Foreign Engines, American Roads: A Century of Imported Cars in the United States

From steamships to superchargers, Foreign Engines, American Roads is the definitive narrative of how imported cars reshaped the American landscape. This sweeping, century-long chronicle explores the evolving U.S. appetite for European and Japanese vehicles-from the first Benz delivered to New York in the 1890s to the electric and autonomous marvels now assembled in Tennessee, Texas, and beyond.

Along the way, the book charts how imports challenged Detroit's dominance, redefined performance and prestige, and forged a passionate culture that spans concourse lawns and street circuits alike. Fact-rich yet elegantly told, it is a story of machines, makers, and the millions of Americans who made room in their garages-and their hearts-for something foreign.