You know the names, but you may not the history behind some of the biggest automobile makers out there. Learn about the good, the bad and the ugly on car manufacturers.
Kaiser made inventive cars during the 1940s and 1950s that just never caught on with the public. Kaiser was experimenting with the idea of plastic-bodied cars. Read about the history of Kaiser in this article. See more »
Harley Earl has been called the father of American automotive design. See our list of 11 design innovations of Harley Earl such as the Wraparound Windshield and the Auto-Styling Studio to find out why.
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Classic cars span decades and continents to capture the highest achievements in automotive art and engineering. Learn about hundreds of great classic cars from 1930 to today in these richly illustrated articles.
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Allstate cars were a short-lived experiment conducted by Sears to try to break into the automobile industry. Allstates are extremely rare today, and thus more desired by collectors. Learn about Allstate's mail-order car.
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AMC was born from the failing Rambler company. They became a distinct make in 1966. Learn how AMC built the Gremlin and Javelin, bought out Jeep, and was in turn bought out by Chrysler.
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The 1930 Austin American Roadster was more of a novelty than transportation. American Austin made midget cars more than a foot shorter than the VW Beetle. Learn why even a starring movie role couldn't sell American Austins.
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Though the Auburns best remembered today were built in the '30s and late '20s, the marque was established way back in 1903. That's when brothers Frank and Morris Eckhart began selling an $800 chain-drive runabout with a single-cylinder engine.
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Avanti splintered off from the Studebaker name in 1965 and since that time has gone through a series of owners. Avanti II gained success by being hand-built for each customer. Learn about the history of Avanti.
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Checker is best known for specially designing taxicabs and airport limousines. They later built cars like the Superba and Marathon for the public. Find out more about Checker cars.
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Cord produced cars for only 10 years, but they are deemed to be some of the best ever built. The man behind it all was Errett Lobban Cord. Read about the Cord company and its cars in this article.
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Crosley cars created unique models from the sporty Hotshot to the handy FarmORoad. Founder Powel Crosley, Jr. entered the auto industry in 1939. Read about the history of the now-defunct Crosley company.
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Prosperity seemed endless in 1928, when the fast-rising new Chrysler Corporation purchased Dodge and issued its first DeSoto. These good times were short-lived, but the DeSoto would be one of the few pre-Depression "expansion" models to survive.
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The cars built by the Duesenberg brothers are still considered among the finest ever made. With their vast experience and growing reputation in racing, the Duesenbergs built their first road car. Learn more about the fascinating run of the Duesenberg.
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Eagle was formed by Chrysler from the defunct American Motors Corporation. Chrysler inherited the right to use the Eagle name on their cars after buying AMC. Learn why Chrysler bought the name from Renault and what they did with it.
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Edsel was formed by Ford to match GM model-for-model, but by the time Edsel debuted the entire market was depressed and the medium-price segment had shriveled from 25 to 18 percent. Learn how and what it meant for Edsel.
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Essex manufactured cars for Hudson that were actually so well-received the name was dropped from common use. Find out why and how the Essex helped turn Hudson around.
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Excalibur has an exciting and turbulent history lasting more than 40 years. From the classic automobiles, to the history behind them, the Excalibur Phaeton and Excalibur Roadster are a collector's dream. Learn more about Excalibur.
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Franklin set itself apart from other automakers by using air-cooled engines and lightweight aluminum parts. Franklin was ahead of the industry by selling more sedans than open cars before 1920. Learn more about Franklin cars.
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Frazer made genuinely new post-war cars, while most automakers released redesigned prewar models. They looked good, very clean, with modest horizontal grilles, and little decorative chrome or sculptured sheet metal. Learn how this helped Frazer get started.
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The Graham brothers originally built trucks for Dodge before buying their own company. The Grahams prospered with cars as quickly as they had with trucks. Learn how they went on to produce classic if ill-fated cars.
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Henry J. Kaiser a former partner of Joseph Frazer borrowed money to design a car after their partnership dissolved. With no little modesty, he named it the Henry J. Learn about the Henry J's fate.
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