The State of American Performance: Shaking Down USA’s Top Guns
The Ford Mustang GTD, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X, Lucid Air Sapphire, and Czinger 21C prove America’s best performance cars are better than ever.
We’re 250 years into the grand experiment known as the United States of America. In that time this country has become known as one populated by industrious and generally optimistic people, with the belief a person can achieve their dreams via hard work, determination, and community. We’re restless, too, not afraid of exploring the unknown, whether it be found on Earth, the moon — or beyond.
Similarly, the automobiles America is most known for are the ones most associated with work and exploration. American automakers invented functional and practical pickups and SUVs, all of which remain hugely popular. And even though the first sports cars and supercars originated overseas, meaning the idea wasn’t “ours,” we’ve built some great ones, too. But this isn’t about looking back on the past; we’re more curious about now and what’s next. What is the state of the art? What are America’s best performance cars in 2026? And what does it all tell us about what our future holds?
To find out, we first assembled four cars we think best represent contemporary American-made performance and spent a week with them on the track at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, on the road, and even on a U.S. Air Force runway.
The Traditional: Ford Mustang GTD
The Contemporary: Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X
The Future? Lucid Air Sapphire
The Alien: Czinger 21C
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(photo credit: William Walker – MotorTrend)
