When talking about the sports cars, people expect cars with great power achieving amazing speed once you really hit that gas pedal. And while we have seen many amazing sports cars that indeed did fulfill all of our expectations, there have also been some that have left us pretty disappointed. In fact, some of these sports cars are so slow one can barely even call them sports cars in the first place.

Today, we are going to take a look at the 10 quickest and 10 slowest domestically produced sports cars. Sports cars made in this country have a fair share of fans all around the globe—and for a good reason, too. After all, so many amazing models have been designed and produced there over the years that it would be strange if US car makers didn’t have the kind of reputation they have today. But with that in mind, some of them have decided to take a bit different approach in certain cases and it definitely didn’t pay off. As a result, we got to see some of the most disappointing sports cars ever made.

So without further ado, let’s dive in deeper into our sports cars research and take a look at the fastest and the slowest ones we could find. Enjoy the ride!

20 Too Slow: 1980 Chevrolet California Corvette (0-60 in 8 seconds)

Car and Driver

We have seen many Corvettes over the years and while we love most of them, the 1980 California-edition Corvette was just a huge bust.

Overall, the car was a disappointment and people remember it as one of the worst Corvettes of all time.

According to Jalopnik, “Instead of the regularly pathetic 5.7 liter, 190 horsepower car, the one-year, one-state-only California Corvette got a unique, smog-choked 5.0L V8 with a mere 180 horses.” But honestly, who wants to wait for 8 seconds to get from 0 to 60? Maybe only the biggest classic Corvette fans out there. For the rest of us, this car is a big no-no.

19 Too Slow: Pontiac Fiero (0-60 in 11.3 seconds)

Wikipedia

Pontiac introduced the Fiero back in 1983 and it must be one of the worst sports cars we have ever seen. On paper, it was a great car.

In real life, however, it was a car that makes us wonder how it is even possible to call it a sports car.

According to Motor1.com, “The Fiero utilizes a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout with two petrol engines available – a base four-cylinder 2.5-liter motor and a 2.8-liter six-cylinder unit. Three different transmissions were available – a three-speed automatic, and four- and five-speed manuals.” The base model was equipped with a 1.8-liter engine while the whole structure was way too heavy and the car was way too slow.

18 Too Slow: DeLorean DMC-12 (0-60 in 10.5 seconds)

Hemmings Motor News

Deloreans DMC-12 had the design of a proper sports car, but the performance just wasn’t there. It looked good up until the moment you actually sat behind the wheel and went to test its speed. At that point, everybody who was expected a top-notch performance ended up entirely disappointed. According to Jalopnik, “The DMC-12 had every right to be a fast car – it had the looks, the engineering, and it was built by the guy who got the GTO off the ground. It just wasn't fast, and though that was a problem for buyers in the early ‘80s, it's not a problem for anyone now who just wants to cruise around with the gullwing doors open on the highway, soaking up its impossible cool.”

17 Too Slow: 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra (0-60 in 9.8 seconds)

Pinterest

When you hear somebody saying “Ford Mustang”, you immediately expect to see a top-notch car, don’t you? After all, the good old Mustangs are pretty legendary. They had it all, both the design and the performance, and over the years, they kept a fair share of fans all around the world.

Unfortunately, not all Mustang models have been up to the people’s expectations though.

One of the most disappointing Mustangs of all time is the 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra. Motor-junkie.com reports: “Ford knew their 5.0 V8 engine delivered only 140 HP in the Mustang II, making the performance terrible. But they also knew by dressing up the car, they could attract some buyers.”

16 Too Slow: 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Iron Duke (0-60 in 20 seconds)

via pinterest

It's clear that Chevrolet knows how to produce a great sports car, but everybody can agree that the 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Iron Duke wasn’t their finest hour. In fact, when we look at the stats for this car, it seems a bit unexpected for a company such as Chevrolet to put a car like this on the market and brand it a sports car. Motor-junkie.com reports: “The base engine was an anemic 2.3-liter four cylinder producing just 90 HP. The “Iron Duke” engine was known for its durability. It later became the basis for many of GM`s four-cylinder engines. However, in the '82 Camaro, it was embarrassing since it only had a 20 second 0 to 60 acceleration time.”

