Some cars are simply amazing, and we don’t truly appreciate them until they are gone. Let’s look at some great American cars that everyone ignored.
Do you know those cars that flew under the radar but were actually amazing? We’re talking about rides like the Pontiac G8 that could smoke a BMW, the Mercury Marauder that was basically a four-door Mustang, and the Cadillac CTS-V Wagon that hauled kids and groceries at 200 mph. These overlooked American machines had serious chops but never got the love they deserved. Time to give credit where it’s due.
Pontiac G8 GXP
Pontiac went the way of the Dodo at the end of the 2000s, but one of the final models was pretty amazing. The G8 GXP had the chops to beat some of the top luxury performance cars, making it a fantastic choice for hardcore driving and serious speed. This variant came with a 6.2-liter V8 engine attached to a six-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain sends 415 horsepower and 415 Ib-ft of torque to the rear wheels, making it possible for the car to reach 60 MPH in 4.5 seconds while posting a limited top speed of 155 MPH.
Mercury Marauder
Like Pontiac, the Mercury name didn’t make it past the Great Recession of the 2000s, but there were some incredibly fun and active cars that wore this brand’s name. The Marauder might not have looked like the Ford Mustang, but it was basically a Mustang under the hood. This incredible sedan was powered by a 4.6- liter V8 engine attached to a four-speed automatic transmission for the 2004 version. This powertrain was good for 302 horsepower and 318 Ib-ft of torque, and that allowed it to reach 60 MPH in 6.9 seconds and post a top speed of 124 MPH, which is pretty good for a mild-mannered sedan.
Cadillac CTS-V Wagon
How often do you find a wagon with a manual transmission and a Corvette engine? This doesn’t happen often, but the 2014 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon brought in a massive 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine that’s good for 556 horsepower and 551 Ib-ft of torque. This wagon had enough power to rocket off the line and leave other cars in the dust, posting a sprint time to 60 MPH of 3.9 seconds and an amazing top speed of 185 MPH.
Buick GSX
The Buick Grand National GNX is one of the most popular sleeper sedans in history, but most people have forgotten about the GSX. This is the older brother of the legendary car, arriving in 1970 with the highest torque output of any American car at 510 Ib-ft. This car also had 350 horsepower coming out of the 455 cu-in V8 engine, which was plenty of power to get this car going to 60 MPH in six seconds while posting a top speed of 116 MPH, which was good for its time.
Pontiac Solstice
You only remember the Pontiac Solstice when you see one on the road. This car was good enough to be nominated for “North American Car of the Year” in 2006. If you think of what the Mazda MX-5 Miata brings to the table, you’ll be in the ballpark for the Solstice, which has a four-cylinder engine that makes 177 horsepower and 166 Ib-ft of torque. Despite some sales success, the Solstice wasn’t good enough to save the Pontiac brand.
Cadillac ATS-V
It was relatively popular with the right crowd, but for the most part, the Cadillac ATS-V is one of the most forgotten American cars in recent years. It was overshadowed by the CTS-V, which was the midsize performance sedan. The ATS-V was the Cadillac answer to the BMW M3 and M4 models, delivering excellent power and performance from a 3.6-liter turbocharged V6 engine. The ATS-V produced 464 horsepower and 445 Ib-ft of torque while posting a spring to 60 MPH of 4.2 seconds, which is still respectable today.
Buick Riviera
Early versions of the Buick Riviera were impressive and the best choice for drivers when put up against the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado. The other two were FWD models, while the Riviera was a muscle-car born RWD model. It lasted a long time but has been mostly forgotten. The first four generations are popular choices, but the final four are much less so, and the car never had the same appeal during its last half as during the first half of its existence.
Ford Probe
The Ford Probe was made to replace the Mustang. That wasn’t going to sit well with Mustang lovers, especially since the Probe was built on the same platform as the Mazda MX-6. The objection to Japanese underpinnings, an FWD layout, and the lack of a V8 left the Probe behind, making it nearly impossible for this car to catch on and be something that drivers desired. Still, it was a fun and enjoyable car that unfortunately only lasted for a few years, from 1988 to 1997.
Dodge Neon SRT-4
The Dodge Neon is a car that most people would rather forget, but the SRT-4 model is forgotten, but was well-loved when it was around. This version uses the same engine as the standard model but added turbocharging to the mix to give the small car 214 horsepower and 245 Ib-ft of torque. The Neon SRT-4 had a spoiler, a hood scoop, and sporty paint to make it look as fun as it was to drive.
Do you remember any of these cars? Can you think of other great American cars that have been mostly forgotten?
