece of this iconic car. Built to commemorate America’s 200th birthday, the Eldorado convertible came in white with red and blue pinstripes.
This car is powered by an 8.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine that pushed 190 brake horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque to the car’s front-wheel-drive drivetrain. The 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible measures 224.1 inches in length and 79.8 inches in width.
1 1976 Ford Thunderbird
The 1976 Ford Thunderbird was a car that screamed luxury from a mile away. The Thunderbird featured some of the plushest interior ever, with a cozy cabin whose floor was lined with fluffy carpeting, a chrome-embellished cockpit.
The Thunderbird was powered by a 215 hp 7.0-liter V8 engine that was paired with a three-speed Cruise-o-Matic transmission. The Ford Thunderbird measures 225 inches in length and 79.3 inches in width.