The American sports car industry is much more diverse than most gearheads give it credit for! There’s more to this game than muscle cars, and it doesn’t just revolve around Detroit’s Big Three, either. In fact, there are even American boutique supercars that can rival Ferraris.
There are far too many excellent American sports cars to mention them all here, so we’ll just focus on some of the most desirable modern models from the last 25 years.
Chevrolet Corvette C8 Z06
Chevrolet introduced the C8 Corvette in 2020, and it’s a proper supercar you can buy for sports car money. The Corvette Z06 arrived in 2023, offering more power than you’ll realistically ever need for regular use.
The C8 ‘Vette Z06 has a brand-new 5.5-liter V8 that just happens to be the most powerful naturally aspirated production V8 engine ever. A whopping 670 horsepower is sure to put a smile on any driver’s face, and thanks to the flat-plane crank, the soundtrack is more like a Ferrari than American muscle, further blurring the lines between sports car and supercar.
Ford Mustang GTD
Recently, the Mustang GTD dropped jaws throughout the automotive publishing world as it smashed through the 7-minute barrier at the infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife. The track is one of the most challenging in the world, but the new ‘Stang beat all American cars that ever went round there, and quite a few exotic European ones as well.
Granted, this isn’t your average pony car, it’s a barely road-legal supercar in a Mustang dress. With 815 hp, 50/50 weight balance, and plenty of aero to provide downforce, the GTD marks a whole new chapter in the Mustang’s history.
Dodge Viper ACR
The Dodge Viper may not be in production anymore, but it will forever be remembered as one of the most iconic American sports cars ever. Over the years, its engine size grew from 8.0 liters to 8.3 and 8.4 liters – all in V10 form – and Lamborghini helped develop that engine.
The Viper ACR was a road-legal track version, and it was an absolute beast. It featured upgraded suspension, chassis, and engine. Dodge also fitted stickier tires and a huge wing on the back for maximum grip.
Chevrolet Corvette C7 ZR1
The C7 Corvette was the last of the traditional front-engined models, and the ZR1 is the meanest of them all. The C7 ZR1 makes over 100 hp more than its predecessor, the C6 ZR1.
The reason for the C7 ZR1’s hike in power is the 6.2-liter V8 engine that’s fitted with an Eaton. This combination sends 755 hp to the rear wheels, and makes a majestic roar in the process. To help keep it on the road, the ZR1 received some substantial aero upgrades, which also make it look far more aggressive.
Cadillac XLR
Cadillac’s attempt to build a sports car didn’t end well. Not many people bought it, so production didn’t last long. Since it was based on the Corvette platform, but more expensive, heavier, and less powerful than the ‘Vette, it wasn’t a wise purchase when it was new.
However, these days, it’s a bargain. The base model uses the 4.6-liter Northstar V8 with 320 horses and 310 lb-ft of torque. There’s also the XLR-V with a supercharged 4.4-liter engine, and with 443 hp and 414 lb-ft of torque, it will launch from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds
Czinger 21C
Czinger is an American sports car manufacturer most people haven’t heard of. The company was only established in 2019, so it is still young. However, they didn’t waste any time and immediately started working on the 21C supercar.
Czinger designed the 21C using AI, and advanced 3D printing technology is part of the production method. That’s not the only hi-tech aspect of the 21C, though – it uses a hybrid powertrain that generates a truly astonishing 1,350 horsepower.
SSC Ultimate Aero TT
SSC North America was founded in the late 1990s by Jerod Shelby — he’s not related to the legend Carroll Shelby, by the way. Much like the more famous Shelby, Jerod wanted to build a sports car that would beat the Europeans at their own game.
SSC’s first car was the Ultimate Aero, and its mission was to set a new speed record for production cars. It failed. SSC slapped a couple of turbochargers on it, and the Ultimate Aero TT was born — a car so fast, it beat the Bugatti Veyron’s record by achieving a 256 mph top speed.
Ford GT
The first-generation Ford GT was styled to resemble the original GT40. It was powered by a supercharged V8, and had an unhinged thirst for premium gas.
Its successor used a turbocharged V6 instead of a V8, but still produced 100 more horsepower than its V8-powered predecessor. Ford raced the GT at Le Mans in 2016 and won the LM GTE-Pro class 50 years after the GT40 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
The Saleen S7 Twin Turbo adorned many a teenager’s room in poster form back in the 2000s. Saleen initially rose to fame by making performance parts for Fords, and the Saleen S7 was their first attempt at building a car from scratch.
