The Most Powerful Vehicles Ever Made By American Brands

By Gary Gastelu |

Sep 16, 2024

The horsepower wars aren’t going cold anytime soon.

Automakers from around the world are finding ways to crank more power than ever out of their production models.

Boutique Texas car builder Hennessey just launched the Venom F5-M supercar that has 1,817 hp and a stick-shift manual transmission, but only 12 will be built and they cost $2.65 million, so it’s a bit of an outlier.

But what about vehicles from the major American brands? Here is a roundup of the most powerful model ever made by each of the surviving U.S. automakers.

CADILLAC ESCALADE IQ

Cadillac’s upcoming Escalade IQ is silent and swift, courtesy of an electric drivetrain rated at 750 horsepower and 785 lb-ft of torque. If gas is more your thing, you’ll have to settle for the Escalade-V’s 682 hp supercharged V8.

CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1

The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is set to be the most powerful vehicle ever made by a General Motors brand. The mid-engined supervette is equipped with a turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 rated at 1,064 hp and can reach 215 mph.

CHRYSLER 300C

The last Chrysler 300C was built on Dec. 8, 2023 and its 485 hp 6.4-liter V8 will go down in history as the most powerful gasoline motor the Chrysler brand ever sold.

DODGE CHALLENGER SRT DEMON 170

Dodge Challenger Demon 170 — Credit: Dodge

The 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 was the brand’s last V8-powered muscle car was the most powerful in two categories. When its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 is running on gasoline it’s rated at 900 hp, but fill the tank with E85 and that rises to 1,025 hp.

FORD MUSTANG GTD

The Ford Mustang GTD is like no other pony car before it. The $325,000 super sports car was designed with inspiration from Ford’s IMSA endurance racers. But while its advanced suspension and aerodynamics are its signature features, nothing beats horsepower and it has plenty. The supercharged 5.2-liter V8 under its well-vented hood is rated at 815 hp and good for a 202 mph top speed.

GMC HUMMER EV 3X PICKUP

The electric GMC Hummer EV Pickup is built more for rock crawling than barnstorming, but it is available with a 1,000 hp tri-motor drivetrain that can hustle the 9,000-pound monster to 60 mph in about three seconds when you use its Watts To Freedom launch mode.

JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE TRACKHAWK

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is long gone, but not forgotten. The Hellcat V8-powered SUV sent 707 hp to all four tires, which were definitely not designed for the dirt.

LINCOLN AVIATOR

Lincoln has always been more about luxury that power and that’s still the case today. The 2025 Aviator Grand Touring is the most powerful model the brand has ever built thanks to a V6-based plug-in hybrid powertrain rated at 494 hp.

LUCID AIR SAPPHIRE

The Count from Sesame Street would love the Lucid Air Sapphire, because its electric drivetrain has 1,234 hp. The sleek sedan can accelerate to 60 mph in 1.89 seconds, or cruise 427 mies on a charge if you’re not in that much of a rush.

RAM 1500 TRX

The Ram 1500’s V8 engines were replaced with turbocharged inline-six-cylinders for 2025, but none of them are more powerful than the 702 hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that was in the 2024 1500 TRX. At least not yet.

RIVIAN R1T/R1S QUAD MAX

2025 Rivian R1T and R1S — Credit: Rivian

The Rivian R1T pickup and R1S SUV look mild mannered, but both pack a punch that would make Clark Kent proud. The top 2025 models feature a Quad Max four-motor electric powertrain that has 1,025 hp and can hightail them to 60 mph in about two-and-a-half seconds.

TESLA MODEL S PLAID

The Tesla Cybertruck Cyberbeast may be getting all of the attention these days, but its 845 hp tri-motor drivetrain seems paltry compared to the one in the Model S Plaid which is rated at 1,020 hp and can sprint to 60 mph in 1.99 seconds on its way to a 200 mph top speed.