It's probably the muscle car period that comes to mind when thinking of famous American cars. Even though everything pretty much went to hell after that, by the 1990s, the auto industry had progressively revived, giving car aficionados once again access to a wide range of fantastic, elegant, high-performance American cars.
Many auto buffs and gear heads recall this period positively as a time of high-quality American cars like the Dodge Viper GTS-R, Chevy C5 Corvette, Ford Mustang SVT Cobra, and Chevy Camaro SS. However, there were a few exceptional cars from the '90s that were misunderstood, disregarded, and ignored. These cars never received the praise they merited or could have received, whether it was due to low sales, performance, or just apathy. But after learning about its characteristics, performance, and styling, it is certain that one would not mind possessing one of these magnificent, overlooked classics. Let’s explore the ten underrated American cars from the '90s we'd love to own.
10 Lincoln Mark VIII
From 1993 until 1998, Lincoln sold the Mark VIII, a grand tourer luxury coupe. However, it's unfortunate that the brand doesn't receive enough praise for its Mark VIII. It was, in fact, a spectacular two-door coupe with an outstanding drivetrain and a strikingly modern appearance.
In addition to its sleek styling, it gave the Mark label an aerodynamic flare and sporting performance. It was propelled by a brand-new Ford Modular 4.6-liter V8 engine that created 280 horsepower and 285 lb-ft of torque and could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds. The interior was also out of the mainstream, with a massive dashboard that spanned the entire space in an uninterrupted U shape and a center control stack that was tipped in the direction of the driver.
9 Plymouth Prowler
In the '90s, when boxy and otherwise unappealing cars were common, Chrysler's Plymouth dared to launch the Prowler, a retro-styled sports car. At the time, it was hard to imagine such a stunning car even existing. It was a contemporary open-wheel roadster, notably with its front wheels that resembled those of an Indy racing, that appeared to have just emerged from a time warp from a hot rodder's era.
Despite the V6 engine's shortcomings and the absence of a manual transmission option, it still performed admirably, and its light weight contributed to its quick acceleration off the line. Its revised 3.5-liter V6 engine, paired with a four-speed automatic transmission that sent power to the rear wheels, generated a solid 253 horses.
8 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited
It’s a shame that the Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited remained underrated and was overlooked by consumers. This sport-ute, which debuted as a variant of the top-tier Grand Cherokee Limited, was an absolute performance monster and was dubbed the "world's fastest sport utility vehicle" at the time. In the late nineties, Jeep saw an opportunity to differentiate itself from the competition and powered its Limited trim with a 5.9-liter V8 engine that churned out 245 horsepower and 345 lb-ft of torque. It can sprint to 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds and can do a quarter mile in 15.2 seconds.
However, this solid off-roader didn't forego the comforts that made the ordinary Jeep such a fine daily driver. Plus, it had a standard sunroof, American-sized cup holders, a 10-speaker Infinity Gold audio system rated at 180 watts, and an armrest for the rear passenger seat.
7 Ford Taurus SHO (First Generation)
The Ford Taurus SHO (Super High Output) is without a doubt one of the most misunderstood and underappreciated American cars of its era. It was actually a high-performance trim of the Ford Taurus that stood out from it not only in terms of drivetrain and engine but also in terms of exterior styling, which featured a Mercury Sable hood, redesigned bumpers, sports seats, side cladding, an 8000 rpm tachometer, and fog lamps.
This performance machine boasted a formidable 3.0-liter V6 engine from Yamaha paired with a five-speed manual transmission that was rated at 220 horsepower. It could rocket from zero to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds, with a peak speed of 145 miles per hour.
6 GMC Typhoon
In the nineties, SUV makers experimented with a wide range of features to see what would appeal to customers who were just starting to explore this growing sector. GMC also joined and built the Typhoon between 1991 and 1993. Despite its brief existence, it was still one of the most distinguished high-performance SUVs ever made and was undoubtedly a feat of engineering.