15 Too Slow: 1974 Pontiac GTO (0-60 in 9.5 seconds)

Mecum Auctions

The 1974 Pontiac GTO was basically a really bad sports car with a famous name. The design wasn’t the worst but the performance was downright disappointing. According to Motor-junkie.com, “It was basically a Chevrolet Nova sister model. It was sad to see the once glorious muscle car downgraded to just a trim level. They slapped some decals on an economy model and added a 5.7-liter V8 engine that delivered only 200 HP.” However, the automobile market wasn’t happy at all and only 7,000 of these cars had been sold before the GTO left the scene. One can only assume that those who actually bought it weren’t too happy with the purchase.

14 1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage (0-60 in 9.1 seconds)

My Classic Garage

The 1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage is one of those cars that you know are pretty bad but they are still really hard to hate. For starters, the Monza Mirage came with a really cool design, modern equipment, and a wide variety of trim levels.

Basically, everybody could customize it in any way they wanted and it looked striking on the road.

The downside, however, was its really bad engine and terrible performance. This vehicle came with a 305 cubic inch V8 that delivered only 145 HP and you had to wait over 9 seconds to get from 0 to 60 mph.

13 1980 Mercury Capri RS (0-60 in 10.2 seconds)

Curbside Classic

It is pretty obvious that the 1980 Mercury Capri RS were influenced by the third generation Fox-body Mustang when they decided to build this car. According to Motor-junkie.com, “Since it was a Mercury product it was more upscale than Ford. However, other than a few aesthetical changes, it was identical to the Mustang. For a performance version, Mercury introduced the RS model. It featured a 2.3-liter turbocharged engine with a whopping 135 HP.” However, we have to admit that even though the performance was pretty bad, the design itself was quite cool with those large RS badges, the big air intake vent on the hood, and a rear spoiler.

12 Dodge Aspen R/T (0-60 in 9.9 seconds)

Pinterest

The Dodge Aspen R/T looked like a solid sports car from the outside. However, if you got behind the wheel and decided to test what this car could do, you would end up pretty disappointed with its poor performance.

It was powered by a 360 V8 engine with 170 HP and it took it nearly 10 seconds to get from 0 to 60 mph.

According to Motor-junkie.com, “The selling point of this car was the looks. It came fully equipped with all the bells and whistles of the late muscle car era. It had a body kit, stripes, white letter tires with wide wheels, spoilers and a T top option.”

11 Ford Mustang McLaren M81 (0-60 in 9.76 seconds)

Hagerty

Even though the Ford Mustang McLaren M81 ended up being a disappointment performance-wise, there are still some things about this car that make it a pretty memorable one. Motor-junkie.com reports: “The whole idea behind the project was to take the 2.3-liter turbo engine from the regular Mustang and transform it into a street racing beast. They added a race-tuned suspension, a lightweight body, and a host of other modifications. McLaren and Ford installed a tuned turbo engine with 190 HP.” So did it work? Well, not really. Ford sold only 10 of them before they decided to quit this unsuccessful project.

10 Hennessey Venom GT (0-60 in 2.7 seconds)

USA Today

Hennessey Venom GT has everything a good sports car should have to make it dominate the industry. From the amazing and sleek design to the power that makes it truly stand out from its competition. It comes with the amazing sustainable speed of 253 MPH although it can reach 270 MPH. Under the hood, there is an insane 1,244 horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 that will get you from 0-60 in just 2.7 seconds! There is no doubt it is currently one of the fastest sports cars in the entire world! However, keep in mind that it is neither an affordable car nor widely produced one so getting your hands on it might be quite challenging.

9 Dodge SRT Viper (0-60 in 3 seconds)

Exotic Car Hacks

According to Allcollectorcars.com, “This massive 645 horsepower V10 engine can safely propel the Dodge Viper SRT at a sustainable top speed of 206 MPH. The SRT also has one of the fastest acceleration speeds... 0-60 in 3.0 seconds. This vehicle is a testament to Dodge’s devotion to extraordinary sports car design and manufacturing.” In addition to all the great features under the hood, the new Viper also comes with the amazing interior and exterior design that should not disappoint even the most demanding customers. We have to agree that the Dodge designers have really outdone themselves with this one!

8 Dodge Charger Hellcat (0-60 in 3.7 seconds)

CarBuzz

The new Dodge Hellcat Charger has us pretty excited to test it for more reasons than one. Allcollectorecars.com reports: “The Hellcat Charger is [domestically] made but is the fastest manufactured sedan in the world. With a sustainable top speed of 204 MPH and an acceleration speed of 0-60 in 3.7 seconds, this car just edges out the Cadillac CTS-V for the number-three fastest [US] car ever made. Housing a 707-horsepower engine under the hood, it’s not hard to see why.” The car's exterior design is also pretty cool; one could even describe it as kind of rock and roll. Well, forget about the rock part – this car will definitely have your rolling down the street at an impressive speed.

