Or because it was heavily marketed by Hollywood and American entertainment. Which I am sure you will claim are only popular because they're just that much better than local entertainment, and that this has nothing to do with how local entertainment has only locals to fund it, while American media is effectively globally funded.
American culture really caught on only during world war II, when people around the world experienced first hand the sheer wealth of American soliders.
It works in the context of being a wealthy superpower with access to almost limitless energy sources(mainly oil), but attempts at emulating it outside of this context look silly.
Case in point: new housing in my corner of the world is in large part sprawl. People flock to it, because they crave the same amazing amount of living space Americans usually enjoy.
Problem is, as a percentage of wages, fuel is easily at least four times as expensive around here. Also cities aren't nearly as car-oriented as in the US.
