The muscle car has always occupied a special place in the American automotive world. It's been that way since they emerged in the '50s and all the way through the '60s-era muscle power craze, and down to what we currently have today. The muscle car conjures up visions of brawny styling, smoking tires, and loads of horsepower that delivers tons of driving excitement.
However, there are some foreign sports cars that are able to deliver just as much fun and, in some cases, even edge out muscle cars in terms of driving thrill. American consumers know this and it is not unusual for them to opt for these cars over the traditional muscle car. It's why the following foreign sports cars remain popular in a congested marketplace that's filled with multiple muscle car offerings.
10 Porsche 911 Carrera
It would be hard for anyone to pass up the opportunity to drive the iconic Porsche 911, even for the diehard American muscle car lover. We are not even talking about the top-end trims here; even the base models still pack plenty of punch, combining the best of German engineering and performance into one neat package.
The flat-six engine in the base model is tuned to deliver up to 379 hp and 331 pound-feet of torque; enough for a thrilling ride behind the wheels. There's even a manual transmission should you desire a more connected experience.
9 Nissan GT-R
The first Nissan GT-R debuted over a decade ago at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show. There’s been very little changes regarding the exterior design but the car remains very popular within the car community.
That may be down to the highly advanced engineering packed within that skin. The car boasts incredible traction and its acceleration off the line is mighty impressive, going from 0 to 60 in as little as 2.9 seconds. Then there's the fact that it is a car that's actually reliable enough to be daily driven.
8 Audi R8
The Audi R8 has been around since 2006 and remains one of the few sports cars out there with a naturally-aspirated V10 engine. In the latest models, that powerplant can put out as much as 602 hp and is mated to a super responsive dual-clutch transmission.
Then there's the handling, offering a well-balanced feel that will put many muscle cars to shame. The interior is well laid out too, making this a decent daily driver as long as you don't have too much luggage to carry around.
7 Toyota 86
This Japanese product lacks the horsepower output of the typical muscle car, but its capabilities in other areas are enough to rank it as one of the top 10 most popular sports cars in the United States for 2020.
The car, also known as the Subaru BRZ, was developed as a result of a partnership between Toyota and Subaru. It is currently one of the most affordable entry-level sports cars for the budding gearhead and will edge out quite a few entry-level muscle cars in terms of handling and overall performance.
6 Porsche 718 Cayman
This is the baby of the Porsche family and it's the perfect choice for those who cannot afford to splurge on the higher-end models; there's no denying the premium pricing of Porsche models. The 718 Cayman was one of the best-selling sports cars in 2019 with 3,800 units shipped out to customers.
The nimble sports car is powered by a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that generates up to 300 hp and 280 pound-feet of torque for the top-line trims. The 718 Cayman can power to 60 mph in just over 4.5 seconds and continue on to a 170-mph top speed.
5 Honda Civic R
In 2019, the Honda Civic was one of the most popular sedans in America. Over 120,000 units were sold through the first half of 2020 and the sporty Civic R accounted for a good proportion of that number.
The car's styling is definitely an acquired taste and not for everybody. However, the Civic R does boast supreme handling capabilities that make it easy to overlook its quirky styling. In addition to its handling prowess, the car is also something of a brisk mover, able to zip to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds and complete the quarter-mile run in 12.7 seconds.
4 Mazda MX-5 Miata
This nifty little sports car continues to win hearts on the U.S. market selling thousands of units each year. It's an established fact that the MX-5 Miata does not come close to matching any thoroughbred muscle car in terms of horsepower.
The new models are powered by an inline-four engine that generates a maximum of 181 hp. However, the Miata has never been big on power output, instead relying on an almost perfect weight distribution and a snappy disposition to deliver loads of driving excitement.
3 Mercedes0-Benz AMG GT
Don't be surprised if you find find enthusiasts picking the AMG GT sports car over a rival muscle car. The car is a near-perfect combination of everything you would want in a muscle car. It has beefy aggressive looks that are made even more menacing with that massive grille.
There's enough power on tap as well, even for the lower-end models. The AMG GT has a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that cranks out 523 hp and about 494 pound-feet of torque. There's also a load of mechanical aids like adaptive dampers and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential for a more engaging drive.
2 BMW M2 Competition
The BMW M2 is widely regarded as one of the best BMW M cars ever built. That's high praise indeed as the M cars generally tend to stand above the rest of the BMW pack in terms of handling, power, and performance.
For the M2, the Competition spec ratchets things up a notch with a high-revving engine that churns out 405 hp and 406 pound-feet of torque. That power is fed to the rear wheels via an eager 6-speed manual transmission or an optional 7-speed dual-clutch setup. Either way, be prepared for an adrenaline rush as you push this Bavarian sports car to the limits.
1 Audi RS7
Audi's new model line is quite a sight to behold. Keeping it right up there with the best offerings from its rivals, the RS7 sports redesigned looks, power upgrades, and performance. The new RS7 is one of the more striking models that showcases Audi's new design language.
It has more than just looks, however, with 591 hp that can rival muscle car performance. A 0 to 60 mph sprint happens in just 3.2 seconds and the RS7 can rocket on to a top speed of almost 190 mph.