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In the world of automotive engineering, the pursuit of speed has always been a driving force. While the European and Japanese markets have always been the benchmark for automotive prowess, automotive engineers in the United States have consistently sought to take things to the next level. Over the decades, American automakers have continuously pushed the boundaries of performance, crafting some of the fastest cars ever to grace the asphalt.
From the roaring muscle cars of the 1960s to the cutting-edge supercars of today, American ingenuity has managed to produce some of the fastest cars in the industry. Here, we’ll take a look at the top 10 fastest American cars ever made to this day. But don’t expect to see all the classics on here. These speed machines are state-of-the-art. Let’s take a look!
Hennessey Venom F5
The Hennessey Venom F5 reigns supreme among the fastest American sports cars ever built. While it may not match the widespread availability or affordability of other American sports cars, it boasts unparalleled performance.
It allegedly features a top speed of 311 MPH in part thanks to its whopping 1,817 horsepower Twin Turbocharged V8 engine. Accelerating from 0-60 in a mere 2.7 seconds and reaching 60 MPH in just 2.6 seconds, it's a force to be reckoned with. Built at Hennessey Performance Engineering in Texas, the Venom F5 is the fastest American car to date.
SSC Tuatara
In the number two spot, the SSC Tuatara once held the distinction of being the fastest American car ever made, but that was in 2018 when it was finally finished.
Its engine, built by Nelson Racing Engines, is a 5.9-liter twin-turbo V8 that outputs a whopping 1,750 horsepower (and that’s only at a street-legal level). It can go from 0 to 60 MPH in 2.5 seconds and has a top speed of 295 MPH. Even if it’s not THE fastest, it’s pretty darn fast.
Hennessey Venom GT
The Hennessey Venom GT boasts a 1,244-horsepower twin-turbo V8 engine that allows the vehicle to achieve a top speed of up to 270 MPH. It can go from 0 to 60 MPH in just 2.7 seconds and 200 MPH in under 15 seconds.
Designed to be the fastest car ever built, it set a record in 2013 as the fastest street-legal car. However, it could not achieve the Guinness World Record for the fastest production car because only 29, out of 30 cars necessary, were produced.
SSC Ultimate Aero TT
The SSC Ultimate Aero, the Tuatara’s predecessor, featured a 6.4-liter twin-turbo SSC V8 engine that generated 1,287 horsepower. It had a top speed of around 258 mph and could go from 0 to 60 MPH in 2.7 seconds.
Built in 2009, it also featured an active spoiler that rose as the brake was pressed. At the time, that was quite an advanced feature!
Czinger 21C V Max
The Czinger 21C V Max holds two distinctions. One is that it's the fastest American hybrid car ever built, but the second is probably even more impressive – it’s the first human and AI-designed car that was 3D printed.
Manufactured in 2021, the vehicle was released in 2023 with a hybrid powertrain. It featured a twin-turbo 2.88-liter V8 engine and three electric motors. It was said to generate a combined 1,250 horsepower and had a top speed of about 253 MPH. It can go from 0 to 60 MPH in 1.9 seconds.
Saleen S7
The Saleen S7 emerged as America's answer to the McLaren F1, making its debut around the dawn of the new millennium. Although primarily recognized for its work as a tuner of Ford Mustangs, the California-based firm decided to built its own exotic car, rivaling those made only in Japan and Europe
The Saleen S7’s fastest model with a twin-turbo V8 engine could achieve up to 750 horsepower and had a top speed of 248 MPH. While its horsepower may not have been as high as some of the other vehicles on this list, the Saleen S7 notably featured a carbon fiber body that made it lightweight.
Semnoz at French Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Vector W8
The Vector W8, from the California-based company Vector, produced one of the fastest cars ever made in 1989. Its 6.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine generated 625 horsepower, which was unprecedented for its time.
The Vector W8 had a top speed of 242 MPH and could go from 0 to 60 MPH in 4.2 seconds. However, despite its specs, the vehicle was ultimately a flop, and only 17 models were sold.
Craig Howell from San Carlos, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
SCG 003S
The SCG 003S featured a 4.4-liter V8 engine, sourced from BMW, that generated 800 horsepower. It had a top speed of 230 MPH and could go from 0 to 60 MPH in 3.0 seconds.
The limited-run 003S variant was the only street-legal version. Two competition variants were also made - denoted with a C at the end rather than an S.
The Hennessey Exorcist Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
TheExorcist Camaro is the fastest Camaro and the ninth-fastest American car ever made. Crafted by Hennessey Performance Engineering, this extraordinary vehicle stood as a testament to American automotive ingenuity.
The vehicle’s supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine generates 1,000 horsepower and has a top speed of 217 MPH. Traveling from 0 to 60 in 2.1 seconds, its swift acceleration rivals any Camaro that came before. And now that the Camaro is to be discontinued, it may very well be the fastest Camaro that ever WILL BE.
Chevrolet Camaro Hennessey Exorcist/Adrian Kot/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0/Flickr
Ford GT
And alas, we have at least one Ford model on the list: the Ford GT. The twin-turbocharged V6 engine produced in the mid-2010s generated a whopping 647 horsepower. It had a top speed of 216 MPH and traveled from 0 to 60 MPH in 3.2 seconds.
This second-generation Ford GT became available starting in 2017 and saw its end in 2022. Around 1,350 units were produced.
Author James Stephens Last Updated: April 25, 2024
