Automotive

Great American Supercars

Great American Supercars Urban Courtier

Great American Supercars

American automakers have a long history of producing high-performance cars. In recent years, that tradition has continued with the advent of ‘supercars. These vehicles combine extreme power and 200+ mph speed, with sleek design and luxurious features. If you’re looking for the best of the best, here are some great American supercars to consider. The SSC Tuatara, Saleen S7 Twin Turbo, Hennessey Venom GT, and Ford GT are all excellent examples of what our country can produce in terms of supercar excellence.

SSC Tuatara

SSC Tuatara photo / Great American Supercars

The SSC Tuatara is one of the most hotly anticipated American Supercars ever. Designed to take the top speed crown from the legendary Buggati Chiron Super Sport 300+ as the fastest car of all time, the Tuatara is on a mission to get an American Supercar back on top of the leaderboard.

SSC Tuatara photo

While its powertrain, a 5.9 liter mid-mounted twin-turbo V8, seems paltry compared to the Chirons massive 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16, it actually packs more punch at 1750bhp and a massive 1280lb-ft of torque. It also destroys the german Bugg when it comes to weight, coming in at only 2750 lbs dry compared to the Chirons 4400 lbs.

SSC Tuatara photo

The SSC Tuatara’s top speed is estimated to be well above 300mph, and the company hopes to test that out very soon. So it’s fair to say the Chirons’ days at the top of the leaderboard might be short-lived.

Great American Supercars: SSC Tuatara

bhp: 1750
torque: 1280 lb-ft
top speed: 300mph+ (claimed)
0-60: 2.5s

Saleen S7 Twin Turbo

Saleen S7 photo / Great American Supercars

Saleen, a company best known for modified Mustangs, decided it wanted a crack at building a supercar, and that’s how we got the S7 Twin Turbo. With none of the pedigree of the Italian and German giants such as Ferrari and Bugatti, Saleen knew it had to go big just to get everyone’s attention.

Saleen S7 photo

Powered by a 4.7-liter mid-mounted twin-turbo V8, the S7 kicked out more than 700 ponies, almost 100 more than you got from the most powerful Ferrari at the time, the Enzo. The S7 Twin-Turbo was a true analog American supercar with no stability or even traction control to speak of.

Saleen S7 photo

The S7 Twin-Turbo was never a car for the faint of heart. You had to have the precision of a racing driver to get anywhere near its limits. With a dry weight of fewer than 3000 lbs, it was a bit lively in the corners, and that’s putting it mildly.

Great American Supercars: Saleen S7 Twin Turbo

bhp: 750
torque: 700 lb-ft
top speed: 248mph
0-60: 3.2s

Hennessey Venom GT

Hennessey Venom GT photo / Great American Supercars

It’s hard to believe an American supercar that demolished the Veyron’s top speed, reaching speeds above 270mph, was based on a humble British Lotus. Hennessey, another tuning company known for turning ordinary humdrum cars into tire-shredding speed demons, was responsible for the legendary Venom GT.

Hennessey Venom GT photo

Powered by a 5.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine pumping out more than 1200bhp, all nestled inside an aerodynamic, lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum composite body weighs about as much as a small hatchback.

Hennessey Venom GT photo

The Founder John Hennessey built the Venom GT to break the Buggati Veyron Super Sports top speed record. And that’s exactly what he did on Feb 14, 2014, at NASA’s Kennedy space center, reaching a verified top speed of 270.49mph.

Great American Supercars: Hennessey Venom GT

bhp: 1244
torque: 1155 lb-ft
top speed: 270mph
0-60: 2.4s

Ford GT

The Ford GT is just about the most iconic American Supercar of all time. The original GT called the GT40 was the first and only American Supercar to ever win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, crushing Enzo Ferrari and his beloved thoroughbred racecars for three years in a row at the track.

The 2020 Ford GT is not only one of the most beautiful American cars of all time but also one of the greatest. With 660 horses from only a respectable 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, it can thrash Lamborghinis and Ferraris with twice the cylinder counts all day long.

SSC Tuatara photo

The aero on the car alone is enough to make up for any deficits in powers or angry engine noises. Activate race mode, and the car hunkers down to the road, dropping 50 millimeters in height. Allowing this classic American Supercar to one-up anything the Germans and Italians can conjure up.

Great American Supercars: Ford GT

bhp: 647
torque: 550lb-ft
top speed: 216mh
0-60: 3.0s

American SupercarsENGINEBHPTORQUETOP SPEED0-60
SC Tuatara5.9 liter twin-turbo V817501280 lb-ft300mph+2.5s
Saleen S7 Twin Turbo4.7-liter twin-turbo V8750700 lb-ft248mph3.2s
Hennessey Venom GT5.0-liter twin-turbo V812441155 lb-ft270mph2.4s
Ford GT3.5-liter twin-turbo V6647550lb-ft216mh3.0s
Great American Supercars: Comparison Chart

Conclusion

While this list is by no means exhaustive, it does provide a snapshot of some of the best American supercars on the market today. If you’re in the market for a high-performance car that will turn heads wherever you go, any of these vehicles would be a great choice. Are there any other cars you think should be included in this list? Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts! Thanks for reading!

About author

Carl Dawson is an automotive blogger who writes about the latest news and trends in the car industry. He has a passion for cars and loves to share his knowledge with others. Carl is a self-taught mechanic and enjoys working on his own vehicles. He also enjoys racing and track days.
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