Horsepower Rules: The nine most powerful American cars and trucks sold today

In case you haven’t been paying attention, American cars and trucks have undergone a horsepower revolution. Cars like the fresh Cadillac CTS-V luxury sedan, the Dodge Challenger Hellcat, and even the electric-powered Tesla P85D electrified car all now have power levels once only thought possible with vehicles sporting a name like Porsche, BMW, or even Ferrari on the fetish mask.

Did we just mention a Dodge muscle car in the same breath as Porsche and Ferrari? Oh yes, we did.

We at the NY Daily News Autos went looking for the most powerful American vehicles in their respective segments, to see exactly how they stack up when looking at one thing: Good old-fashioned horsepower.

Having driven almost every vehicle in this list, we can vouch that going rapid in a straight-line is only part of the joy with these all-American, tire-smoking machines.

COUPE

If you want the most horsepower with the least amount of doors, the Challenger SRT Hellcat is the 707-hp coupe that wishes are made of.

There could only be one, and its name is Hellcat. The wild Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is powered by a 707-horsepower supercharged Hemi V-8 engine that comes coupled to a choice of 6-speed manual or automatic transmission. In a word, the Hellcat is hellacious. But it can also be a downright pussycat if you’re gentle on the throttle and just want to cruise. This is the most powerful muscle car on the planet, and it’s the most horsepower you can get with only two doors (and a non-folding top…more on that later!).

SEDAN

The Charger has the same Hellcat engine as the Challenger coupe, but with the added benefit of more cabin space, more doors, and just as much tire-smoking potential whenver you want it.

Oh come on Dodge, now you’re just being greedy. If you like the Challenger SRT Hellcat, but the realities of daily life mean you need more cabin room, then behold the Charger SRT Hellcat. Yes, under the bondage mask is the same shrieking supercharged Hemi you get in the 2-door Challenger Hellcat. Except this big Dodge has a geyser of rear seat space and roomy 16.Five cu. ft. trunk thrown in the mix. Would you believe this Dodge family car has a top speed of two hundred four miles per hour? The run from zero to sixty mph also takes less than Four.0 seconds – if you manage to hook those muscular 20-inch rear tires into the asphalt without spinning them into smoky oblivion.

LUXURY SEDAN

The Cadillac CTS-V is 640-horsepower proof that the American luxury brand is serious about taking on the best sport sedans in the world.

Oh, now we’re stirring up some controversy and, perhaps, raining a little on the Dodge spectacle parade. While the Charger SRT Hellcat is undisputedly the most powerful American sedan, we dreamed to add another layer of luxury – and free espressos at the dealership – to your 4-door, horsepower-crazed driving enjoyment. Come in the two thousand sixteen Cadillac CTS-V, a 640-horsepower missile aimed directly at the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz AMG E63. As rivals go, those two are frighteningly strong. But as we recently found out, this Caddy has the speed and poise of the finest high-performance luxury sedans. The Cadillac revolution is for real, and the CTS-V is supercharged proof.

SPORT-UTILITY

It’s like a Dodge Viper that will get you to your ski lodge. A massive V-8 and all-wheel-drive grip make the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT a sport-utility with a major emphasis on SPORT.

We arched the rules to permit for “sedan” and “luxury sedan” categories, but SUVs and crossovers are getting lumped into one tier. Why? Because even we can’t tell the difference inbetween a typical sport-utility and the trendier crossover category – here’s a hint, there isn’t one. There is no doubt, however, that when it comes to ruling the American SUV roost, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is 2nd to none. A 475-horsepower 6.4-liter Hemi V-8, 8-speed automatic with spanking paddle shifters, and Jeep’s legendary all-wheel-drive expertise make this a super sport-ute that never shies away from snow or rain. Then again, we don’t think we’d risk the 20-inch “Goliath” alloy wheels while taking on the Rubicon Trail. Save that for the Wrangler crowd.

CONVERTIBLE

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 has the spectacle of supercars costing two or three times its embarking price of $83,995.

As it turns out, the most powerful production Corvette of all time also happens to be the highest horsepower way to drive an American car minus a roof. Well, a roof is included, of course, but the one in the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 quickly folds down with the shove of a button. Chevrolet worked overtime to turn the latest Z06 into a true supercar-killing machine. A 650-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine is only part of the story. The latest Corvette Z06 treats and rails like a champ, while giant Brembo brakes and optional carbon-fiber aero additions make this a Vette that’s ready for any road or racetrack.

Electrical

It’s an electrical car, how swift could it be? Press “Insane” driving mode in the Tesla Motors P85D, and you’ll find out. swift!

Suspend on taut, because this is our idea of zero emission driving! The Tesla Model S P85D is a 691-horsepower shot of adrenaline, without the refueling hangover that comes with so many gas-guzzling spectacle machines. The iPad-on-steroids dashboard display is still there, as is a driving mode politely labeled as “Insane.” Get crazy, or insane, in this Tesla and be ready for electrified car acceleration that’s closer to Millennium Falcon levels of swift. The “D” stands for dual motors, not to mention a handy all-wheel-drive system that gets all six hundred ninety one electrified horsepower to the road. Poised, polished, insanely quick, and earth-friendly; the Model S P85D should be the official supercar of Silicon Valley.

TRUCK

If you have a construction company or a herd of cattle, the mighty 440-horsepower Ford F-450 is the truck for you.

On the other arm, if you don’t need the ultimate in towing and stump-pulling power, the 420-horsepower Chevrolet Silverado is a strong second-place finisher in the pickup truck horsepower battle.

We knew it was strapped to happen, and it only makes sense that we have something of a contentious tie in the rough-and-tumble world of pickup trucks. The outright winner here is the Ford F-450 Super Duty, a 440-horsepower behemoth that is powered by an almighty turbo-diesel V-8 engine. This is an incredible work truck if you have to budge, say, the entire state of Montana. For truck buyers who don’t need XXL-sized capabilities, the 420-horsepower Chevrolet Silverado and its 6.2-liter V-8 get the job done the other 99.9% of the time. So Ford gets the win, while Chevy gets the nod and wink.

HATCHBACK

The Concentrate ST streaks down the road and around corners thanks to turbo power and clever braking tech.

Wait, isn’t this the area of fuel-sipping economy cars that are effortless on your budget? The world of compacts and hatchbacks isn’t the mild-mannered place it used to be, thanks to cars like the Ford Concentrate ST. This pocket rocket has a 252-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder under its little snout, it only comes with a manual gearbox, and there is torque-vectoring brake technology that helps launch this Ford hatchback around corners. Oh yes, it also gets more than thirty miles per gallon on the highway, if you can stand against laying into the power that’s on tap in this wickedly entertaining rail.

SUPERCAR

‘Murica. The Hennessey Venom GT officialy hit a record 270.49 miles per hour – we’re guessing it was accomplished without the starlets and stripes flying out the side window (but we hope we’re wrong).

We’re going no holds barred and throwing caution (and sanity) to the wind. That’s because when it comes to American supercars, the Hennessey Venom GT is freakishly swift. A top speed of two hundred seventy miles per hour – yes, you read that correctly – is attributable to the Venom GT’s ultra-lightweight chassis and ground-thumping, twin-turbo 7.0-liter V-8 that shoves out in excess of 1,200-horsepower. Granted, the basis for the Venom GT happens to be the Lotus Exige, a distinctly British sports car. But let’s not get stuck on a technicality when we’re talking about a car as devilishly loony as the Venom GT.

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