10 Best American Coupes

The American coupe is an endangered species.

What is a coupe, anyway? In strict definition, it used to be a 2-door vehicle with two rows of seating and a trunk. A 2-door with a droptop was a convertible (two rows) or a roadster (one row). Mercedes-Benz introduced some confusion with the CLS-Class, and BMW further muddied the waters by calling its X4 and X6 crossovers “Sport Activity Coupes.” We’ll consider any vehicle with two doors and a trunk to be a coupe, with seating in one or two rows included.

By the way, what is “American,” anyway? Globalization has complicated this answer, too. We’ll accept cars assembled in North America as “American.”

With our terms defined, here’s our list of the 10 best American coupes.

The Cadillac ATS debuted as a sedan for the 2013 model year, and the coupe version came along in 2015. According to Cadillac, the ATS Coupe doesn’t share any sheet metal with the sedan, with the obvious difference of two doors vs. four doors cementing the distinction. ATS shoots high, with the German sport coupe in its sights: BMW 3 Series, Audi A5, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class are the obvious targets.

ATS Coupe is assembled in Lansing, Michigan, so it’s as American as can be. As Cadillac shuffles its lineup in search of a winning hand, ATS Coupe appears to be a card worth holding.

The 2017 Cadillac ATS-V is so different from the ATS Coupe that it has earned its own place on this list. At a recent track day event held by the Motor Press Guild at Willow Springs International Raceway, several drivers praised the ATS-V as the best-balanced coupe available, and compared it favorably with competitors like the BMW M3, Audi S5 and Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 – high praise indeed. Under the hood, a 3.6-liter 464-hp twin-turbo V6 engine produces 445 lb-ft of torque, enough to propel the ATS-V Coupe from 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds. Built in Lansing, Michigan with upgraded suspension and braking components, ATS-V is a significant step up over the standard ATS Coupe.

The original Chevy Camaro was General Motors’ 1967 answer to the Ford Mustang, which started the pony car class when it arrived as a 1965 model. Camaro survived four generations before succumbing to high gas prices and disinterest in 2002. In 2010, responding to the resurgent Ford Mustang, GM reintroduced the all-new fifth-generation Camaro. 2016 saw the introduction of the sixth-generation Camaro, which roars into 2017 to carry on the Muscle Car Wars. Three choices of powertrain (2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder, 3.6-liter V6, and 6.2-liter V8) offer up to 455 hp. Camaro is a classic American sports coupe, with two doors, a tiny pair of second-row seats and an enclosed trunk. It is built in Lansing, Michigan.

Corvette has been the iconic American sports coupe ever since its introduction in 1953. Six subsequent generations of Corvette (designated by the faithful as C1, C2, C3, etc.) followed, leading to the current C7 generation beginning in 2014. Everyone has their favorite, but most agree that C5 and younger Corvettes have closed the gap on the supercar class, and now represent a very good value for the performance they deliver. C7 maps out as the best-performing and best-handling Corvette to date, with Stingray, Grand Sport and Z06 models topping out at 650 hp and 0-60 times of 3.7–2.95 seconds – blazing fast. With two doors, two seats and a trunk, Corvette is assembled in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Dodge answered the call to the Muscle Car Wars by bringing back its Charger Sedan in 2006 and Challenger Coupe lineups in 2008. Dodge definitely adopted the mantra “go big or go home” when putting together the aggressively-styled coupe, which is positively outrageous and almost cartoonish in appearance. Challenger’s Retrofuturist design, with two doors, a small second row and a trunk, is available with a wide choice of powertrains, from a 305-hp 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 all the way to a fire-breathing 707-hp supercharged 6.4-liter HEMI V8. That’s like bringing a gun to a knife fight. Challenger is assembled in Brampton, Ontario – still quite American by our definition.

2017 has been announced as the 25th and final year of production for the Dodge SRT Viper, currently in its fifth generation. The coupe has two doors, two seats and a small trunk, all following one of the longest hood lines of any American car on the road. Viper has made its reputation as a racer, and can be ordered as ACR (American Club Racer) versions that are racetrack-ready out of the box. Viper is definitely Dodge and SRT’s halo vehicle, designed to attract attention wherever it goes. Viper is built in the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit, Michigan. It just doesn’t get any more American than that.

The Ford Mustang started the Pony Car class when it hit the market as a 1965 (some say 1964-1/2) model, and has been in continuous production ever since through six generations. The fifth generation (2005–2014) cemented the Retrofuturist design craze, reviving classic Mustang styling cues while updating the design and engineering to modern standards. 2015 saw big advances in performance and handling, finally dispensing with the solid rear axle design for a fully-independent suspension setup. The classic coupe formula of two doors, a small second row and a trunk now looks sleeker and faster than ever before. Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan is home to this American coupe.

Ford Racing responded to Ferrari’s dismissal of its overtures to band together in 1963 with the 1966 Ford GT40 race car, leading to great success for the American company at LeMans in 1968 and 1969. (Read all about it in A.J. Baime’s excellent book Go Like Hell.) A new production version of the vehicle, called the Ford GT, was produced for the 2005 and 2006 model years. A new generation of GT arrives as a 2017 model, a mid-engine rear-wheel drive coupe with two doors, two seats and a trunk (in front), stretching our definition a little. The 2017 Ford GT is being assembled at Multimatic’s factory in Markham, Ontario. Production will be limited to 250 units per year through 2020, with the first three years reserved for former GT owners.

Honda may not be an American company, but the 2017 Honda Accord Coupe is a thoroughly American coupe, built in Honda’s Marysville, Ohio plant alongside the Accord Sedan and Acura ILX and TLX. Accord Coupe has two doors, two rows of seating and a spacious trunk. Available in five trim levels with a choice of two engines (4-cylinder or 6-cylinder), the Accord Coupe’s sweet spot is its EX-L V6 model, which comes with the rare 6-speed manual transmission as standard equipment, making it the enthusiast’s choice. Perhaps the most practical coupe on our list, Accord combines comfort for rear seat passengers with sporty coupe styling.

It’s not a new design – in fact, its’ builders call it a “continuation car” – but the Shelby Daytona Coupe is an American coupe that is currently in production, based on the highly influential and successful 1965 design. Available from Shelby International, the company founded by the late racing legend Carroll Shelby, the two-door/two-seat coupe with a trunk is a gorgeous time machine that retails from $179,995 in fiberglass and $349,999 in aluminum-body versions. You can order a Daytona Coupe that is totally authentic and fitted out with the same technology and features as the original, or you can opt for a version with more modern engineering like power steering, power brakes and fuel injection. Ten authorized dealers across the US will be happy to help you spec out your dream Shelby Daytona Coupe for the ultimate American coupe experience.