American or British: How Many Cars Can You Identify?

By: Robin Tyler
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
American or British: How Many Cars Can You Identify?
Image: Wiki Commons by Neil

About This Quiz

No doubt about it, both the British and Germans have made many fine cars over the decades; of that, there is no doubt.

Although it was Karl Benz, a German, who invited the modern car, the British soon were in on the act. And what was their immediate contribution? Luxury. Yes, the British couldn't help themselves. Their cars had to be as luxurious as possible. Early Jaguar, Rolls Royce and MG models were a cut above anything else produced around the world in terms of luxury.

And America. Well, American engineers threw themselves into developing cars even before the start of the 20th century. Charles and Frank Duryea setup the Duryea Motor Wagon Company in 1893, Henry Ford built the Ford Quadricycle in 1896 and Ransom E. Olds formed Olds Motor Vehicle Company (later Oldsmobile) in 1897. It was the Olds Motor Vehicle Company that dominated the early car scene in America with their model the Curved Dash. In fact, by 1901, the company was already making use of production lines when making their cars. 

Today, both Britain and America continue to give us motor vehicles that not only perform well but are beautiful to look at. Sometimes that's the most important thing!

Now, would you be able to tell whether a vehicle is American or British by just looking at it? This is certainly a test with a difference. How do you think you will do?

Apollo
Wiki Commons by Bull-Doser
In this image, we have a vehicle produced in the 1970s. Do you think it would have come from Britain or the States?
Britain
United States
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Produced between 1973 and 1975, the Apollo from Buick was available as a two-door coupe, hatchback and 4-door sedan. The most powerful engine option available for the Apollo was a 350 cubic inch 5.7-liter V8.

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Cosmopolitan
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
From the early 1950s, is this a British or American design?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Available in a two-door as a coupe or convertible and as a four-door sedan, the Cosmopolitan was produced by Lincoln between 1949 and 1954. Power came from a 337 cubic inch 5.5-liter V8 coupled to either a 3-speed manual or 4-speed automatic gearbox.

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MG M-Type Midget
Wiki Commons by SG2012
Its beautiful, right? Is it British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The MG M-Type Midget was produced by MG from 1929 to 1932. It was available as both a roadster and coupe.

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Mini
Wiki Commons by Lothar Spurzem
You can't possibly get this one wrong. Do we have a British or American car here?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Perhaps one of the most famous cars ever produced, the Mini first appeared in England 1959 with the Mark 1. This small car was produced with into the late 1990s with various upgrades and changes over the years. In 2000, BMW bought the brand and introduced the Mini ONE. Although the shape paid homage to the original, these were much larger cars. In the past 5 years, over 270,000 Mini models were sold in the United States.

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Buick Wildcat
Wiki Commons by dave_7
The 1970 version of this car is considered to be a muscle car. But is it a British or American make?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Produced from 1962 to 1970, the Buick Wildcat changed in looks pretty much every year. One thing that remained constant was the V8 engines found under the hood. The final model, produced in 1970, included a new 455 cubic inch V8 that produced 370 brake horsepower.

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Brougham
Wiki Commons by Thomas's Pics
More than 220,000 units of the vehicle pictured here sold in just 5 years! Is it American or British?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

From 1987 until 1992, the Brougham saw sales of over 220,000 units. This popular Cadillac was a full-size luxury 4-door sedan with three powerplant options, all above 5.0 liters and all V8s.

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Austin Healey 3000
Wiki Commons by eigenes Foto
Extremely popular in America, can you tell us if this vehicle is British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Built between 1959 and 1967, the Austin-Healey 3000 was powered by a 2.9-liter straight-6 engine. This two-door vehicle was available as a roadster or convertible, and many made their way to North America. In fact, in 1963, over 90% of the 3000s produced actually ended up in the United States.

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Cordoba
Wiki Commons by CZmarlin
Was the car in this image made in America or Britain?
Britain
America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A luxury coupe, the Cordoba was marketed by Chrysler between 1975 and 1983 and over two generations. The Cordoba also featured in Nascar in for two seasons. The largest engine to power a Cordoba was a 5.2-liter V8.

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Range Rover
Wiki Commons by Alexander Migl
Here we have a luxury SUV. Is it British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With its large interior, smooth ride and above-average off-roading abilities, the Range Rover is the perfect off-roader when partaking in the sport in a group. The stock Range Rover comes with a supercharged V6, but for a few dollars more, consider one of the two supercharged V8 options.

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Rover P6
Wiki Commons by Kieran White
Here we have the European Car of the Year from 1966. British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

J.K. Starley, founder of Rover, designed an early electric car in 1888 that never went into production. The Rover 8, the first car produced by the company, saw the light of day in 1904. Over the years, Rover has produced a range of different cars. Their P6, produced in the ‘60s and ‘70s, was the very first car to win the European Car of the Year award in 1964.

