Well-Designed American Cars

Since everyone is down on the big three automakers these days, I want to highlight what I think are some well-designed American cars.

All of these cars are currently sold under a big-three American brand (that means no Volt, and no Saabs) Also, by design, I refer only to exterior aesthetics – I haven’t had a chance to drive any of these, so I can’t vouch for interior styling, practicality, engineering quality, etc.

Without further ado…

Chrysler 300

With its huge grill and armored-car looks, the Chrysler 300 looks truly menacing. If I was a drug dealer, I’d definitely want one of these.

Ford Mustang

Just like the New Beetle captured the essence of the original bug, the Ford Mustang embodies the classic American Muscle Car (yup, I just compared the Mustang to the New Beetle…).

Cadillac XLR

My personal favorite, I think of the angular Cadillac XLR as the “cubist SL500″.

While most US cars are bland and shapeless, I think these cars all achieve a coherent, thoughtful aesthetic designed to appeal to a particular audience. I’m not about to go out and buy one, but it’s great to see some good-looking vehicles coming from Detroit.

How about you – what cars from the big-three automakers do you admire?