Many people around the world probably believe that Henry Ford invented the automobile. The true creator of the car as we know it was actually a German inventor, Karl Benz, who built the Benz Patent Motorcar in 1885. Henry Ford, on the other hand, popularized the new invention with his pioneering production line methods. Ever since those first cars replaced horse-drawn carriages, the pursuit of speed and power has remained at the forefront of automotive development. Engine output has benefited from the miracles of forced induction, fuel injection, and improved metallurgy. Handling received upgrades in the form of adaptive suspension, active aerodynamics, and eventually the advent of electronically-controlled all-wheel drive.
Updated March 2022: Whether you're into German or American cars, there are plenty of ridiculously fast models to choose from. We've updated this list to give you even more information about some of the awesome models out there.
The result is that even commuter cars today radically outperform racing cars from the earliest days of the automobile. But the competition between brands and nations continues as every manufacturer tries to one-up their competition, and when it comes to the highest-end arena, sports cars receives the most attention and therefore the most money for design and development. The result is an arms war, but this is one war where everyone wins. As sports cars from Germany and America get faster and faster, more and more luxurious, and more affordable, it can be hard to keep track of which cars are the best today. Keep scrolling for 9 incredible German sports cars, and 9 American cars that will beat them.
18 Amazing German Sports Car: Porsche 918 Spyder
Porsche released the 918 Spyder in 2013, revealing to the world their vision of the future of the sports car. An incredible exterior design hearkened back to early Porsches like the 904 and 917 competition racing cars, but with a modern touch that highlighted the advanced hybrid drivetrain underneath all those smooth curves. A 4.6-liter, 608 horsepower V8 pairs with a 154 horsepower electric engine to power the rear wheels, while a smaller 125 horsepower electric engine powers the front axle. Total output for the entire system is 887 horsepower and 944 lb-ft of torque, good enough to launch the 3,600 pound car to 60 miles per hour in only 2.5 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 217 miles per hour.
Though the Panamera S received Porsche's first plug-in hybrid drivetrain, the 918 Spyder was the German company's first to feature a hybrid drivetrain in a dedicated sports car, and the result speak for themselves. The 918 Spyder broke a number of Motortrend's performance records at the time, for speed, grip, and braking, all while offering up to 12 miles of fully electric driving range. Owning a piece of Porsche's future cost a sky-high price tag of $845,000, but the limited run of 918 units sold out, nonetheless.
17 Incredible American Performance Car: Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
American sports cars often trace their lineage to the muscle car mania of the 1960s and 70s, and nowhere is that more true than with Dodge's current reimagining of the Challenger. Especially in Demon trim with the Demon Crate package, where a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 under that big hood cranks out 840 horsepower and 770 lb-ft of torque. The Demon is no small car, weighing in at almost 4,500 pounds, but all that power means it can sprint to 60 miles per hour in only 2.3 seconds. Of course, that much grunt requires wide tires, which also allow the Demon to post a respectable 0.92 g of grip despite its high profile and aggressive exterior profile. But this car is all about mind-numbing power, and it can churn through tires with the best that Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have to offer.
Big brakes, burbly exhaust, and a roomy interior round out the package, while a price tag in the low $80,000 range means a Demon is a solid option for an American sports car that easily competes with the best that Germany has to offer. (For maniacs who don't think a Demon is enough, Hennessey Performance can boost horsepower to over 1,000 with a supercharger upgrade.)
16 Amazing German Sports Car: Porsche 911 Carrera S
Porsche's 911 line has been in continuous production since its initial release in 1963, as the German manufacturer constantly redesigns, refines, and improves on the world's most classic rear-engined sports coupe. Though the platform remains largely the same as its initial conception, exterior styling revisions signal the improvements to the powertrain underneath. A dizzying variety of 911 models over the years makes direct comparison difficult, but the best way to consider the line is typically the rear wheel drive Carrera S.
While stats for the first 911s, which had a naturally aspirated flat six that produced 130 horsepower, may seem paltry today, the car was one of the best performing production vehicles of its time. Today's 911 Carrera S is larger, longer, and heavier, but with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat six hanging off the back that creates 420 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque at only 1,700 RPM. The Carrera S is also one of the only true enthusiast's sports car that still comes with a manual transmission. Overall speed isn't quite at supercar levels, but the combination of great looks, quality, handling, and a luxurious interior make the 911 Carrera S one of the premier offerings on the sports car market today.