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Baja Bronco
Lou Costabile via YouTube
Is this a British or American off-roader?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Baja Bronco was based on the race-winning Fords of off-roader Bill Stroppe. No more than 650 were produced, each custom fitted by Stroppe himself. Changes included bigger wheel arches and tires, roll cages, different lights and much more.

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Jeep Commander CRd
Wiki Commons by Luftfahrrad
Any ideas if this vehicle originated in Britain or America?
Britain
America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Jeep Commander CRD Limited has a 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine that produces 214 brake horsepower. Performance is not as impressive as the V8 model, but you will save money at the gas station, as the CRD Limited is not as thirsty as the V8. Essentially, this is a very decent seven-seater off-roader.

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Bentley 4.5 Litre
Wiki Commons by Sémhur
In 2012, a vehicle like the one pictured here sold for $6.4 million at auction. Is it British or American made?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2012, a Bentley 4½ Litre Le Mans Sports "Bobtail" sold for $6.449 million at an auction in California. These cars set a number of records in the early 1930s, which just add to their attraction ... and price!

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Grand Prix
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Do you think the vehicle in this image is of British or American origin?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Grand Prix was built by Pontiac between as a coupe between 1962 and 2002 and a sedan between 1988 and 2008. It underwent a number of cosmetic changes during its seven generations but always had a number of V8 engine options to give it that muscle car appeal.

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Typhoon
Wiki Commons by Arrrghhh
British or American? This performance pickup could hit 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds.
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Take a 4.3-liter turbocharged V6 as well as the transmission of a Corvette, couple that with an all-wheel-drive truck, and what do you have? A Typhoon, that's what. The GMC Typhoon was faster than many sports cars of the time and easily raced to 60 mph from a standing start in under 5 seconds.

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Chevette
Wiki Commons by ThePaper
The car pictured here sold 2.8 million models in 12 years. Do you know if it was American or British?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With sales of 2.8 million over a 12-year period, the Chevette served Chevrolet well in the subcompact class. In fact, in 1979 and 1980, it was the best-selling small car in the United States.

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Land Rover Defender
Wiki Commons by OSX
Which nation is responsible for this off-roader first seen in 1983?
Britain
America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Maurice Wilks designed the first Land Rover in 1947. Over the years, the Land Rover has become a favorite of many, with the Defender being one of the company's most iconic models. The first Defender rolled off the production lines in 1983 and remained in production until 2016.

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1950 Studebaker Commander
Wiki Commons by Sfoskett~commonswiki
Is this 1950s convertible American or British?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Commander badge has been put on a number of Studebakers since the 1920s. The vehicles from the 1950s, however, are particularly in demand with restorers, especially the 1950 Studebaker Commander convertible. This is indeed a classic car.

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MG Metro
Wiki Commons by Kieran White
Around 120,000 of these cars were made in an eight-year period in the 1980s. Was it a British or American creation?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

First marketed in 1982, over 120,000 MG Metros were built until 1990 when the model was discontinued. The Metro was powered 1.3-liter engine and was based on the Austin Metro.

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McLaren
Wiki Commons by Jordiferrer
A road car with Formula 1 pedigree. Is it British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The McLaren P1, a road car produced by Formula One racing team McLaren, was first manufactured in 2014. It is powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 and produces 903 horsepower.

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Rolls Royce Twenty
Wiki Commons by SG2012
Built in the 1920s, around 2,900 of these cars were manufactured. Can you identify them as British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Available as a four-door convertible and sedan, a 7-year production run saw just over 2,900 models of the Rolls-Royce Twenty manufactured. It was powered by a 3.1-liter engine.

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Jaguar D-Type
Wiki Commons by Neil
It's beautiful, and someone recently paid over $21 million for one. Is it an expensive American or British car?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2016, a buyer paid $21.8 million for a 1950s, Jaguar D-Type! Simply staggering numbers for an equally staggeringly beautiful car.

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Lotus Elise
Wiki Commons by kees torn
Pictured here is a much-loved agile, rear-wheel-drive roadster. Is it British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This two-door, rear-wheel-drive roadster first turned an engine over in anger in 1996. Still produced today, the Lotus Elise remains a fun, nimble car to drive with plenty of power under your foot.

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Hudson Big Boy
vance minnis via YouTube
Can you tell us if this very early pickup model is British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Released in the 1930s, the Big Boy C28 was built by the Hudson Motor Company. It came with a 6-cylinder engine as well as a 3-speed manual transmission. This is a 1946 Hudson Big Boy.

