I'm from Europe and back in 2002 I visited Washington DC (first and only visit of USA). I can fully understand why people gasp at American cars. I vividly remember spotting a Ford Thunderbird (the Retro Bird of 2001-2005) in the wild, a car that I only knew from pictures.
Did you know that you can’t really get a sedan that can tow in the US anymore? How are those sedans with the exact same models sold in the EU, but they’re just not rated for towing (and using them for towing makes them uninsurable)
So to me, my big grin is when I see a bmw 328i hauling a trailer.