15 Incredible American Performance Car: Camaro Exorcist
Texas-based tuners Hennessey Performance have a long history of taking standard production cars from manufacturers of all brands and cramming monster upgrades everywhere they can in the hopes of creating serious performance and power. Cars, trucks, and SUVs from Lotus, Audi, Ford, Cadillac, and Jeep have all emerged from Hennessey's hands with 1,000 horsepower, 6x6 drivetrains, and custom body kits, but their most recent bolt-on upgrade is the Camaro Exorcist.
The Exorcist package takes a ZL1 spec Camaro and upgrades its supercharger, engine internals, intercoolers, exhaust, transmission tuning, and more to make the car capable of handling 1,000 horses and 883 lb-ft of torque. The Exorcist will run to 60 miles per hour under 3 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 217 miles per hour. Only 100 Exorcists will be made, so finding one on the streets to race a Porsche might be hard, but Hennessey seems confident their car will be able to conquer just about anything on the road - so confident they even offer a 2-year/24,000 miles warranty on the Exorcist, which is a comfort to owners concerned that all that power might just tear a Camaro apart from the inside out.
14 Amazing German Sports Car: Porsche 718 Cayman S
The Porsche Boxster and Cayman models of the last two decades have continued on the German manufacturers longstanding tradition of offering a relatively affordable sports car that doesn't skimp on overall driving enjoyment. Going back to the early 912 of the 1960s, with its Volkswagen-sourced four cylinder engine, through to the 914 of the 1970s, and the 944 of the 1980s, each Porsche era has a car that changes things up from the standard 911 in all its iterations, as well as higher-end GT and RS track monsters. The Boxster convertible debuted in 1997, while its coupe sibling accompanied an overall redesign in 2005. Various negligible differences between the two exist, but the overall mid-mounted, rear wheel drive geometry remains the same, making both some of the world's best handling cars - especially for the money.
Today's 718 models feature a turbocharged four cylinder engine that allows for better torque figures, lower weight, and greater fuel efficiency. Overall power improves slightly to 361 horsepower, as well, but the torque gains around 100 lb-ft when compared to a base model of the previous generation. Slight styling improvements go alongside the drivetrain changes, while a price below $70,000 keeps a Cayman or Boxster within the reach of consumers who might otherwise find Porsches unattainable.
13 Incredible American Performance Car: Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
One of the earliest American sports cars was Chevy's Corvette, which debuted in 1953 and has been in almost continuous production since. One of the most classic American sports cars of all time, the Corvette model line has had its ups and downs, with the first Stingrays being a notable high point (along with the Corvette Grand Sport), along with today's post-bailout iterations. Performance and style rarely come in a more instantly recognizable form than the low wedge of a Corvette, and Chevy has truly upped both styling and power in the newest Corvette ZR1.
The huge hood, multiple air intakes, angular fascia, and an enormous spoiler reveal the ZR1 for the borderline supercar that it is. A supercharged LT5 V8 cranks out 755 horsepower and 715 lb-ft of torque, so much power that Chevy's small-block chief engineer Jordan Lee, told Car and Driver, “We broke a lot of dynamometers testing this engine." The Corvette ZR1 can reach 60 miles per hour in around 3 seconds, has a top speed of 211 mph, and even comes with an optional seven speed manual transmission for the enthusiast still bold enough to use a clutch. Chevy claims handling is greatly aided by the rear wing, which produces 950 pounds of downforce at speed.
12 Amazing German Sports Car: BMW M4
BMW claims to design and develop their cars with the intention of producing "The Ultimate Driving Machine", and though the end result is largely a matter of taste, no automotive enthusiast will ever doubt that the Stuttgart-based company has a long history of cranking out impressive vehicles, whether they come in coupe, sedan, station wagon, or SUV form. Of course, the Pinnacle for BMW is always their line of M cars, which began with the homologation inspired M1 way back in 1978, and has evolved and expanded through the M5, the M3, and to just about every BMW model today.