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AMC Gremlin
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
A muscle car, just not as popular as many others. Is it a British or American model?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The American Motors Corporation produced the subcompact-class Gremlin between 1970 and 1978. A number of models were produced, but it was the Gremlin powered by either a 5.0-liter or 6.6-liter V8 that's considered to be a muscle car.

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Rolls Royce Ghost
Wiki Commons by Motohide Miwa
Is this luxury four-door saloon American or British?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

First introduced in 2009, the Ghost from Rolls Royce is a luxury four-door saloon. It takes its name from the first Rolls Royce ever produced and is currently in its second generation. Interestingly, the Ghost is powered by a BMW N74 6.6 L twin-turbo V12 that produces 563 brake horsepower.

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2003 MG ZT
Wiki Commons by OSX
Released in 2003, is the executive vehicle shown here British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 2003 MG ZT is an executive vehicle available as a four-door sedan or five-door wagon. A V8 model was released in 2003, powered by a 4.6-liter Ford engine.

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Bentley Speed Six Tourer
Wiki Commons by Craig Howell
Only 182 of this vehicle were ever made. Did it originate in Great Britain or America?
Britain
America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Christie's sold one of only 182 Bentley Speed Six Tourers in 2004 for $5.1 million dollars. It's not difficult to see why, as this Bentley from the early 1930s is a beauty.

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Lotus 72
Wiki Commons by espinya
This Formula 1 car was revolutionary. Who designed it?
Britain
America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Until the Lotus 72C appeared in 1970, Formula 1 cars were fairly bulky. The 72C was far more aerodynamic thanks to its wedge shape. Jochen Rindt became the only driver to win the Formula 1 championship posthumously after he died in a race before the end of the season.

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Lotus Esprit
Wiki Commons by Mick
Is this sports car British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

By the time 1996 rolled along, the Lotus Esprit had been in production for over 20 years. The V8, however, quickly became a firm favorite. It was powered by an aluminum V8 engine coupled to a 5- or 6-speed manual transmission. The V8 could reach a top speed of 175 mph and go from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds.

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McLaren MP4-4
Wiki Commons by Midx1004
Here we have one of the greatest Formula One cars of all time. Who was responsible for its design? Britain or America?
Britain
America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The McLaren MP4/4 is possibly the greatest Formula One car ever built. It won 15 out of 16 races in 1988, giving Ayrton Senna his first world title.

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Ford Model R
Wiki Commons by James Case
Is this car British or American in origin?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford Model R was only produced for a brief period between 1906 and 1908. Essentially, it was the same as the Model N, but the body was a little bigger, with larger fenders and an oil lamp.

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Curved Dash Oldsmobile
Wiki Commons by www.RemarkableCars.com ©2006
One of the first cars to be produced using a primitive production line, do you know if the vehicle in this image came from Britain or America?
Britain
America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Curved Dash Oldsmobile was released in 1901 and built to 1907. Before Ford first dreamt about his production line, Oldsmobile was living it when producing the Curved Dash. Although let’s be honest, it still looks like a horseless carriage. The Model T started to look more like a car. Over 19,000 of the Curved Dash Oldsmobiles were produced.

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Howmet TX
Wiki Commons by Brian Snelson
A jet car? Yes, that's a jet car! And who was responsible for that? The British or the Americans?
British
Americans
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A jet car ... yes, a jet car. Well, to be precise, a gas turbine. The Howmet TX was an experimental car powered by a gas turbine engine. It raced around the world, even at Le Mans in 1968, but it was plagued by reliability problems.

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Stout Scarab
Wiki Commons by i_am_jim
This 1930s design, although not a success, is considered to be the first ever minivan. Is it British or American?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many automobile enthusiasts believe the Stout Scarab to be the first ever minivan, although the designers and the general public might not have known it at the time. You can certainly see why they named it the Scarab, as it looks like an elongated beetle.

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Chaparral 2J
Wiki Commons by Hugh Lunnon
This race car was soon banned because of its downforce-inducing fan. Was it a British or American make?
British
American
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With a massive fan on the back and low side skirts, the Chaparral 2J sucked to the tarmac, giving the car incredible downforce and making it two seconds a lap faster than its competitors in the 1970 Can-Am series. It was soon banned.

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Granada
Wiki Commons by Charlie
Introduced in the United States in 1975, the vehicle shown here was popular in Europe as well. Do you know who made it?
Britain
America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford Granada was marketed as a mid-sized car in the United States between 1975 and 1982. It came in many guises, including a two- and four-door sedan, station wagon, and a two-door coupe. The Granada was also sold in Europe.

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Wiki Commons by Neil