Uncle Sam’s Supercars – 20 Best American Exotic Machines

2. Panoz Esperante GTR-1

If you are a 90’s kid, you probably remember the Panoz Esperante GTR-1 from cult racing games like Gran Turismo or Midtown Madness. This American supercar was the talk of the racing community in the late 90’s. Despite the promising start, Panoz built only a few racing versions and one street-legal example.

The technology behind the Esperante was for racing purposes. It had a space frame body structure, lightweight panels, two seats and a front engine they mounted towards the middle of the car for the best weight distribution. The characteristic front of the car was aerodynamically efficient, although it wasn’t that attractive. Under the hood was a Roush-built, Ford-derived V8 with over 500 HP mated to a sequential gearbox.

Panoz successfully raced the Esperante on numerous race tracks all over the world but managed to build only one street version. However, there is a rumor the company will build a new street legal Esperante GTR-1 for approximately $1 million.

3. Mosler MT900

The guy behind this car is a well-known American car constructor and entrepreneur Warren Mosler. He is already known for being behind the strange but capable Consulier GTP. But, his latest creation, the Mosler MT900, is a more successful and better-looking supercar. Mosler introduced the MT900 in 2001.

It was the product of a long development process with the goal to present a car as light and as powerful as possible. Warren Mosler managed to do just that, since the MT900 weighs only 2,500 pounds, which is less than the competitors. The car can come with either a 5.7-liter V8 with 350 HP or a 7.0-liter V8 with 435 HP in MT900 S version. Both engines are produced by Chevrolet.

Mosler MT900 stayed in production until 2011. During that time, they only made 14 cars. Mosler even produced a racing version which competed with some success in the World Endurance Racing championship.

4. SSC Ultimate Aero TT

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

They designed the Ultimate Aero to be the fastest, most powerful supercar on the market. The engineering represents a perfect blend between racing technology and street car design. The first Ultimate Aero models used a 6.2-liter Corvette racing engine with almost 800 HP to propel it to 238 mph.

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

5. 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. The W8 had a space frame chassis with Kevlar body they reinforced with a special kind of plastic.

Under the engine cover was a typical American powerhouse in form of a Chevrolet small block V8. They paired it up 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 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 lacked in sales success. When production ended in 1993, the Vector Aeromotive Company managed to produce only 22 examples of this fantastic American supercar.

6. 2004 to 2006 Ford GT

The early 2000’s supercar boost motivated many manufacturers to offer exotic cars, new models or bring back some old legendary names. Ford jumped on the bandwagon with a new retro style supercar they simply called the GT. It was an obvious successor to the fantastic Le Mans-winning GT40 from the late 60’s.

The 2004 GT was a perfect car in many ways. They introduced it during the height of the retro-futuristic car design, and it was extremely capable, powerful and fast. It was one of the best supercars on the scene and buyers loved it, even in Europe. In fact, in just two years of production, Ford managed to sell more than 4,000 examples, making it one of the most successful supercars in terms of popularity.

The heart of the Ford GT was the fabulous 5.4-liter supercharged V8 with 550 HP. The GT could go from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds with top speeds of 205 mph. Although they didn’t design or build the Ford GT with racing in mind, the car was capable in the hands of several private racing teams.

7. Chevrolet Corvette Zora

For years, there have been several strange experimental Corvettes, which they have extensively tested. The cars feature unusual mid-engine layouts and wide, almost supercar stances. Chevrolet didn’t confirm but didn’t deny the existence of special prototypes. For now it looks like the future Corvette will be mid-engined instead of the current configuration which hasn’t changed since 1953. This means that Chevrolet will produce its first supercar.

For the first time in 64-year history of the Corvette, there will be a model with the engine behind the driver. The mid-engined Corvette will be closer to the Ferrari 458 than to a muscle car and this is big news indeed. The reason is that the Corvettes has become too powerful. The classic front engine rear wheel drive layout is not enough for the 600 HP or more that modern Corvettes produce. That is why Chevrolet decided to fully re-engineer the car.

The working name is Zora after the famous Corvette engineer and racer Zora Arkus-Duntov, but they could change it before the official release. People have spotted some prototypes in testing all over the country. Chevrolet is supposed to present it to the public in production form in late 2018. It is expected to deliver 650 horsepower and a price tag of $100,000 is possible.

