Ford began officially selling the Mustang to British motorists in right-hand drive earlier this year and there has been much rejoicing over that fact. The chance to be able to acquire such an iconic piece of American muscle without resorting to importing a left-hand drive model is welcome.
But are there other cars from the USA which should follow the Mustang’s lead and make themselves a more global product? We say definitely yes.
While the similarly iconic Corvette Stingray and Camaro are also available on our shores (from specific dealerships at least), there are still some cool, spectacular and frankly bonkers American cars we’d like to see move to the UK market as well.
Frustratingly for car fans, the fact European legislation encourages smaller models and engines, means none of our picks will realistically arrive here anytime soon. Still though, we’re keen to make a case for them on the grounds of their performance, intriguing history and unique character.
Dodge Challenger
When it comes to the Mustang’s American rivals, there is of course the Camaro to consider. But bringing the Dodge Challenger here too would mean Brits would have the choice of all three models that make up the most famous American ‘pony’ car trio. Unfortunately, nowadays, Dodge has no presence in the UK market.
Sold as a two-door coupe only, the latest Challenger has the chunky muscular looks and vibrant colours and names to please any American car fanatic. Only a flamboyant car from the states would name a dark grey paint job ‘Maximum Steel Metallic’.
Current engines include a 3.6-litre V6 petrol with just over 300bhp, hooked up to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. There’s also a 5.7-litre V8 available with 370bhp and a six-speed manual ‘box. Both engines are unsurprisingly thirsty, but the latest Mustang GT sold in the UK shows there’s plenty of love and demand for such big engines on our shores.
The most exciting engine for the current Challenger is the 6.2-litre V8 found in the SRT Hellcat version which boasts a whopping 697bhp.
Hennessey Venom GT
The Venom GT is based on the very British Lotus Exige sports car, but is transformed by the American tuning house Hennessey, into an absolute monster of speed.
Sold in coupe and roadster body styles, the Venom GT uses a twin-turbo V8 with adjustable outputs of 800, 1,000 or 1,244bhp. This car is so ridiculously rapid that it can even go faster than the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.
The Venom GT has been clocked travelling at 270.49mph, although it doesn’t hold the official Guinness World Record for fastest production car because it hasn’t been run in the proper test conditions. Still though, there’s no doubt the Venom GT is phenomenally fast and that’s surely reason to want to see it arrive to our country.
Being based on the Exige appeals too, as Lotus has a reputation for making some of the best handling sports car around.
Cadillac ATS-V Coupe
Cadillac has been out of the UK market since 2011 but prior to their withdrawal the brand’s CTS-V coupe was widely viewed as an interesting alternative to the likes of the M3 and C-Class AMG coupe.
Though it was expensive and had some design flaws, the last ATS-V sold in Britain also received praise for its handling. Cadillac dedicated a lot of time towards making the ATS-V suit Europe’s roads and the results paid off well.
The ATS-V is still on offer in America and it’d be intriguing to see how the latest incarnation of the coupe would hold up next to the BMW M4 and other premium coupes. It features Magnetic Ride Control adaptive dampers as standard to give the car a sharp driving experience whether you’re on a track or public streets. Under the bonnet is a twin-turbo V6 pumping out 457bhp and leading to a 0-60mph sprint time of below four seconds.
Dodge Viper
One of the most famous American sports car names besides the Corvette, the Viper seems to get progressively more ridiculous as the years go by and we love it for its absurdity.
Under the bonnet of the latest Viper is an 8.4-litre V10 (yes, that’s EIGHT litres!) which produces 634bhp as standard. All versions of the Viper go from zero to 60mph in less than four seconds. In its most hardcore, track-ready guise called the ACR, the Viper covers the 0-60mph sprint in just 3.2 seconds and features a whole host of aerodynamic parts, including a huge rear spoiler.
The speed, sound and ferocity of the Viper would be intimidating to the uninitiated, and the fuel bills no doubt unpleasant. But a car with such an audacious engine and styling would be celebrated by UK car fans should it ever arrive on our shores.
Ford F-150 Raptor
When it comes to pick-up trucks, the Ford sells the Ranger in the UK, but over in the states there’s the hugely popular F-150. It may be absurdly large for our local roads, but the chance to own an F-150, particularly in its brutish Raptor configuration, would make for quite the experience.
Some motorists like a car with plenty of road presence, but even owners of models like the BMW X6 would feel puny if they parked up next to a F-150 Raptor. Immensley practical and intimidating from all angles, the latest F-150 Raptor uses a 3.5-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 paired with a ten-speed automatic gearbox.
The engine might not sound that big, but it has more power than the 6.2-litre V8 used in previous Raptors, and that offered 405bhp. Made of military-grade aluminium alloy and sporting very chunky all-terrain tyres, the F-150 Raptor can make short work of virtually any terrain. Nothing and nobody is likely to want to mess with you if you were driving this thing on our roads.
Find prices for new cars currently sold in the UK at carkeys.co.uk
