20 Famous Supercars With Muscle Car V8 Engines

12. Saleen S7

All Ford Mustang lovers will surely recognize Steve Saleen. He is one of the best tuners of late model Mustangs and one of the most recognizable names in the business. Some say he is to ‘80s or newer Mustangs what Carroll Shelby was to ‘60s muscle cars. Either way, he is a renewed performance car builder and a legend of the American car scene.

In the early 2000s, Steve Saleen decided to branch out and enter the supercar market with the S7 model. It was a fast, good looking and powerful exotic model that featured the latest technology with proven V8 power. Saleen invested a lot of time and money into constructing the S7 and even used companies that produced parts for Formula One cars to help him in the development of this car.

The result was the 550 HP Saleen S7 he presented in 2000, immediately drawing attention from the supercar crowd. The S7’s superb performance, looks, and technology were up to par with the best European supercars at the time. In 2005, he released the even more powerful Twin Turbo version with 750 HP and a top speed of almost 250 mph. The car proved to be relatively successful, even on the racetracks, so Saleen produced a racing version, too.

13. SCC Ultimate Aero TT

The name, Shelby, is infamous throughout the automotive world. However, Jerod Shelby chose to call his company, SSC North America, just to avoid the connection with Carroll to whom he isn’t related. However, both guys named Shelby have a big need for speed. And, Jerod’s materialized in the form of the Ultimate Aero, which he introduced in 2006.

SSC designed the Ultimate Aero to be the fastest, most powerful supercar on the market. It comes with engineering that represents the perfect blend between racing technology and streetcar design. The first Ultimate Aero models used a 6.2-liter Corvette racing engine with almost 800 HP, which propelled this beast to 238 mph.

But they introduced a real treat in 2009 when they released the Ultimate Aero TT. It featured a turbocharged Corvette mill pumping out 1,200 HP. Also, it had an improved suspension, chassis and aerodynamics. Soon afterward, the Aero TT broke the production car speed record by achieving 256 mph, making it the fastest car in the world. With a price tag of close to $300.000, they only built 24 Aeros between 2006 and 2009.

14. Vector W8

The legendary Vector W8 is a wedge-shaped, V8 powered monster they presented in 1990. It was an ambitious project by the Vector Aeromotive Corporation. They wanted to produce the most advanced supercar in the world by using aeronautical technology and materials in car production. The W8 had a space frame chassis with a Kevlar body they reinforced with a special kind of plastic.

Under the engine cover was a typical American powerhouse in the form of a Chevrolet small block V8. They paired it with twin turbochargers to produce 625 HP, which was an impressive figure. The company claimed that at full boost, the 6.0-liter twin turbo engine was capable of 1,200 HP. However, they suggested drivers not use the full boost for extended periods of time, since it would affect the durability of the engine itself.

The Vector W2 cost $450,000, which was an enormous sum for the day. Despite being in numerous movies, TV shows, and computer games, it failed to translate that to sales success. When they ended production in 1993, the Vector Aeromotive Company managed to produce only 22 examples of this fantastic American supercar.

15. Ford GT

The early 2000s supercar boon motivated many manufacturers to offer exotic cars, introduce new models and revive some old legendary names. So, Ford jumped on the bandwagon with a new and retro-styled supercar they simply named the GT. It was an obvious successor to the fantastic Le Mans-winning GT40 from the late ‘60s.

The 2004 GT was a perfect car in many ways. Not only did it debut at the height of the retro-futuristic car design, but it was also extremely capable, powerful and fast. At the moment, it was one of the best supercars on the scene. In fact, most car buyers loved it, even in Europe. And, in just two years of production, Ford managed to sell more than 4,000 GTs, making it one of the most successful supercars in terms of popularity.

The heart of the Ford GT was Ford’s fabulous 5.4-liter supercharged V8 that produced a whopping 550 HP. Also, the GT was capable of achieving a 0 to 60 mph time of just 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 205 mph. Despite the fact they didn’t design or build the Ford GT with racing in mind, the car proved capable on the track in the hands of private teams.

16. Hennessey Venom GT

If you are into domestic performance cars, you certainly know about Hennessey from Texas. In the last few decades, they have been one of the biggest names in aftermarket muscle and performance car parts, conversion kits, engines and more. And since 2011, they are also supercar manufacturers, thanks to the Venom GT.

The Venom GT is not a 100 percent American car, but rather a British-American hybrid. Although they based it on the Lotus Elise, they significantly modified, widened and stretched the car with a different suspension, brakes, design and drivetrain. In fact, practically everything is new and different from the original car. The power comes from a 7.0-liter LS2 V8 engine with three power levels, 800, 1,000 and 1,200 HP.

The Venom GT was available as a coupe or convertible. Also, it held the world record for the fastest production car. The acceleration time from 0 to 60 is 13.63 seconds with a top speed of 186 mph. Sadly, they ceased production in 2017 after building just 13 Venom GTs.

17. Panoz Esperante GT-1

You might have forgotten about Panoz, but the Esperante was a serious, race-bred supercar. The technology behind the Esperante was clearly for racing purposes. It had a space frame body structure, lightweight panels and two seats.

Also, they mounted the front engine towards the middle of the car for the best weight distribution. And better still, under the hood was a Roush-built, Ford-derived V8 delivering over 500 HP they mated to a sequential gearbox.

18. MG X-Power SV Coupe

The story of this remarkable car is, unfortunately, a sad one. This was one of the last true UK-USA hybrids and a modern-day muscle coupe. It came with Italian styling, an American engine and British exclusivity. They constructed the car in Modena, Italy and finished it in England. They designed the MG X-Power to deliver a sports car-level of performance with aggressive muscle styling and a soundtrack to match.

Under the hood was a Ford-sourced 4.6-liter V8 engine straight from the Mustang they tuned to produce 320 HP. MG even offered a supercharged version that was capable of 540 HP. They presented the car in 2003. And although it was one of the most interesting releases, MG lacked the image and reputation to achieve success on the global market.

For sale for just three years, they discontinued the X-Power in 2005. Today, this is a forgotten piece of the British muscle car class. However, it is a highly capable V8 powered coupe with brutal looks and performance.

19. Zenvo ST1

When thinking of supercars, Denmark doesn’t usually come to mind, but the Zenvo ST1 will change that. This Danish supercar has all the right ingredients to be the perfect sports car of the 21st century. It comes with a modern design, space-age materials and a big LS7 V8 in the back.

And although they borrowed the engine from the Chevrolet Camaro, Zenvo tuned it to deliver close to 1,100 HP. And with that kind of firepower, the ST1 has a top speed of a neck-breaking 233 mph.

20. TVR Griffith

One of the biggest news in the sports car field is the return of the TVR brand. This small British company has always produced interesting, fast coupes and convertibles/ And that is what earned them the respect of sports car enthusiasts all over the world. Unfortunately, financial problems stopped its production, so the TVR was clinically dead for a few years.

Fortunately, the Zenvo management found enough investors to secure a new model they called the Griffith. It is a proper sports machine with a Mustang 5.0-liter V8, sending 500 HP to the rear wheels over a six-speed manual transmission.

These are 20 of the most famous supercars with muscle car V8 engines. Did you find your favorite in this list? They are all so amazing, it’s hard to choose just one. In fact, all of these machines are fast, attractive and interesting.