If it's customary for you to sit down at the dinner table on Thanksgiving to discuss what we're thankful for this year spare a thought for all of the outstanding American performance cars that have graced the roads in 2018. Last year in 2017, we gave thanks for the Tesla Roadster, Dodge Demon, Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, Chevy Corvette ZR1, and Hennessey VelociRaptor. In keeping with this tradition, here are eight badass American performance cars revealed in 2018.
Tesla Model 3 PerformanceThe base Tesla Model 3 is a pretty quick car, but "pretty quick" never seems good enough for Tesla. This year, Tesla released a faster version of the Model 3 called the Model 3 Performance. It packs unique dual motors, good for 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, a top speed of 155 mph, and a 310-mile range. If you want an electric BMW M3 killer, this is your car.
Acura NSXEven though it doesn't come from an American brand, the Acura NSX is built and designed in the US, which is why it made our list of cars we are thankful for in 2016. The NSX isn't all-new for 2019 but it is heavily refreshed. Along with a new coat of orange paint, Acura has tweaked the NXS to make it more livable on the street and more responsive on the track. These small changes add up to make a big difference.
Buick Regal GSThe Buick Regal GS may not have the firepower of some of the other cars on this list, but it is a very competent sports sedan with tons of daily driver accouterments. Under the hood sits a 3.6-liter V6 from a Camaro, producing 310 hp going out to AWD through a nine-speed automatic. Buick may have ditched the manual but the Regal GS is still a cool sleeper sedan.
Dodge Challenger Hellcat RedeyeYou know what the Dodge Challenger Hellcat needed? An extra 90 hp! We are kidding of course, but that is what Dodge gave it anyway. The new Challenger Hellcat Redeye now produces 797 hp from its 6.2-liter supercharged V8. What kind of world are we living in where 707 hp isn't enough? A world we are thankful for, that's where.
Chevy Colorado ZR2 BisonChevy already builds a hardcore off-road version of its Colorado mid-size pickup truck called the ZR2. To take the truck a step further, Chevy has teamed up with American Expedition Vehicles to create the Colorado ZR2 Bison. Power remains the same from either a turbocharged diesel engine or a V6 and Chevy has made the ZR2 Bison even more capable with added off-road parts and greater ground clearance.
Cadillac CT6-VThe Cadillac CT6-V was initially set to be called the CT6 V-Sport. However, Cadillac deemed the performance was high enough to make it a fully fledged V car. The CT6-V is powered by a new 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8 called the Blackhawk. It produces 550 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque but may be tuned to produce even more in the future mid-engine Corvette.
Ford Mustang BullittSome families have traditions involving certain movies they like to watch on Thanksgiving. For car enthusiasts, Bullitt is one of the best choices due to its famous chase scene with Steven McQueen and his Highland Green Mustang. To celebrate the movie, Ford has brought back the Bullitt Mustang with a unique special edition. In addition to the green paint and badge delete, the Bullitt Mustang now produces 480 hp from its 5.0-liter V8 going out through a six-speed manual transmission only.