8. Hennessey Venom GT

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

Venom GT is not 100 percent American, but a British-American hybrid. They based it on the Lotus Elise, but they significantly modified the car. They also widened and stretched it, updating it with a different suspension, brakes, design and drivetrain. Practically everything is new and different from the original car. The power comes from a7.0-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. It held the world record for the fastest production car, accelerating from 0 to 186 mph in an average time of 13.63 seconds. The production ended in 2017 after they made 13 cars.

9. Falcon F7

In 2009, American car designer and businessman Jeff Lemke established Falcon Motorsports, a company dedicated to building high performance and limited production supercars. Their first car, the Falcon F7, debuted at the 2012 New York Motor Show.

Most car fans think the Falcon F7 is the coolest looking supercar for sale today. The silver paint, sharp front end, futuristic interior and aggressive stance makes it a recognizable vehicle. The power comes from naturally aspirated, all-alloy 7.0-liter V8 engine with 620 to 680 HP. The Falcon also announced a twin turbo version with 1,100 HP.

The production is limited, but the Falcon F7 earned praises from car magazine and customers all over the world. If you want to be a proud owner of a F7, be prepared to pay at least $195,000, which is the base price.

10. 2016 to 2020 Ford GT

The Ford GT is already on list, but the 2004 to 2006 models are totally different beasts than the current GT, which debuted in 2016. For start, these two cars only share the name and nothing else. While the previous generation was a superfast road car, the current model is a racing car for the streets full of competition parts, tricks and active aerodynamics. Ford wanted a car that would win the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time since 1969.

So they designed the new GT as a racing car. It competed in the 2016 Le Mans and won its class, exactly 50 years after the first legendary GT40 win. The engine of the new GT is a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 with 656 HP. It gives this car 0 to 60 mph times of 2.8 seconds and top speeds of 216 mph.

In fact, the GT engine almost the same as the 3.5 EcoBoost V6 from an F-150 pickup truck. Although it has some different details, the basic architecture, block, displacement and turbo technology are the same. They have limited the production to 250 cars per year, but Ford’s goal is to produce 1,000 examples by 2020.

11. Rossion Q1

Not many people know about American supercar manufacturer, Rossion. They established the company in 2006. Rossion Automotive bought the rights for the Noble M400 supercar from the British company, Noble. The Rossion brought the M400 to America, and they completely redesigned and re-engineered it introducing it as the Q1 in 2008.

The heart of the Q1 is a Ford 3.0-liter V6 engine with twin turbochargers. This combo is not only light, it is powerful, sending 508 HP to the rear wheels over a six-speed manual transmission. The performance figures are stunning, because the Q1 can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds with the top speed of 195 mph.

12. Factory Five GTM

Do you want to have an American supercar, but want to buy it on a budget and assemble it yourself? That’s no problem because the famous kit car company Factory Five Racing has just the car for you. It is the Factory Five GTM and it is a capable, fast supercar you can build in your garage. And yes, they’ve included the manual. Factory Five Racing is best known for its Shelby Cobra kits that are quality reproductions enthusiast love.

But the company made a move to the supercar market with the GTM in 2007. This is a modern car with a Kevlar body and aluminum chassis with a Corvette V8 engine. Also, lots of components like the drivetrain and suspension come from the Corvette, making it affordable. It is also easy to work on and maintain.

Due to the lightness and power, the GTM is fast with 0 to 60 mph times of around three seconds and the top speeds of over 180 mph. The basic GTM kit costs just $24,000, making it budget-friendly. However, you will have to provide the Corvette engine and drivetrain to make the GTM roadworthy.

13. Dodge Viper ACR

As you already know. ACR Vipers were always the purist’s dream. They are specially prepared road/track cars with immense possibilities, sublime handling and performance. The 2016 version was all that because it featured a unique aerodynamic package that delivered tons of downforce. This allowed the Viper ACR to break several records for production cars, including on the famous Nurburgring track.

The secret of the ACR Viper was a slightly more powerful engine delivering 645 HP. There also was significant weight loss, a perfectly balanced chassis, race tires and powerful Brembo brakes. Unfortunately, at $120,000 it wasn’t for everyone, but it was worth every cent.