Though BMW added a bit of confusion to the lineup by splitting up the traditional conception 3 Series model with the introduction of the 4 Series in 2013, today's M4 continues on the heritage of the original S14-powered E30 M3 coupe. Powerful haunches, a low stance, and serious power complement impeccable handling. With a twin-turbo inline six engine under the hood that cranks out up to 493 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, depending on package specs, the big coupe can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in as little as 3.6 seconds. Water injection, a six speed stick shift, and extensive use of carbon fiber attest to BWM's commitment to their aspirational slogan.
11 Incredible American Performance Car: Ford Focus RS
American manufacturers couldn't just sit around while European imports dominated the hot hatch market, or at least the engineers over at Ford didn't think so. With the Ford Focus RS, America has an answer - and a strong one, at that. The Focus RS is intended to compete directly with Volkswagen's Golf R, and in the numbers game it easily wins out. A turbocharged, 2.3-liter inline four engine borrowed from the Ford Mustang EcoBoost creates 350 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. A six speed manual transmission is standard, as is all wheel drive with a rear biasing center differential and a unique setting that allows for easier drifting.
Aggressive aerodynamics, burbly exhaust, and big wheels set the Focus RS apart from its lower-spec ST and base models. The Focus RS can sprint to 60 miles per hour in only 4.6 seconds but he curves and corners are where it really shines, reaching up to 1.04 g on the skid pad. And with a price tag right above $40,000, a Focus RS represents one of the cheapest entrants into the world of American sports cars, but is one that would be equally at home on the track, powering along the Autobahn, or packed with ski gear and headed up to the Alps.
10 Amazing German Sports Car: BMW M5
The second M car that BMW ever produced was the E28 M5, a limited run of 2,241 sports sedans which debuted in 1985. Every M5 generation since then has managed to remain at the forefront of design and engineering over the years, and today's F90 M5 is no different. The F90 is the first M5 to incorporate all wheel drive, almost a necessity due to its monster twin-turbocharged V8, which 591 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque - and those specs are thought to be underrepresented by BMW.
Even with the addition of all wheel drive, the F90 M5 weighs less than its predecessor, allowing the 4,090 pound sedan to sprint to 60 miles per hour in only 3.3 seconds when equipped with the Competition Package. A top speed of 190 miles per hour is possible with the M Driver's package, an impressive stat for a car that can comfortably seat four adults. Of course, the intersection of comfort and performance is what the M5 has historically attempted to redefine, leading or at the very least keeping up with the rest of the amazing offerings constantly being cranked out by the impressive force that is German automotive manufacturing.
9 Incredible American Performance Car: Cadillac CTS-V
America's reigning king of the luxury sports sedan is the Cadillac CTS-V, a full-sized four door with distinctive styling and a 640 horsepower engine under the hood. The CTS-V is an $80,000 American cruise missile, with 630 lb-ft of torque delivered to the rear wheels, ready to launch at any moment. Meanwhile, the interior is roomy and comfortable, with amenities like Recaro seats alongside suede steering wheel and shifter boot details - a data logging system shared with the Corvette is even offered. Though earlier models were even offered with a stick shift and in station wagon form, the current CTS-V uses an eight speed automatic transmission.
Top speed for the CTS-V is 200 miles per hour, while a suspension featuring magnetorheological dampers keeps the ride sufficiently smooth. Discussing the automatic transmission, Car and Drive summed up the CTS-V with high praise, "A manual is not offered, but you won’t care when this brute hits 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and 100 mph just 4.3 seconds later...This is a supersedan in every sense." A sticker MSRP of $87,490 means the CTS-V occupies a price point well below German sports sedans that would be considered its competitors, as well.
8 Amazing German Sports Car: Audi R8
Many automotive and film enthusiasts alike will recognize the Audi R8 as the car Robert Downey Jr drives in the Iron Man films and its Avengers franchise followups. But the futuristic coupe isn't just for the big screen, it's a capable performer in its own right, as well. Developed over a period of more than four years, the R8 shares many of its features with the Lamborghini Gallardo and Huracan. An enormous 5.2-liter V10 is mid-mounted in the aluminum space frame monocoque, and is paired to Audi's legendary Quattro all wheel drive system.
