Though European brands like Porsche and Ferrari are usually the first to come to mind when discussing sports cars, America has produced some legendary ones. From the well-known Camaros to the innovative Saleens, here are some of our favorite American-mades.
, American sports cars still hold their own. From classic Corvettes to the Fox body Mustangs, these cars are seriously awesome. Here are some of our favorites.
Chevrolet Camaro
From its not-so-fierce start in the 1960s to the ever-evolving varieties of today like Z-28, the Camaro has a spot in the ranks of American sports cars. Best of all, you can still pick a stylish one up quite affordably,
notes. That year you could opt for the top of the line SS with a honking 6.2-liter LS V8 engine which cranked out 426 horsepower.
Though it may not have as quick acceleration as some other sports cars, the Camaro is always seriously cool, and you have to admire Chevrolet's resiliency in bringing it back after all those years. Enjoy it while you can—the Camaro may not be produced for much longer.
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While not as long running as the Camaro, the Viper is a powerhouse in American sports car history. It was nowhere near as economically priced as other options at the time, but it sure was impressive with its long, curved body style.
Introduced in the early 1990s, Dodge produced the most recent Viper in 2017,
recounts. For the 2016 model, the Viper SRT GTS was the pinnacle of performance. Its 8.4-liter V10 engine came with a 6-speed manual transmission, which is now becoming a rarity.
As for stats, the SRT GTS made 645 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque. It also went from 0-60 in just 3 seconds, impressive for it being a larger car with a heavy curb weight. Part of the Viper's appeal was in its unapologetically bigger body, which made it look closer to a concept car when it was released and throughout its production.
Saleen S7
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Not everyone may be familiar with the likes of the Saleen S7. It was the creation of former racecar driver, Steve Saleen, according to
. Steve Saleen is more commonly known for his work tuning cool Ford Mustangs.
The S7, though, holds the unique spot of being the first American mid-engine hypercar. It was made from 2000-2009 in limited numbers but enough to make an impact. The car's body was lightened with carbon fiber and it had a race-car ready engine that could go 200 mph.
Other notable numbers include the S7's 7.0-liter V8 engine being able to make 550 horsepower and take it from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds. You could even pump up the power with the S7 Twin Turbo. Whichever version you prefer, the Saleens are the stuff of legend.
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