Top 10 Obscure American Cars

There are a lot of cars out there that weren't as famous back in the day and people seem to have forgotten them. Even today when people talk about classic cars, they don't get mentioned. These are the cars we have forgotten, overlooked, or glazed over without a second chance. Who knows what kind of hidden gems we've missed out on?! So, here's a list of 10 obscure American cars that you should know about.

Panoz Esperante

This car is about as obscure as it gets for newcomers on the scene. Most Americans have never heard of the Panoz, the car company, let alone the Panoz Esperante. However, it's a surprisingly successful car. In fact, there have been several Esperante models made over the years. From the base model GT to the 560-horsepower Spyder GT, this machine is quite the beast no matter what form it takes. It has even had a successful time on the track with the #50 Multimatic Motorsports Team Panoz Esperante GT-LM taking first place at the 55th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. They outraced GT2 regulars BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, and Spyker - pretty impressive to say the least!

Ford Galaxie

Often overshadowed by its more popular Ford brethren, the Galaxie is a very cool car. The older models from the first couple of generations are especially interesting since they were marketed during the Space Race craze that gripped the world by storm at the time - hence the car's unique name. It came in a variety of styles, from the convertible Sunliners to the two-door hard tops. No matter which year or style you own, consider yourself lucky to have this piece of American history in your garage.

Chevrolet Series 490

Black 1922 Chevrolet 490 — Lglswe via Wikimedia

While most people have heard about Chevy's first vehicle - The Chevrolet Series C Classic Six - they often overlook its successor, the Chevrolet Series 490. This classic piece of American history is important because it proved that cheaper cars sold better since they appealed to the common man, as opposed to the Classic Six which was much more expensive.

Oldsmobile Achieva SCX

Red 1992 Oldsmobile SCX — Jrobhenley via Wikimedia

The Achieva SCX was one of the last cars ever made by Oldsmobile before it shut down back in the 90s. The SCX's powertrain came with the highest output, naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine GM had at the time - the 190 horsepower, 160 pound-feet of torque W41 version of Oldsmobile's Quad 4 engine. That meant that this tough little car could compete in showroom stock racing series such as the IMSA Firehawk and SCCA GRAND-AM World Challenge. Not bad for a final hoorah from Oldsmobile before retiring.

Second-gen Buick Regal

1980 Buick Regal Red — Greg Gjerdingen via Wikimedia

While you might see plenty of first-generation (1973) Buick Regal at your local car show - and we all definitely know and love the Buick Grand National (1987) - the second-gen (1978) Buick Regal doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves. These elegant cars had style and class. They were well-known in the low-rider communities as some of the coolest cars on the block.

Last-Gen Cadillac Eldorado

2002 Eldorado Collector Series white color — O2AFAC67 via Wikimedia

The last generation of the ElDorado before it retired lost out on all the steam its predecessors had garnered. It was a dramatic improvement from the ugly 11th gen version of the car which looked clunky. And while most people love every generation before that, the 12th generation often gets missed. However, the Cadillac 12th gen has some cool stuff to offer - It got an engine upgrade and a sleeker look. The 2002 Cadillac Eldorado Collector Series was especially cool.

Lincoln Mark VIII

Here we have a car that was made for the driver - the Lincoln Mark VIII. It was a variant of the Ford Thunderbird/Mercury Cougar and unlike its predecessors, the 1993 Lincoln Mark III was focused on making the cockpit designed with the pilot in mind. They also focused on handling with its rear-wheel drive and four-wheel independent suspension, making it a ride as smooth as it looks.

Dodge Magnum SRT8

Who says wagons can't be cool? The Dodge Magnum normally gets ignored by car enthusiasts because it comes across as a humble home vehicle for running errands, and many of its versions were. However, the SRT8 got a whopping 425-horsepower 6.1-liter Hemi engine, which meant driving the car was not just practical, but fun too!

Jeep Forward Control

Willys Jeep FC-170 — JOHN LLOYD via Wikimedia

Even some avid Jeep lovers might not know about this next item. From the FC-150 to the FC-190, the Jeep "Forward Control" was an interesting vehicle. It was made by Willys Motors (now Kaiser Jeep) and only sold for nine years before being discontinued in 1964. You would be lucky to see this one at your next show!

Conquest

1985 Mitsubishi Starion — TKOIII via Wikimedia Commons

This car has a strange history and is often overlooked. Originally sold as the Mitsubishi Starion in Japan, the car was sold as the Conquest in North America under the Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth brands. This was thanks to badge engineering which allowed copies of the original to be sold in other markets.