14. Shelby Series One

They introduced the Series One in 1999 and it featured a gorgeous roadster body. The low silhouette and design went back to the mid-60s. However, under the body, everything was new. The Series One came with an Oldsmobile 4.0-liter V8 engine delivering 320 HP. Since the car was light, 0 to 60 mph times were around four seconds, which was fantastic for the late ’90s.

Unfortunately, U.S. regulations regarding car manufacturing forbade Shelby from producing the Series One as a regular model. He could only build it as a kit car, which he refused to do. Due to its limited availability and high price, they only built about 250 of them until 2005.

15. Callaway Sledgehammer

Rives Callaway established Callaway Cars in 1977. This was long after the muscle car craze wound down and high horsepower performance machines were just a thing of past. He specialized in producing turbocharger kits for installation on European cars. His knowledge, expertise and the start of the turbo era perfectly lined up, so the company took off.

To show the real potential of the twin turbo C4, Callaway produced the legendary Sledgehammer Corvette. It was a highly modified, heavily turbocharged 1988 Corvette that produced 898 HP and could go over 250 mph.

16. Corvette ZR1

This version of the C7 Corvette has just been released and it features an improved Z06 chassis, suspension and drivetrain. In fact, it’s an absolute beast of an engine. The 6.2-liter heavily supercharged LT4 engine pumps out 755 HP and provides 527 lb-ft of torque.

And it sends power to rear wheels through either an automatic or manual gearbox. Although they haven’t provided the exact acceleration figures or full specs, it’s easy to see this is the most powerful and craziest Corvette so far.

17. AMC AMX/3

Encouraged by the success of the Javelin and AMX, AMC management wanted to attack the sports car market. They had the funds to do so, but they didn’t have a starting point. So soon AMC hired the renewed sports car creator and ex-Ferrari engineer, Giotto Bizzarrini. They asked him to build them a modern sports car with a rear engine, transaxle gearbox and sleek body.

Bizzarrini did what he was asked to and even more, so the AMX/3 prototype was capable of 170 mph. He also gave it world-class handling and sexy Italian styling. The power was provided by AMC’s 390 V8 engine with 340 HP. Despite the promising start, AMC realized that the finished product would cost somewhere around $12,000.

This was significantly more than the similarly designed De Tomaso Pantera and almost double the price of the Corvette. Unfortunately, but understandably, they decided to kill the fantastic AMX/3 after building just six preproduction cars in 1970.

18. Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG 003

The main goal of James Glickenhaus was to create a racing car for the street that would be able to race during the day, win and take its owner back home. This was an ambitious task, but it looks like the SCG 003 is capable of being one of the world’s most versatile supercars. Glickenhaus envisioned the SCG 003 in two versions, one mainly for the street he called the Stradale and one purely for racing.

The street version has a 4.4-liter twin turbo V8 engine with 750 HP while the racing version is powered by a 3.5-liter twin turbo V6 with 490 HP output. Despite advertising the SCG 003 as a road car, the main goal of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus is racing. And this American exotic has already proven itself on Europe’s toughest tracks.

19. De Lorean DMC 12

Started by John Z. De Lorean in the late ’70s, they briefly marketed the De Lorean as the next big thing in the sports car world. Its founder was the famous ex-GM executive and market strategist who knew the car industry and all its key players. For a short time, it looked like America got a sports car brand that could rival Europe’s finest companies.

However, the production was late, so when they finally revealed the car, it was slow, underpowered and riddled with quality problems. After the initial excitement, car buyers stayed away from the DMC 12. So, De Lorean fell into big financial trouble. Although the DMC 12 looked like an exotic and superfast car, unfortunately, it wasn’t.

20. Equus Throwback

One of the newest, most exclusive American sports cars is the new, sophisticated Equus Throwback. You might remember the story about the Equus brand that concentrates on producing restomod muscle cars. But now the company has decided to go a step further in the sports car market with the 2018 Throwback.

Under the highly stylized body lies a Corvette C7 chassis and components. But Equus decided to improve every aspect of the car including the suspension, brakes, engine and gearbox. According to the press releases, the Throwback is available with the optional 1000 HP engine. This gives the car a 0 to 60 mph time of just 2.5 seconds and a top speed of over 220 mph.

This list of Uncle Sam’s supercars – the best American exotic machines contains some crazy-fast, beautiful machines. If you can’t afford any of them, perhaps you can build your own. Either way, you will be proud to approach the stop sign in any of these supercars.