Detroit’s identity is inseparable from the automobile. Long before the city became known as the Motor City, it was already developing the manufacturing expertise, engineering talent, and industrial infrastructure that would eventually transform personal transportation.
Automakers such as Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler helped turn Detroit into the center of America’s automotive industry, while a succession of influential cars established the city’s reputation around the world.
Some of these automobiles were revolutionary because they changed how cars were built. Others became cultural icons that defined entire generations of American drivers…