How people remember someone’s entity largely depends on the legacy and long-term attempts. The American car industry, as a real example of this rule, has achieved a unique state during decades that no company from other countries can take it back that easily. So what is such entity or essence? The extreme power and performance to the extent that in some cases seems crazy, but it’s still there.
American companies knew their best card and in every field focused on what they were good at. This is why when they entered producing sedans, they built robust examples. And when it came to electric cars, such belief was still running in the designer’s blood. Among gas-powered sedans, Dodge Daytona stands as the icon of power, and among electric sedans, Tesla with Model S.
Following the same path, now so many sedans are memorable in terms of power, as their ancestors were. The following list will mention some of them standing at the peak of power in recent years.
10 2010 Ford Taurus SHO (365 Hp)
Twenty years ago, a 220-hp car came to the market and amazed the families in favor of a vehicle with a robust engine. Nowadays, everything is different. Most sedans offer V6 engines and have made the competition harder.
Although the 2010 Taurus SHO is more massive than previous generations and has packed up some sport utility of the Japanese companies in Ford’s tasteful design, it should be thankful to Fusion to take the pressure of it. Taurus features direct fuel injection for a 3.5-liter V6 engine to sprints 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and reaches the government limited top speed of 133 mph.
9 2017 Lincoln Continental (400 Hp)
Lincoln’s legacy is not limited to its power, as the designers have tried their best to give the appearance a luxurious taste too. LED light bar in the back and artistically designed edges are among the most highlighted examples. However, the path of progress in Lincoln is still untrodden as one can see other sedans outshining.
What Lincoln is proud of lies under the hood, as the highest trim with a twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 3.0-liter V6 travels 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. The power legacy of American cars' power legacy hopes to compensate for the semi-failure of the company as an export car.
8 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP (415 Hp)
Loyal child to its Australian cousin, Holden HSV GTS, Pontiac G8 GXP is one of those sedans that every American aspires to have one since it features a “sharp steering, fabulous response from the four-piston Brembo brakes, exceptionally balanced and neutral handling,” according to Car and Driver.
Borrowed from Chevy Corvette, it boasts a 6.2-liter V8 engine. However, do you really need that much engine power for your daily routines activities? To show you the designer’s dedication to power, notice that even Active Fuel Management is suspended not to lower the output power. Maybe you should have something to show off, and that's the strength for GXP.
7 2014 Chevrolet SS (415 Hp)
As you never forget your friends in times of hardships, General Motors will always remember the fortune SS brought to the company when it was close to bankruptcy. Entitled as a “real American Hero” by Car and Driver, SS share many things with the Pontiac G8, including the output power, engine, and the source country.
Being similar to G8 under the hood, it features a 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 415 lb-ft of torque and speeding 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. Chevrolet applied the automatic parking assist on SS for the first time.
6 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance (450 Hp)
There is always a debate between car enthusiasts; they either find a country progressing in the automotive industry or failing. Some regard American Cars as old heroes and don’t see the future of the industry in their hands. But it seems as if they have forgotten Elon Musk and his super-tech auto vehicles.
Besides the technological updates Model 3 receives to favor the functionality of this car, it inherits an induction AC motor producing 147 kW in front, a permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor producing 211 kW in the rear and an 80.5-kWh battery pack as well. Not enough?
5 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT-8 (470 Hp)
It’s not surprising to see that Car and Driver have put this car among unforgettable vehicles of the previous decade as the thrilling exhaust note, the unflinching look, and the robust engine are proofs. SRT-8 benefits from a 6.4-liter Hemi, giving it enough power to run the 60 mph in 4.6 seconds.
Thanks to the new cylinder-deactivation mechanism, this legendary sedan has experienced an improvement in fuel economy. Many compare SRT-8 with Charger, which is not a conceit metaphor, but the front look, with different air intakes frames, distinguishes the SRT-8 from its sibling.
4 2019 Cadillac CT6-V (550 Hp)
When this model was close to being debuted, many were excited to see the engine performance. One may ask what is unique about the performance, and the answer is Blackwing, which is the engine’s name.
The CT6-V is armored with a twin-turbo 4.2-liter V8 engine, built based on the information they gained from racing programs of the company, giving it enough power to run 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, around one second quicker than the previous generations. The V letter also describes the setup and location of the turbochargers at the top to lower turbo lag.
3 2016 Cadillac CTS-V (640 Hp)
It was around 2003 that Cadillac came into the scene with its first CTS model. From then on, one could notice how they dreamt of stealing the market from three German giant companies: Mercedes, BMW, and Audi. In 2016, with debuting second-gen CTS-V, every car enthusiast held the breath as the challenge reached its exciting moments.
Borrowing its engine from Corvette Z06 and combining it with the New V positioning system, CTS-V shows itself a real bully more than ever before. With its 16-valve V8 engine, it does 60 mph in 3.6 seconds.
2 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition (717 Hp)
Recently Dodge, in honor of 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, built the Widebody version of Charger Hellcat on its 50th anniversary. There will be no car enthusiast who doesn’t know about the performance and appearance of the legendary Hellcat.
Now add to what you have in mind an engine upgrade to a 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 10 extra horsepower, blue and black interior, and carbon fiber interior. Produced in 501 units with a price of around $107,000, this land rocket can reach the top speed of 196 mph and travel 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.
1 2020 Tesla Model S Performance (794 Hp)
If you ask car enthusiasts to describe American cars with some adjectives, without any doubt, electric is not a preferred modifier on top of the list. However, in recent years Tesla, with its futuristic models, has given the American car industry a new dimension and is progressing on this path.
Model S is one of those iconic models that has moved the boundaries a bit further. Besides the numerous leading high-tech features favoring safety and comfort, The Model S offers a crazy speed and acceleration. It reaches the top speed of 163 mph and travels 60 mph in 2.3 seconds.