Aggressive yet simple styling and a luxurious, tactile interior helps distinguish the R8 from its other Volkswagen AG stablemates and quasi-competitors, where it finds a niche at the highest end of sports cars but not quite in the supercar class. Still, that V10 produces 525 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque, good for a sub-four second sprint to 60 miles per hour. (Sure, a V8 option did come out of the factory, but seems silly given the bigger, more powerful V10.) Audi also recently released a rear wheel drive only variant, reducing weight and allowing for a car that can really be flogged through the curves and canyons.
7 Incredible American Performance Car: Hennessey Venom F5
Hennessey Performance entered the world of extreme auto tuning with its modified Dodge Viper packages, but made a big step with the unveiling of the Venom GT in 2010. Based strongly on the Lotus Elise and Exige, the Venom GT essentially stretched the Lotus enough to cram a twin-turbo V8 behind the driver's seat, and the result was a car that managed to set acceleration records and also reached a speed of 270.49 miles per hour. That would have been enough to set a world record, but Hennessey didn't build enough Venom GT examples for it to qualify as a production car.
Hennessey newest Venom, the F5, is a ground-up design, purpose-built to break every speed record on Earth. And with their insane upgrade packages available to modify a wide range of production cars, Hennessey seems well placed to achieve their goals. The Venom F5 will feature a twin-turbocharged, 7.4-liter V8 producing 1,600 horsepower, in a lightweight package weighing in at under 3,000 pounds - with active aerodynamics to keep it cemented to the tarmac, as well as a low 0.33 coefficient of drag. Hennessey's goal is to become the first company with a production car to reach 300 miles per hour.
6 Amazing German Sports Car: Audi TT RS
The Audi TT may not immediately pop into most people's mind when prompted to think of incredible German sports cars thanks to its small (some might say cute) design, but in RS trim, the TT is a giant killer. Audi bumped up the engine in the TT RS from a turbocharged four cylinder to a turbo-five, a nod to the original Audi Ur-Quattro rally cars. The 2.5-liter I5 creates 400 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque (available as low as 1,700 RPM). All that grunt is put to the ground through a seven speed dual-clutch automatic transmission paired to Quattro all wheel drive, allowing for a 3.4 second 0-60 time and a top speed of 174 miles per hour.
The TT RS's quintessentially Audi engine makes it a respectable competitor to even its higher-end stablemate, the R8, though at a base price of $65,895 the entry cost for borderline supercar performance is much lower. The TT line has always pushed the limits of technology and design since its first introduction in 1995, and the newest TT RS is no exception, with climate controls integrated into air vents while infotainment and navigation are displayed in the digital gauge cluster.
5 Incredible American Performance Car: Ford GT
The original Ford GT40 is probably the most significant car in the history of American racing. When Carroll Shelby and Ford teamed up for a second time (after the Cobra) to beat Enzo Ferrari and his racing team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world was put on notice that American sports cars were a force to be reckoned with. Today's Ford GT is the second modern incarnation, but is easily the fastest, most advanced, and meanest looking of the group. The original GT40 received its name because it was 40 inches tall, but the new GT looks even lower and sleeker. A mid-mounted, twin-turbocharged V6 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine cranks 647 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque through a seven speed dual-clutch transmission.
A 0-60 run takes only 2.8 seconds, but that's just the beginning for the Ford GT, which passes 100 miles per hour in only 6 seconds, and has a top speed of 216 miles per hour. Handling was the priority for the GT's development, leading a unique design where the steering wheel and pedals are movable rather than the driver's seat. The result is a car with a chassis so well balanced it can easily compete with today's European supercars.
4 Amazing German Sports Car: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
Much like BMW's M cars, whenever Mercedes-Benz adds an AMG badge to their lineup, good things happen. In the case of the SLS AMG, the car is a modern take on one of automotive history's most legendary coupes, the 300 SL. Also known as the Gullwing, the 300 SL is at or near the top of the heap for beautiful historical cars that performed just as well as they looked, and set Mercedes-Benz up for a long tradition of powerful, luxurious sports cars in the decades to follow.
