To the true sports fan, no other annual event is like March Madness. The 64 best college basketball teams in the United States compete in venues countrywide in a single, head-to-head, lose-one-and-you-are-done elimination tournament to determine a national champion. It's intense, on and off the court. In 2012, the competition has been fierce, and there have been a number of serious upsets.
Unfortunately, domestic automakers have no such tournament to decide the best vehicle to come out of the Motor City. So in honor of the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight weekend, we've decided to pit our eight domestic favorites head-to-head and let you choose which is the best of the best from Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. These vehicles all deliver excellent value, satisfying driving dynamics and the utility their buyers need.
After you check out the candidates, go to the MSN Autos Poll at the bottom of any page to vote for your favorite.
Bing: Best American Automobiles
Luxury: Cadillac CTS
The Cadillac CTS is the worthy competitor in this class, the best among a clutch of unworthy rivals. We certainly like the Chrysler 300, but it straddles the line between standard and luxury. The CTS offers plenty of power, athletic moves and a roomy and high-quality interior. It stands out as an elegant yet sporty midsize car that is a credible rival for a cadre of European cars that are among the best in the world. The high-performance Cadillac CTS-V can go toe-to-toe with heavyweights such as the BMW M3 and Mercedes AMG. Too bad no other U.S. automaker competes as well with those cars. We're looking at you, Lincoln.
View Slideshow: Car and Driver's 2012 '10Best' Cars
Passenger Car: Ford Fusion
It wasn't too long ago that no domestic midsize sedan was competitive with the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. Thanks to refinements made for the 2010 model year, the Ford Fusion is one of the better family sedans on the market. It offers a quality interior, pleasant road manners, a fuel-efficient 4-cylinder base engine and a powerful V6 option. The Fusion beats out the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu because the Malibu is offered only as a mild hybrid. The Malibu may surpass the current Fusion when two more engines are added this summer, but the next Fusion, due late this year, looks like a great leap forward.
Compare: Ford Fusion vs. Chevrolet Malibu vs. Chrysler 200
Sports Car: Chevrolet Corvette
Until the Viper returns later this year, this time as an SRT model instead of as a Dodge, the Corvette has no domestic sports-car competition. Still, no list of the best American cars is complete without the Corvette. It offers performance to meet or beat its European and Japanese rivals at prices that are often tens of thousand of dollars less. Even in base trim, the Corvette is an elite performer, but we prefer the beefier brakes, firmer suspension and larger tires you get with the Grand Sport, which starts at $56,000 for the coupe and $59,600 for the convertible.
View Slideshow: The 600-Horsepower Club
Pony Car/Sports Coupe: Ford Mustang
Until recently, the Mustang was sitting there, an easy target. Yet when Dodge and Chevrolet developed pony cars of their own, they couldn't match it. It weighs 300 pounds less than the Challenger and 200 pounds less than the Camaro, making it more agile through corners and more fun to drive overall. Its 5.0-liter V8 engine also revs more willingly than the other cars' V8s, so its power is more accessible. For 2013, Ford makes the Mustang even better by tuning the steering for sharper responses and giving the GT trim eight more horsepower. Our favorite Mustang is the Boss 302. It is practically track-ready, yet it still rides well enough to be used as a daily driver.
Watch Video: 2012 Ford Mustang
Vote for the best American car in the MSN Autos Poll, located under Related Content below.
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