American cars -- Inferior from the beginning

And they LIED about it, too!
In November of 1943, the U.S. military conducted a series of tests on several VW type 82 K�belwagens they had captured in North Africa; they concluded that the vehicle was simpler, easier to manufacture and maintain, faster, and more comfortable for four passengers than the U.S. Jeeps. This statement is at odds with U.S. War Department Technical Manual TM-E 30-451, Handbook on German Military Forces, dated 15 March 1945. In this manual (p. 416), it states 'The Volkswagen, the German equivalent of the U.S. Jeep, is inferior in every way except in the comfort of its seating accommodations.'

Right from the get-go, Detroit iron hypnotized us with horsepower while shorting us on automotive advances. Think about it. We were late with radial tires, late with seat belts, and at this writing we are still using cast-iron block, push-rod engines. We use this DECADES-OLD engine technology simply because it works, and Detroit has a stockpile of them. The rest of the world has moved on to lighter aluminum blocks.

Europe also pioneered parallel stroke wipers and, believe it or not, sun roofs.

Don't cry for these guys -- Believe me, they never cared about you..