The S7 was right up there with Europe’s finest supercars. It looked stunning, drove great, and there was plenty of power. The S7 Twin Turbo had a top speed of 248 mph, making it one of the fastest cars of the 2000s.
SSC Tuatara
After the SSC Ultimate Aero TT was crowned the world’s fastest production car, Bugatti didn’t waste any time and soon regained the title. SSC knew they couldn’t squeeze more speed and power from the Ultimate Aero TT, so they came up with its successor, the SSC Tuatara.
SSC unveiled the Tuatara in 2020 with a 5.9-liter SSC Twin-Turbo flat-plane crank V8 engine. Power output is nothing short of ridiculous, with 1,350 horsepower on 91 octane, 1,750 horsepower with E85 flex fuel, and 2,200 horsepower on methanol. The Tuatara eventually managed to set a top speed of 295 mph.
Hennessey Venom F5
Hennessey is best known for its highly-tuned sports cars, muscle cars, and trucks that can produce over 1,000 horsepower while remaining reliable. The Texas-based tuner also built the Venom GT, which was essentially a stretched Lotus Exige with tons of power.
More recently, Hennessey built the Venom F5, and it’s nothing like its predecessor. The Venom F5 is built from scratch by Hennessey, and it has a 1,817-horsepower twin-turbo V8 engine.
Drakan Spyder
The Drakan Spyder is like an American take on the British track day specials, such as the Caterham 7, Ariel Atom, and BAC Mono. It’s road-legal, but more at home on the racetrack.
The Drakan Spyder weighs just 2,000 lbs and has an LS3 V8 with 400 horsepower, which gives it practically the same power-to-weight ratio as the immensely powerful Bugatti Veyron.
Lucra LC470
The Lucra LC470 is the brainchild of American entrepreneur Luke Richards. The car combines Euro-inspired retro styling with blue-collar American performance in the form of a V8 engine.
The Lucra LC470 is hand-built, and no matter which engine buyers opt for, the car will pack a severe punch. There’s a 6.3-liter LS3 with 430 horsepower, which should be enough for most, or a 7.0-liter LS7 V8 with 505 wild stallions. Luckily, its driving dynamics match the power. It even had an appearance in the 6th installment of the Fast & Furious movie franchise.
Panoz Avezzano
Panoz is a small sports carmaker based in Georgia, and the company’s most famous sports car is arguably the super-rare Esperante GTR-1, built to satisfy homologation requirements, complete with questionable (but functional) styling. However, the Esperante GTR-1 isn’t the only sports car Panoz has built. The Panoz Avezzano is a road-going model, and it looks like a normal sports car, unlike its racing-focused older sibling.
While the Avezzano may not have the aggressive in-your-face styling, it still packs a serious punch. Panoz gave it a lightweight aluminum and carbon-fiber body, along with a 430 horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine.
Equus Throwback
Michigan-based Equus Automotive is perhaps best known for its retro-styled Bass muscle car, a model that seemed to combine the best parts of various classic muscle cars. The Equus Throwback may remind you of the Chevy Corvette, and there’s a reason for that.
Equus based the Throwback’s design on the ‘Vette, but it has more power than any Corvette we’ve ever seen. A massive V8 produces a whopping 1,000 horsepower and 822 lb-ft of torque.
VLF Force 1 V10
Have you heard of VLF Automotive? Most people haven’t, but the company had some big names involved. Gilbert Villareal and Bob Lutz founded the company, and Henrik Fisker later joined them as the lead designer. Take the first letter of each last name, and what do you get? That’s right, VLF!
The VLF Force 1 is a high-end sports car that’s based on the Dodge Viper, using its chassis and engine. American racing driver and Viper enthusiast Ben Keating was also involved with developing the Force 1, so the 8.4-liter V10 engine produces 745 horsepower instead of 640 as it does in the Viper. Apparently, the Force 1 will reach 60 mph in 3.0 seconds and has a 218 mph top speed.
Sporty Machines
While there may not be as many sports cars available as there once were, American carmakers have still churned out some interesting models since the start of the millennium.
This list barely scratches the surface, and if you feel we left some out, let us know in the comments. If you’re interested in more content about American cars and automotive culture, please give us a like on Facebook to stay up to date.