Where the original Gullwing boasted an impressive for its time 215 horsepower created by its 3.0-liter straight six engine, the SLS AMG featured the most powerful naturally aspirated production engine ever made. The engine itself was designed and built entirely by AMG, while the rest of the car was mostly hand-built and crafted mainly out of aluminum. Light materials kept weight to around 3,500 pounds, so that the 563 horses cranked out by the 6.2-liter V8 under its long hood could accelerate the car to 60 miles per hour in only 3.7 seconds. Handling stats were equally as impressive, with the SLS AMG achieving 0.99 g on the skid pad.
3 Incredible American Performance Car: Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
While America had been producing sports cars for decades, the first USA-bred supercar was arguably the Saleen S7. Designed and developed by Steve Saleen, who made a name for himself as both a race car driving and as a tuner of the Mustang, the S7 represented an attempt to create a race car and supercar simultaneously. The result was a mid-engined, 7.0-liter V8 supercar which debuted in 2000, with a series of upgrades eventually leading to the S7 Twin Turbo, which added two Garrett turbochargers to up power output to 750 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque.
The Saleen S7 took on other supercar manufacturers at their own game, with a luxurious interior to go with all its power, its long and low profile, and butterfly doors. A competition package was offered that changed suspension tuning, added diffusers to the front and rear, and upped power to over 1,000 horsepower. With a curb weight under 3,000 pounds thanks aluminum honeycomb construction, the S7 proved successful in competition, as well. The closest competitor to an S7 is probably Volkswagen AG's subsidiary product, the Bugatti Veyron, which costs around double the price of an S7 - at least $1.6 million.
2 Amazing German Sports Car: Mercedes-AMG GT S
Mercedes-Benz and AMG teamed up for another impressive coupe, following on the success of the SLS AMG with the GT Coupe. Available in a variety of specifications, the GT Coupe sacrificed the coolness of gullwing doors for regular hinges, but otherwise is a clear successor to both the SLR and SLS models. The GT is made of 93% aluminum, keeping weight around 3,500 despite the use of an AMG-built, twin-turbocharged V8 created 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, available at a low 1,750 RPM. (In GT R spec, those numbers bump up to 577 and 520, respectively.) An electronically controlled limited slip differential, adaptive suspension, and an exhaust system with active baffling allow for the GT S's power to route to the ground efficiently enough to send it to 60 miles per hour in only 3.0 seconds.
Active aerodynamics adjust for drag and cooling optimization at high speeds, and the sleek coupe can reach a top speed of 193 miles per hour. All that style and speed comes at a cost, though, well north of $100,000. Though in the grand scheme of German sports cars, the GT actually sits in the middle of the pack - and actually much lower than Mercedes-Benz's own S-Class sedans when in AMG spec.
1 Incredible American Performance Car: SSC Ultimate Aero TT
American enthusiasts will have to be forgiven for making the common mistake of thinking that the SSC Ultimate Aero is the successor to Carroll Shelby's long line of automotive masterpieces. (The SSC no long stands for Shelby Super Cars.) Built from 2006 to 2013, the SSC Ultimate Aero took over where the Saleen S7 left off, challenging the likes of Bugatti and Koenigsegg for supremacy as the world's fastest car. In highest spec, the SSC Ultimate Aero TT featured a twin-turbocharged V8 sourced from a Corvette racer car, producing 1,287 horsepower and 1,112 lb-ft of torque. The Ultimate Aero TT held the title of world's fastest production car from 2007 until 2010 with a speed of 256.18 miles per hour.
Butterfly doors, carbon fiber construction, and even air conditioning and custom-fitted luggage made the Ultimate Aero a contender in the luxury arena, as well, while a production run of only 24 cars makes it a highly sought-after collectible. Rear wheel drive differentiates the Ultimate Aero from the Veyron and other hypercars, however, meaning that initial acceleration isn't quite as impressive, since a 0-60 sprint takes a (relatively) slow 2.78 seconds. SSC helps to keep America hopeful to reclaim the world speed title with its Tuatara successor, currently in development. Sources: caranddriver.com, topspeed.com, and hennesseyperformance.com