10 of the Most Important Vehicles from 1968-2023

This year, we’ve been taking a look back at the past 55 years of automobile evolution to help celebrate the 55th birthday of our favorite speed shop.

Want to see more tidbits from Summit Racing’s history? Start here. 

Using the Summit Racing Facebook page, we crowd-sourced a list of what your fellow gearheads thought were vehicles that best represented important milestones and trends in automotive history, 1968-2023.

Here’s what we came up with. Do you agree with the choices and the rationale for picking them? Let us know in the comments below.

Keep in mind, this was not a list of the best performance cars. While we agree that cars like the Mustang, Camaro, Viper, Corvette, etc. are super-duper, we wanted to focus on the entire automotive universe here. Want performance? Check out this: 10 of the Most Significant Performance Vehicles from 1968-2023.

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10 of the Most Important Vehicles from 1968-2023

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10. Dodge Cummins-Powered Diesel Trucks

Suggested by Kyle L.

When Dodge decided to stuff a Cummins diesel engine into its Dodge Ram back in 1989, it was a proverbial gauntlet-slap to its competitors. Not only did the move significantly boost Dodge Ram sales, it spurred the rest of the truck world (namely Chevy and Ford) to accelerate their efforts in the diesel segment.

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9. Tesla Model 3

Suggested by Scott G.

With the Model 3, Tesla demonstrated that electric vehicles weren’t just a curiosity—they can be practical performers as well. Perhaps more importantly, the Model 3 proved that they could be affordable too; well over a million have rolled off the production line.

Summit Racing turned a Tesla Model 3 into a land speed record holder and a serious autocross racer. Read all about it in the White Lightning build series.

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8. Jeep CJ-7

Suggested by Tom M.

While quite a few readers simply said ‘Jeep,’ the CJ-7 was often pictured alongside their suggestion. With increased cargo space, bigger doors, and optional automatic transmission and fiberglass top, the CJ-7 bridged the gap between the utilitarian CJ-series and the future Wrangler.

You may enjoy this too: Spotter’s Guide: A Quick Rundown of the Jeep CJ Generations

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#7. AMC Eagle

Suggested by Erich V.D.

Look at any major automobile manufacturer’s vehicle line-up, and you’ll probably see a category for ‘crossover.’ These vehicles fuse the link between truck-based SUVs and easier-to-handle cars. What a good idea, right? Yeah, so good, that AMC was actually making crossovers way back in the 1970s, with its all-wheel-drive Eagle line.

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#6. Chrysler PT Cruiser

Suggested by Jordan G.

What’s often overlooked about the PT Cruiser is that it was one of the first to usher-in the retro-styling trend that permeated the early 21st-century—a path followed by the Mustang, Camaro, HHR, 300, Challenger, Thunderbird, Mini, and others. Chrysler sold more than a million of ’em, despite the fact that no significant changes were made to the vehicle over it’s almost decade-long run.

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#5. Ford Explorer

Suggested by Jim M. 

Sure, there had been “sport utility” vehicles prior (heck, Ford itself had been making the Bronco since 1966), but it was the Explorer that really brought the SUV to suburban driveways and shopping malls. More refined than their utilitarian forerunners, the Ford Explorer dominated the SUV segment as it matured in the 1990s.

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#4. Toyota Prius

Suggested by Brad H.

Can you believe Toyota’s been making the Prius for more than two decades? Though it wasn’t technically the first electric/gasoline-powered vehicle, it certainly was the first mass-produced hybrid. With more than two million sold, Toyota proved that a fuel-efficient vehicle design wasn’t just practical, it was downright marketable.

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#3. Honda Civic

Suggested by Andrew B.

Before the Civic hit U.S. shores in the early 1970s, many Americans thought Honda was ‘just’ a motorcycle company. Not only did the Civic establish Honda’s footprint as a legit global auto manufacturer, it predicted the influx of Japanese imports that radically altered the North American automobile market.

Into early Hondas? You may enjoy these articles too:
* The S600 is an Evolutionary Link Between Honda’s Cars & Motorcycles
* This 1972 Honda Z600 is All Original & a Former Autocross Champ

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#2. Dodge Caravan

Suggested by Shawn S.

Before SUVs ruled the Earth, the minivan was the official family hauler. Born from the shadows of the 1970s gas crisis, the minivan was the perfect alternative to downsized passenger sedans and gas-sucking full-size vans. The Dodge Caravan (and its Mopar cousins) even get partial credit for helping save the Chrysler Corporation.

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#1. Ford F-150

Suggested by Ruben H.

To adapt to changing emissions regulations in 1975, Ford added a heavier ‘F-150’ platform to its F-series truck lineup, and thus a legend was born. Since its launch, the F-150 has become the best-selling truck in the United States and the benchmark by which other trucks are measured.

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