While most American classic cars earned their iconic status the minute they hit the streets, there a few that didn't quite make a great first impression.
Cars such as the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang are perfect examples of American cars that came right out of the gate immediately successful and beloved by the public. Their build quality and performance were amazing and they became forever remembered icons that remain important in car culture today.
On the other end of the spectrum are cool cars that no one seemed to appreciate or give enough credit to, even if big brands such as Ford and Jeep released them. Still, as time went on, many have realized that certain cars were actually great and deserve recognition. Sometimes, it takes quite a while for cars to actually become considered great classics, but every one of the vehicles on this list is both culturally important and iconic in its own right.
8 AMC Hornet
The AMC Hornet was not the best-received car. It was released into austerity and wasn't as big as Americans liked. It was a compact car and didn't offer the prestige and size of other basic cars.
However, the sporty version did enhance the car's prospects, with the short deck and long hood being found in the Chevrolet Camaro. Many enjoyed the SC/360 as it came with a V8 engine and boosted the power quite a bit. Also, the car is famous for appearing in pop culture films and was featured in The Man with the Golden Gun in 1974.
7 1974 Pontiac GTO
The Pontiac GTO is a completely iconic car that many love and it will forever be remembered in car culture. It really reflected how good Pontiac cars were in the 1960s, however, as time went on, muscle cars like this one became less popular—as was the case in the 1970s. Due to the oil crisis in 1973, the GTO in 1974 was met with emissions regulations and it simply wasn't as popular.
The car, however, was pretty good. It came with a V8 engine, but power wasn't the highest that the Pontiac could have been and the public knew this. With the changes in popular opinion and the issues with the oil crisis, we're not surprised that it wasn't well-liked—but it really is still a great car by the Pontiac brand.
6 Chevrolet Corvair
The Chevrolet Corvair was considered 'unsafe' at any speed. It is sad because Ralph Nader deemed the Corvair unsafe, even though it wasn't unsafe at all, which definitely tarnished much of the success of the Corvair.
However, many believe the Corvair was ahead of its time and it was actually quite a good car considering its addition of a turbocharged engine. The second-generation Corvair received new safety features and it is truly a great American classic that deserves more recognition.
5 Ford Edsel
The Ford Edsel is considered to be a massive failure in car culture. The car was named after Henry Ford's son and it was meant to be as big as the Lincoln in terms of impact and iconicity. However, the car was a struggle for dealers to shift as it was so expensive and fuel-hungry.
It simply didn't sell well. And dealers had to give away free ponies with the car to shift stock. The car did receive an update and there were some good reviews, but the history stuck with it. Nowadays, however, the car has become a classic because of its cultural importance and because they are incredibly difficult to get a hold of.
4 Chrysler Airflow
The Chrysler Airflow was released in 1934, and it was very advanced. It was considered to be way ahead of its time because it had wind-tested styling, which was not to the liking of many people. As such, the car didn't sell well at all.
It is quite sad as the car is actually a great classic because it’s an early example of aerodynamic-styling being used in cars. It has become quite collectible because of its history and its importance in car culture.
3 Jeep Super Wagoneer
The Jeep Super Wagoneer was released in 1966. The car wasn't very popular and people weren't exactly excited about a luxury Jeep. Many didn't see the point in buying one, and the car ended production only three years after its initial release.
However, the car is actually a great American classic because it is often deemed as being the first luxury 4x4, even before the Range Rover. It was understandable as to why plenty of Jeep users did not require a luxury version, however, it can easily be seen as the car that allowed for brands to continue to innovate and build on.
2 Pontiac Fiero
Upon its release, the Pontiac Fiero was not the great car it was looking to be. Instead, it came with a lot of budget cuts and issues in performance, which were common in US cars during the 1980s. It came with the Iron Duke engine, which is infamously bad. The release of the car in 1984 was incredibly bad and many disliked the mid-engined layout.
However, by 1985, the Pontiac Fiero was actually a fantastic car as it experienced some upgrades and the brand managed to deal with most of the issues in the car. Coming with a great powertrain and much-improved handling, the car was much more popular and was well received. However, the original branding stuck and the car struggled.
1 AMC Gremlin
Another one for AMC on this list. The Gremlin was launched in 1970 and was actually based on the AMC Hornet. It was definitely an eye-catching car that managed to be practical too. However, many looked down on the car because of its obscure appearance and because it looked quite cheap.
However, it was a brilliant car. It was a compact car that, despite being cheap, performed well and came with a wide choice of engines. Sadly, the looks and cheapness of the car let it down in the market, which was quite disappointing considering its greatness if we look back at it nowadays.