While American manufacturers have always focused on producing cars that are accessible to the general public, there has always been this American car that stood out for its high price tag. This despite the fact that these cars come from good traditional manufacturers such as Ford, Chevy, Cadillac, etc.
The following list, however, does not just showcase conventional American brands. A few small-scale innovators produced limited edition models, which then became the most expensive of their years.
Adjusted for inflation, these prices are eight or ten times higher than they were at the time of production. Considering their rarity, some of these models are currently worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Let’s take a look at the 10 American cars with the highest MSRP when they launched and what their prices would look like when adjusted for inflation today.
ten
2019 Ford GT $ 560,000
The Ford GT is a continuation of the 2005 model, although the original design concept came from the Le Mans winning GT40. The original model was manufactured by Ford in order to beat Ferrari which at the time dominated endurance racing circles.
Needless to say, the Ford GT was a huge hit and one of the biggest successes in American auto racing, hence the huge price tag of the GT40 at auction. It goes without saying that the new GT is so expensive. Interestingly, however, it has a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine instead of the characteristic supercharged V8 of the previous generation.
9
2005 Saleen S7 $ 1,000,000 (today $ 1,400,000)
The S7 is one of the most underrated supercars in history. It is powered by a 7-liter Windsor V8 rear mid-engine producing 750 horsepower at its peak. If that wasn’t enough, the S7 came with a six-speed manual transmission and can go from 0 to 100 km / h in 3.2 seconds.
Saleen retired the model from production in 2009 after a decorated history in motorsport. The price may have been a little over half a million dollars during production, but that price has doubled since the shutdown.
8
Cadillac DeVille 1998 $ 42,960 ($ 70,344 today)
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The DeVille was the epitome of ’90s style and elegance. Cadillac reinvented the concept of the traditional sedan and redesigned the front of the windshield while abandoning the half-moon rear wheels. The model was also equipped with the StabiliTrak, which is an integrated chassis control system that prevents lateral skidding of all four wheels.
The great thing about the DeVille is that it offered several comforts that weren’t readily available on any of the models of the day, from new radio systems to improved programmability of door locks.
7
1980s DMC DeLorean $ 34,000 ($ 80,000 today)
The iconic Delorean is one of the most popular models of its time due to the daring of its history. The design was unlike anything that had been done before, involving the gull wing shaped doors. The design was so avant-garde and futuristic that it earned the DeLorean an important role in the Back to the future movie franchise.
It was equipped with a 2.7-liter V6 engine developing 130 horsepower. Unfortunately, it lacked power and suffered from a number of mechanical problems. The cost of production as well as the promotion are probably what led to the high price.
6
1976 Stutz Blackhawk $ 47,500 (today $ 228,000)
The Stutz Blackhawk is best described as an ultra-luxurious American car produced in the 1970s and early 1980s. The villainous body shape, headlights and renal grille definitely add to the appeal. As if to cement the style’s status, Elvis Presley owned one, and it was one of his favorites.
As a typical old-school American model, the Blackhawk had a 5.0-liter V8 as its base engine. With a power rating of 425 hp, the Blackhawk could accelerate to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds.
5
1969 Ford GT40 $ 20,000 ($ 149,000 today)
As mentioned earlier, the Ford GT has a rich heritage that began with the GT40. When Ferrari turned down advances on the purchase of Ford, Ford opted to build a sporty model that could compete at the same level at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Ford GT40 is the product of this project, which involved Ford, Shelby American and key drivers of the time. Due to its intense history, the GT40, which was discontinued and remade as the GT, is now priced just under $ 10 million.
4
1955 Continental Mark II $ 9,966 (today $ 101,000)
The first Continental debuted in the mid-1950s as the Mark II. The high-end luxury coupe may not have achieved the commercial success hoped for, but it was one of the most influential models of the time. The Mark II was one of the heaviest cars of the era, even with a 6-liter V8 and a turbo engine producing 285 horsepower.
It is not surprising that the acceleration was 16 seconds at 60 mph. That said, the Continental Mark II had a luxurious interior fitted with noble and durable materials.
3
1948 Tucker 48 $ 4,000 (today $ 45,405)
The Tucker 48 was commonly referred to as the “car of the future”, given technical innovations ahead of its time. These included an independent suspension, an unbreakable windshield and a parking brake that was also an anti-theft device.
The model apparently used a Bell 47 helicopter engine, an air-cooled 5.5-liter flat-six engine capable of 166 horsepower. Space-age modifications and innovation have made this item a significant rarity, and its price has risen well above what the model’s MSRP would be today when adjusted for inflation, as it is now valued at over $ 2 million.
2
1932 Duesenberg Model SJ $ 8,500 (today $ 169,300)
Equipped with a 7-liter inline-eight producing 265 horsepower, the SJ was incredibly powerful for its time. The SJ model featured a short wheelbase wrapped in Rollston’s body.
Produced between 1928 and 1937, the Duesenberg was not only a performance car but also a luxury car. The body and interior trim were apparently custom made by a third party to the buyer’s specifications.
1
1924 Chrysler Model B-70 $ 1,535 (today $ 24,506)
The B-70 was the first model to carry the Chrysler moniker as designed by Fred Zeder. Its first public exhibition was at the New York Auto Show in 1924. It had advanced engineering features that were not common at the time, hence its price tag.
The engine was a naturally aspirated engine Six-cylinder 3.3-liter side-valve making 68 horsepower. The styling of the b-70 was rather conventional and clean, with flowing fenders and classic lines.
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