Who really challenged American cars? After World War II, U.S. factories were still standing, while Europe and Japan lay in ruins. America took off fast cheap gas, a booming middle class. By the 1950s, U.S. cars dominated the world. Then the oil crisis of the early ’70s changed everything. Big V8s became a liability. And that’s when Japanese cars stormed the market, cheaper, more reliable, and far more fuel-efficient. | Buro Facts