British of British pinnacle applies to dozens of great cars. sports car, luxury vehicles, and iconic off-roaders. Great if you can buy it, but not so great if you’re a US gearhead. US buyer. Actually, there are other reasons as well. Lack of necessary safety features is a sure way to get banned from sale. Any number of TVRs are targeted by NHTSA, as are a few hypercars. The mighty McLaren F1 was itself banned as well. However, bans are one thing. But exclusion of the US market by choice is as unthinkable as a marketing idea. After all, cars and gearheads are the backbone of American society, and it’s a wise bond for any automaker to keep in mind.
10/10 mclaren speedtail
A car like no other? While this may be technically correct, it is not entirely true. Like his 1992 McLaren F1 hypercar, the Speedtail is not set for state imports.
This is a pity. Speedtail has his three-seater cockpit that Gearhead and his two companions can blast at 250 mph. This time, McLaren has combined his 4-liter turbocharged engine with his hybrid system that produces 1040 horsepower.
9/10 Caparo T1
Simply put, the Caparo T1 gave gearheads the thrill of Formula 1. But as soon as his 205 mph two-man carbon missile appeared, a series of failures brought the project to a halt.
Caparo T1 aside, the production quirk was a petrol-powered thrill ride like no other. His 3.5-liter IndyCar engine in Nissan/Reynard gave him 700 horsepower in methanol.
8/10 TVR Sagaris
TVR’s best efforts to date are also on the US gearhead off-limits list. In part, the automaker skipped his NHTSA-enforcing safety measures for the hills. Still, poor finances are to blame.
By the time TVR started building the Sagaris using a chassis tweaked by Lee Noble, handling was a reality. It was a hell of a supercar with a Speed 6 engine under the hood, but at least it has a hint of usability.
7/10 Gordon Murray Auto T50
Three people again? It’s fair to assume that the T50 is a distant relative of the McLaren F1. After all, both are the result of Gordon Murray’s creative thinking. And it’s another supercar that isn’t legal in the United States.
The biggest loss for US gearheads is the engine. Unlike most modern supercars, GMA opted for his high-revving V12. Sure, there’s the EV trickery with an electric motor driving the rear fan. But for the most part, it’s gasoline that drives the T50 up to 217 mph.
6/10 Jaguar XFR-S Sport Brake
Fast, noisy and a little uncomfortable. What’s not to like?Sadly, Jaguar decided not to bring his XFR-S Sportbrake to US shores. Fool.
The XFR-S does not lose its performance even if the wagon body is extended. Under the hood, Jaguar’s supercharged V8 produces 550 horsepower, matching his 186 mph top speed in a sedan.
5/10 MG X-Power SVR
We don’t blame you if MG’s branding and this muscle-bound monstrosity looks out of place.The XPower SVR was built to rescue the MG Rover from its inevitable demise, but its It is not compatible with the image of the manufacturer. Despite the best efforts of Rover, Qvale, and a dose of US V8 grunts, the project came too late.
Due to the complex logistical production process, MG will only build 82 cars, 42 of which are SVR versions. Performance wise, the SVR showed a lot of potential to top out at 175 mph. Needless to say, no one was allowed to use the coast.
4/10 Lotus Elise GT1
The first generation Elise was off-limits to US gearheads for safety reasons. But her rocket in the pocket has nothing on its bigger, madder brother, the Elise GT1. If you consider Elise to be on steroids, you’d be in the right ballpark.
The Elise GT1 is a lightweight special built to be a track racer with the only legal example on public roads. But the heavy use of carbon fiber is not the focus here. Instead of a Lotus engine, the GT1 has a Chevrolet LT5 motor under the rear deck that makes 607 horsepower.
3/10 Ariel Atom 500 V8
Buying an Ariel Atom is very tempting for many US gearheads. But despite the switch to turbocharged power, it’s not the Ultimate Atom.
The bad news is that the Ariel was a limited production run of 25 and all sold out instantly. Powered by a 3-liter V8 Frankenstein motorcycle engine built in the USA, the Atom 500 V8 hit 60 mph in 2.2 seconds.
2/10 Lagonda Taraf
Lagonda Taraf’s audacious ambition to find 200 wealthy buyers turned out to be overkill. In the end, parent company Aston Martin withdrew after selling 120 units.
Despite lackluster sales performance, the Taraf is a rare vehicle that combines luxury and speed. At cruising speed onside, it’s hard to imagine Taraf being his 540-horsepower, 195-mph supercar in disguise.
1/10 Noble M600
Completing the best British gearhead missed in the US is the Noble M600. Built in a shed, the M600 packs enough horses to grab the attention of established supercar makers.
An all carbon fiber build kept the weight down to 2760 pounds, allowing Noble to join the 200+ mph elite club. Unlike its predecessor, the M600 used a Yamaha-designed 4.4-liter engine with variable boost for up to 650 horsepower.