American carmakers build some stunning cars, but like all success stories, it doesn't take much digging to unearth a worrying number of slow, boring motors from the seventies and eighties. Thankfully, by the 1990s, America was back on track.
During the 1970s, a growing concern over emissions coupled with the oil crisis crippled US carmakers, muscle cars got fatter and slower, sports cars all but disappeared. The following decade was no better, smaller lighter sports cars from overseas gave rise to a host of terribly underpowered US machinery, you only have to take a look at the Iron Duke-hobbled Fiero, Camaro and Trans-Am, all woefully poor designs.
By and large, the 90s were much better, modern engine designs, turbochargers and clever electronics ushered in a new era in technology driven design and engineering, America's carmakers were back, designers revitalized by fresh ideas gave rise to some seriously quick sports cars to make America fast again.
10 Dodge Viper GTS
Worryingly fast and uncompromising, the Dodge Viper was never short on power or performance, added to which driver aids were totally unheard of. Curiously, that didn't prevent Dodge from upping the ante with more power, base series II Vipers kicking off with 415 hp, at which point most carmakers would have called it a day. Not Dodge!
In 1996, the Viper GTS arrived, adding a slew of refinements including airbags, power windows, airbags and door locks. However, the refinements were just a distraction from the Viper's tweaked 8-liter V10 engine, power outputs again increased to 450 hp delivering a top speed of 189 mph.
9 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Right out-of-the-box Chevrolet's 4th generation Corvette was fast, but alluding to the fastest production car dream, GM engaged the services of recently acquired Lotus Engineering. The transformation was pretty simple really, swapping out the L98, in its place a Lotus-designed alloy 5.7-liter V8 developing 375 hp. Naturally, suspension and braking tweaks also played their role.
The ZR1 was born, dubbed "King Of The Hill" during development, Chevrolet's ambitious fastest production car dream became a reality, in 1991 recording a top speed of 180 mph, quicker than anything but the fastest supercars. To this day, ZR1 branding is reserved for the fastest Corvettes.
8 Shelby Series 1
Legendary racer/tuner Carroll Shelby's reputation had been built on the back of extensively modified designs from other carmakers.The Series 1 designed from the ground up, the only "true" Shelby ever produced, rather than something re-badged. High development and certification costs restricted production, in all, totaling 249 examples.
Very much a development in progress, as is evident in the varying specifications. Early cars with a mere 320 hp on tap good for 170 mph, through a range of performance boosting upgrades, supercharger options pushing 450-500 hp depending on how big your budget was.
7 Vector M12
The allure of a mid-engined American supercar based around Lamborghini-sourced power units is tempting, but one that never quite achieved the success it deserved. Vector Aeromotive wasn't a stranger to exotic supercars, having perviously dangled the 200 mph promising carrot with the earlier W8.
Third time lucky then, a sleeker more aerodynamic body packing a 492 hp 5.7-liter naturally aspirated V12, which, although missing out on the double ton, did yield a maximum of 189 mph. Financial and supply issues aside, the M12 was a credible alternative to the glut of 90s European supercars.
6 Pontiac Trans-Am SLP Firehawk
One of the best known muscle car names ever, Pontiac's Trans-Am Firebird survived 33 years in various forms, not all necessarily good. The 70s, in particular, were among the brand's darkest of days. Shortly before pulling the plug, Pontiac gave gearheads one of the best arguments to keep production running, the limited edition SLP Firehawk.
The only bit we're interested in, Street Legal Performance (SLP), Firehawk just a reference to its tires. Under the hood, revised GM LT4 engines produced 315 hp driving the rear axle via 6-speed ZR1 sourced transmission, the SLP topping out at 160 mph.
5 Mosler Raptor
Fortunately for Consulier/Mosler, appearances has no impact on speed, or maybe it's the other way around? Either way, the Raptor is one of the fastest American built sports cars/race cars you could buy in the '90s, with speeds as high as 175 mph.
Throughout its varied production life, it changed names three times (GTP/Raptor/Intruder) as well as a host of power unit updates, this quirky looking sports car was a giant slayer, to the point racing officials banned its entry on more than one occasion. The best of the bunch, 1997 models with their trademark V-shaped windshield and Lingenfelter tuned 450 hp small-block V8s.
4 Callaway C12
A new generation of Corvette complete with softer, more European styled bodywork attracted the attention of Reeves Callaway, famed tuner and creator of the 254 mph Sledgehammer. The C12 would be a more refined track/GT focused makeover, intended for the Le Mans GT2 series, road cars following in due course.
The transformation wasn't just a bolt on bodykit, everything you see of the C12 is custom-built, Callaway retaining just the glass area and roof structure. Under the hood, two engine options were available, both LS based V8s in either 5.7 or 6.2-liter displacements producing as much as 440 hp with a top speed of 194 mph.
3 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R (160 mph)
The dream ride for many an American gearhead growing up, the Mustang has always been a popular choice and has been produced in dozens of variations promising more power, higher speeds or just a cool styling makeover. In 1995 the SVT Cobra R offered all the above, at a price European carmakers could only dream of.
Variety comes with its own issues, Ford claimed the SVT Cobra R packed 300 hp from a naturally aspirated 5.8-liter V8, top speed depending on who was behind the wheel ranging from 152-160 mph. Even so, the lower figure is nothing to be sniffed at, plenty of modern sports cars hover around that mark.
2 Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo
Sure to cause some rumbles over its origin, the Dodge Stealth was an American/Japanese collaboration sold in the US under Dodge branding. Despite the Stealth's mixed Japanese origins, it was styled by Chrysler, Mitsubishi taking credit for drivetrain and chassis design.
Japanese high-tech chassis design included all-wheel-steering, all-wheel-drive, and a raft of otherworldly driver aids that either did or didn't improve the driving experience, many just adding weight for the sake of it. However, weight issues aside, Mitsubishi nailed the Stealth's engine set up, combining a 3-liter DOHC V6 with twin turbos to produce 300 hp, propelling US/JDM tech-coupe to a maximum of 165 mph.
1 Ford GT90
Had Ford delivered on its supercar plans, the GT90 would have been the fastest production car, and the first to break the 250 mph barrier, an incredible ten years before the Veyron turned a wheel. Would the GT90 have been a worthy successor to the iconic GT40? In terms of tire smoking performance, without a question.
The issue wasn't a question of engineering ability, the GT90 sharing its chassis and other ancillary components with the Jaguar XJ220, its V12 engine, also a production items based on Ford's modular engine line-up, boosted by four turbochargers to 720 hp. Ford executives gleefully claiming a top speed of 253 mph shortly before consigning the GT90 to the history books.