Great sports cars are more than just the sum of their speed and exterior design, at least, for those who drive them. What we're on about, of course, is a vehicle's interior - the part of the car that every driver interacts with the most.
Depending on the manufacturer and their continental origin, a car that's made Stateside can be entirely different from those found overseas, both inside and out. Today, we want to showcase these stark dissimilarities between the countries' cars, primarily Europe's and America's sports cars.
So, here are the five greatest American sports car interiors ever made, as well as 5 European alternatives that put them to shame...
10 American: Ford GT40
To start, we've got to go for a classic: the Ford GT40. The GT40 is a racecar, after all, so comfort and accessibility were not the concern (by a longshot). All there is are the essentials.
For example bucket seats, steering wheel, gauges, seat-belts, and nothing else. The lack of options just screams "1960's motorsports," which is exactly our cup of tea!
9 American: 2020 SSC Tuatara
While Bugatti and Koenigsegg were going at it for the title of 'World's fastest,' a small American manufacturer was working in silence. That company was SSC, the very same creators of the Ultimate Aero; a Bugatti Veyron challenger.
Though the Ultimate Aero looked great on the outside, the inside left a little to be desired. As such, the 2020 Tuatara was sure to have a lot of focus put into the interior. Everything inside is incredibly smooth and direct - Very little is there for distractions, besides driver gauges and a Tesla-like iPad in the middle. A true modern-day hypercar, to say the least.
8 American: Hennessey Venom F5
Being inundated with screens, dials, and other distractions can mess with the flow of a car's interior design. The saying "less is more" is good for describing how we feel, especially after witnessing the Hennessey Venom F5's cockpit.
All of the information a driver could need is literally right in front of them since the display appears on the steering wheel. Everything else is non-essential, with the rest of the interior components being climate control options and door handles. Gotta save weight whenever you're attempting to reach 300 MPH.
7 American: 2020 Ford GT
We hate to admit it, but, before Ford released the updated Ford GT, we had our doubts on its quality. Thankfully, we were very wrong, since the new GT is easily among the greatest American sports cars ever made.
Excluding all else, let's look at the cockpit. Similar to a Ferrari 488, the GT's steering-wheel is littered with switches and controls for the driver, but not too much as o overwhelm them.
The dash has a sort-of double-layer like design. Both the upper and lower bits connected to the driver's cluster gauges, all of which can be upholstered with Alcantara. The best part, though, are the seats, which seem to hearken back to the GT40's with the bucket-like shape and stitching.
6 American: Chevrolet Corvette C8
What do you get when you mix the interiors of a Mark IV Toyota Supra, Ferrari 458 Italia, and Lamborghini Aventador? You get the brand new Chevrolet Corvette C8's cockpit. Pieces of everything are present here: the Mark IV's F16-like focus on the driver-seat, the 458's electronics, and the Aventador's center console.
All of that added together into an affordable package that'd be unimaginable just years prior.
5 European: Ferrari 488 Pista
Now, onto the European selection, and oh boy, is the selection vast! Though since we're only sticking to a handful, we've picked out the best. First of, the most powerful Ferrari V8 in existence: the 488 Pista.
Since the 458 Italia's release, Ferrari interiors have remained fairly stagnant. Of course, that was until the Speciale and Pista came along. They are lightweight, race-spec alternatives to their respective base models; the Pista being the fastest and newest.
Though they may appear the same at first, the Pista's interior is far more ergonomic than its predecessors. Also, the carbon-fiber inserts help to lower the curb-weight far more than the standard 488. Just don't go in expecting comfort - It is a street-legal racecar, after all.
4 European: Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder
Where the Aventador feels cramped and limited in view, the brand new Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder is wide open and accessible to all. The German influence is present (since Lamborghini is owned by Audi A.G.) in the new Huracans, which aids in making a Lamborghini better for people over 5' 9".
Although Audi has had its influence, the Lamborghini aesthetic is still there. All the sharp lines, aggressive angles, and angry looks are not gone here. In fact, we'd say they've been amplified ever since Mitja Borkert's hiring.
3 European: Pagani Huayra
Remember how we said "less is more" beforehand? Well, the Pagani Huayra takes that ideology and throws it into the garbage. Horacio Pagani wouldn't let his cars be boring, neither inside nor out.
The Huayra is a stunning car, especially on the inside. All of the clusters, gauges, and lights are confusing to us (as we've never driven one), but they look outstanding! All the leather inserts and straps mimic a bespoke piece of luggage. If the inside were to be observed by itself, one would assume it belonged to a luxury cruiser!
2 European: Bugatti Chiron
In 2006, imagining a car that's more luxurious and state-of-the-art as the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 seemed like an impossibility. So, who better than to one-up it than Bugatti themselves? Their challenger, the Chiron.
As far as the Chiron's interior is concerned, it looks as if it was taken from the future. From a side-view, the center console wraps up towards the roof, resulting in a smooth 'C' looking line throughout the cockpit.
The dials are dead-center in-between the seats, which is more accessible (and lighter weight) than the old Veyron. However, the cluster gauges, seats, and other components were still carried over from previous models.
1 European: McLaren F1
Last, but by no means least, is the coolest car interior in history: the McLaren F1's. It's not a two-seater or a single-seater, rather, a three-seater. The driver's seat is dead-center, while the two passenger seats are off-set on each side.
Fun fact, McLaren had to work their butt off to get the F1 street-legal, since most Transportation Boards were befuddled by the idea of a three-seater. Nevertheless, it became legal and McLaren made history! Hopefully, the Gordon Murray T50 can honor its legacy.