7 Equus Bass 770 (0-60 in 3.4 seconds)

Rebrn.com

The Equus Bass 770 is definitely a car that deserves all of our attention. Not only it looks as cool as it gets, but its performance is also right on the spot. According to Allcollectorcars.com, “This 640-horsepower sports car was revealed in 2014 and can maintain a sustainable top speed of 200 MPH. The Equus Bass gained a reputation not only for its speed and overall power but, also, for its design. Its design combines classic elements of the ‘67 Mustang Fastback, the ‘68 Camaro, and the ’71 Plymouth Satellite. The Bass 770 can accelerate from 0-60 in just 3.4 seconds.” Who wouldn’t want to drive a car like that?

6 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (0-60 in 2.95 seconds)

Maxim

When it comes to Detroit sports cars, Chevrolet has always been a strong competitor in the field.

The gorgeous Corvette Z06 is proof that the Chevrolet makers know what they are doing when it comes to building a top-notch sports car with an amazing performance.

According to Allcollectorcars.com, “Although some Corvettes from Chevrolet’s past broke the iconic 200 MPH mark, the Z06 keeps its sustainable top speed at a comfortable 185 MPH. What makes this model special, compared to its antiquated predecessors, is its refined design and 650 horsepower V8 engine. The 0-60 acceleration speed of only 2.95 seconds testifies to the massive power of this vehicle.”

5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (0-60 in 3.5 seconds)

CarBuzz

What can we say? Chevrolet did it again! They built an amazing sports car with an amazing performance and a top-notch design.

The ZL1 is powered by the supercharged 650-horsepower V8 and has a sustainable speed of 184 MPH.

According to Allcollectorcars.com, this cool vehicle could easily compete with the Ford Shelby GT350 for the title of best overall muscle car thanks to its amazing power and overall value. In addition, its great design makes it one of those vehicles everybody would immediately notice on the road – and want to try it out. We are excited to see the newest model of this vehicle once it hits the market.

4 Ford Shelby GT350 (0-60 in 3.9 seconds)

Autoweek

The new Ford Shelby GT350 comes with several cool perks that make it truly stand out from its predecessors. Allcollectorcars.com reports: “The car was lightened by removing the rear seat and air conditioner. Also, the wheels are made from carbon fiber. Considering these new features, combined with the vehicle’s 526 horsepower V8 engine, the GT350 can make 0-60 MPH in just 3.9 seconds.” There is no wonder that the Ford fans around the world have been pretty excited about this vehicle since the moment it was first introduced. After all, who wouldn’t want to take a car like this for a quick spin or two?

3 2017 Ford GT (0-60 in under 3 seconds)

Architectural Digest

The new Ford GT is as cool as a sports car can get. It has it all; the amazing performance and the top-notch design. According to Cars.usnews.com, “The GT is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine that is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Ford is only building 1,000 GTs, which will all be known as 2017 models, despite production running until 2020. The GT tops out at 216 mph.”

However, this beast of a car doesn’t come with a low price tag.

In fact, the fair market price is somewhere around $450,000 so be prepared to dig deep into your pockets if you want to purchase one of these fast babies.

2 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon (0-60 in 2.3 seconds)

IEEE Spectrum

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is one of the fastest sports cars this country has ever built. Let’s talk more about what is hidden under its beautifully designed hood. According to Cars.usnews.com, “The Demon gets 808 horsepower and 717 pound-feet of torque out of its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine. The car is hellishly quick and smooth off the line thanks in no small part to its eight-speed automatic transmission. It tops out at 168 mph.” When it comes to the vehicle’s exterior, Dodge decided to keep the elements that make all Challenger recognizable – and we have to admit that we like it. If it’s good, why change it, right?

1 Hennessey Venom F5 (0-60 in 2 seconds)

Wikipedia

In the fight for the fastest US sports car ever, the 2019 Hennessey Venom F5 is the car to beat. According to TopSpeed, “The F5 name is a nod to the most powerful tornadoes rated on the Fujita scale, and for good reason – low weight, low drag, and a Texas-sized dose of turbocharged V-8 ponies at the rear wheels combine for a top speed predicted to eclipse 300 mph.”

We are excited about the F5 just after looking at those amazing numbers.

The design is also right on the spot since every surface is either carbon-fiber, aluminum, leather, or Alcantara, not to mention all the other cool features this car comes packed with.

Sources: topspeed.com, motor-junkie.com, and jalopnik.com.