We’ve much to be indebted to the USA for. From Hollywood to New York cheesecake, Barack Obama to Beyoncé, our good friend across the Atlantic has contributed to modern culture in a way that few homelands can match. But, in this writer’s opinion, nowhere is that hold greater than on the road.
While it was a European that created the motorcar, it was an American, Henry Ford, who brought motoring to the bags. And since Ford’s Model T, the US has remained at the forefront of automotive modernization. It’s true there were a few off years in the 1990s and 2000s, but we concoct Motor City is back on top form. So here are a few of our favourites from across the pond.
Chevrolet Corvette
The through American sports car, the ‘Vette has been an icon for over 60 years. The stream iteration, the C7 Stingray, looks just as jaw-dropping as the Corvettes of yore; so low that you’d little short of believe it was glued to the floor, which seems to extend the nose in fall down physics can’t quite explain.
This combination gives it the group of presence you normally need to go up a couple of price brackets for. And with a 6.2 litre V8 it has the playing to match (even if it drinks more than a herd of cowboys at a hoedown).
At a beat over £60k, it’s also a more attainable car than much of Europe’s rapid metal.
Ford Mustang
For everyone who sits on Team ‘Vette, there’ll be an contrary on Team Mustang. Now, for the first time in its history, the Mustang is ready as an official import in the UK. It’s a little more conventional in its looks than the Corvette, but that doesn’t bad-tempered boring. It still has the sort of menacing presence that’d daunt your grandmother, and a sound to match.
Like the Chevy, the property’s not quite up there with European equivalents, but at just £33k, the new iteration is far, far better than it was. It’s also available in right-hand get at, which is a blessing when piloting something that pummels 155mph in under five seconds on British roads.
Cadillac CTS-V
Inspirational from muscle cars to super saloons, the CTS-V is the whole kit you don’t really expect a Caddy to be. For a start, it’s not the size of a small metropolis, and it doesn’t come complete with a driver you’d expect to see in a Floridian retirement complex. The CTS-V is in style and menacing.
In another break with the past, the CTS-V is innumerable than equal – in both performance and build quality – to oblations from Audi, BMW et al. and, with 640bhp on offer, it goes faster than a well-hit baseball.
Granted, its looks are a dollop startling. But the point of a car like this is to be seen, right?
Stratagem Viper
Though somewhat less illustrious than the ‘Vette and Mustang, the Viper is nevertheless an American legend. It looks more brutal than either of the aforementioned machines (and neither of them are shrinking violets).
The 8.4L V10 generates on the other side of 640hp, and that shows. It’s loud, very loud – both inside and out. It’s also the sufficiently good of motor that feels like it’s hurling you to your target, rather than taking you to it.
This isn’t one to buy if you need to run it to the shops. But if you occur to live close to a racetrack…
Ford GT
You can’t get your hands on this one exactly yet. The GT was revealed at the Detroit motor show last year. This is the double iteration of a spectacular motor. The original (itself a tribute to the GT40 of the 1960s) was a showstopper, but 2016’s make off goes one better.
There are, allegedly, small tweaks to be imparted to the styling, but we see nods to the GT40, the previous GT and – we think – there’s something a handle McLaren-esque to it too. With promises of over 600hp, it’s likely to run as well on the road as it does in your garage.