Based on the iconic GMC Syclone, this two-door SUV was pushed by a 4.3-liter turbocharged V6 engine, coupled with a four-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, to produce a remarkable 285 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. With a top speed of 95 mph, this performance juggernaut was capable of sprinting to 60 mph in an astounding 5.3 seconds and could do a quarter-mile in 14.1 seconds.
5 Chevrolet Impala SS
The seventh-generation Impala SS is a forgotten classic that sits in the shadow of the first generation. This Chevy Caprice high-performance variant was one of the most thrilling performance cars to drive. Despite its intimidating appearance, the Impala SS managed to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in seven seconds and complete the quarter-mile in 15.4 seconds.
This was made possible by the Corvette's small-block 5.7-liter LT1 V8 engine that made 260 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. Additionally, its excellent driving dynamics and restricted color options of black, cherry, and dark green pretty much guarantee that it will turn into a highly sought-after car in the future.
4 Dodge Daytona IROC R/T
The Daytona IROC (International Race of Champions) was given an R/T performance package in 1992, which astounded the motor industry with its lighter chassis, exceptional power-to-weight ratio, and terrific handling. Although it is seriously overshadowed, the ferociously sporty Daytona IROC R/T is undoubtedly one of the coolest American cars and is certainly something you wouldn't mind using as an everyday car.
A 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbo III engine with direct ignition and cylinder heads created by Lotus powered this front-wheel-drive Dodge, making 224 ponies. This was particularly impressive when compared to contemporaneous muscle cars like the Camaro Z28 and Mustang GT, which generated identical power output.
3 Vector W8
In the early nineties, California-based Vector Motors was among the handful of outrageous supercar makers that tried to compete head-to-head with Ferrari, Porsche, and Lamborghini. This led to the birth of the W8, a ferocious two-door sports car built by employing the most cutting-edge technologies and materials of the time.
This incredibly limited wedge-shaped sports car was intriguing and fun to drive, even if it wasn't a major hit in its day. It boasted a beefy 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine made with aerospace-grade components, and the body's structural rigidity was provided through the use of carbon fiber, fiberglass, and Kevlar. Furthermore, it could dash to 60 miles in just 4.2 seconds and complete the quarter mile in 12 seconds at 124 mph, which was more than two seconds faster than the renowned Ferrari Testarossa. Even a projected top speed of 242 mph was touted by the brand.
2 Chevrolet Corvette C4 ZR-1
The Chevy Corvette C4 ZR-1 should be hailed as one of the best sports cars ever built in America. Unfortunately, it's largely overlooked and obscured. For years, it has been unfairly ridiculed by a range of reviewers and critics who prefer the newer, more powerful Corvettes or the vintage, more aesthetically pleasing Corvettes.
However, the Corvette C4 was one of the most monstrously potent cars available at the time, featuring a fully redesigned chassis, square-shaped tail lamps, and a more streamlined design. It sported a 32-valve, dual-overhead-cam, LT5 V8 engine tuned by Lotus mated to a 6-speed manual transmission that developed 375 horsepower, making it a serious challenger on the world stage. Even by today's standards, it is still fast, reaching 60 mph in a staggering 4.4 seconds and hitting a top speed of 180 mph.
1 Panoz Esperante GTR-1
Competitive sports car racing witnessed some exciting times in the late '90s. With the Esperante sports car, Panoz aimed to compete in the FIA GT Championship, Le Mans, and the IMSA GT series; as a result, the GTR-1 was developed. This racing beast outperforms many track-only cars in street-legal guise, performing almost like a race car.
Under the hood was a Ford-built 6.0-liter aluminum block V8 engine tuned by Roush Racing, pushing 600 horses and providing unrelenting power. Although it was never very successful during that time, which is a travesty since it had gorgeous batmobile-like aesthetics, a lightweight chassis, and a growling engine sound.