The automotive industry is inherently competitive, with every manufacturer jockeying with each other in the marketplace. Automakers have to convince potential customers that their vehicles are better than what their rivals are producing. This goes far beyond flashy ad campaigns and smooth-talking salespeople. It’s first and foremost tied to how drivers feel about their cars. We want to know which automaker is currently the best in the world and why?
Cadillac isn’t my answer today, but it is the first automaker that comes to mind when the question is brought up. The automaker’s tagline, “The Standard of The World,” was a strong promotional element for most of the brand’s history. The motto was inspired by Britain’s Royal Automobile Club awarding the Dewar Trophy to Cadillac in 1908. The trophy is given to companies that produce innovations that advance the automobile industry as a whole.
![A 1965 Cadillac magazine ad featuring the ‘Standard of the World’ tagline](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/67535804116425e737432fd362056996.jpg)
Cadillac won for its cutting-edge parts interchangeability. Three 1907 Model K Cadillacs were driven 25 miles from a London showroom to Brooklands. The cars then completed 10 laps of the 2.7-mile track and were completely disassembled with manual tools. The components from all three cars were put into a single pile. Some parts were taken away and replaced with replacement parts from the showroom. Three cars were eventually reassembled with the parts from the combined pile and completed a 500-mile run.
Please share which automaker you think is currently the best in the world in the comments below, and leave the grueling reliability trials to the professionals.