7 iconic American cars in racing games

7 iconic American cars in racing games

Jul 6, 2021 1 Min Read Posted by OverTake Team
CLASSIC AMERICAN MUSCLE Ask anyone to "name an American car" and the chances are that the majority will reply "Corvette". The model has been on sale continuously since 1953 and is now in its eighth generation, so it obviously appears so many racing games that it's impossible to cover them here. Pictured is the Corvette C8.R, which is a very solid choice if you're into GT racing. BABY STOCK CAR This stock car might seem like an odd addition to a list of 'iconic' American cars. In the world of iRacing though, this vehicle has legendary status. Included as part of the basic membership, the JR Motorsports Street Stock represents the first steps into oval racing for most iRacing newbies. It teaches them the fundamentals of race car setups and handling on ovals, and gives them a taste of what is to come when they work their way up into a NASCAR. THE NEXT GEN We simply had to feature a NASCAR in this list. This brand-new addition to iRacing represents the pinnacle of oval racing and is surely an icon in the making. NASCAR’s Next Gen NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 makes its debut on iRacing before anywhere else, with its real-world debut scheduled for the 2022 Daytona 500 race. It is quite a step up from the Street Stock racer featured previously, but an exhiliarating one to take. STAR OF THE BIG SCREEN The Dodge Charger R/T achieved its iconic status by starring in the Dukes of Hazard series as The General Lee. The 69 model was subsequently featured in numerous games, ranging from Driver San Franscisco to Gran Turismo and every Forza title since Forza Motorsport 5. Despite being rather poor on track thanks to its size, weight and soft suspension, it is the perfect getaway car for evading those pesky inner-city cops. A SNAKE IN THE GRASS The American automobile manufacturer Shelby and the British manufacturer AC Cars collaborated to build the legendary Cobra in 1962. The general look of the car is familiar to every racing or sim racing fan and 'evocations' of the originals have been created by many companies since. The Cobra is featured in Assetto Corsa, Forza Horizon 4, Real Racing 3 and several titles of the Gran Turismo franchise. JACK OF ALL TRADES The Ford Crown Victoria perhaps defines the very meaning of 'iconic'. Coming in various guises from civilian spec vehicles to taxis and the famous Police Interceptor variant, they feature right across the spectrum of driving games in anything from GTA to Driver and Need for Speed. If there was a car chase in America in the 2000s, you can be sure that a Crown Vic was involved – driving to uphold the law, or to break it. THE UGLY DUCKLING This might seem like an odd addition to the list, but hear us out. We've saved the best till last! When the AMC Pacer was launched in 1975 is was received with disappointment – it was slow, uneconomical and to many, ugly. But its divisive looks have turned it into a cult classic today, helped by an appearance in the 1992 movie Wayne's World. As such it has appeared in numerous racing games, including Simpsons Road Rage, Test Drive 6 and more recently Forza Motorsport 7. Admit it: you want one in your virtual garage now, right?

God bless America! Here are seven of the most iconic cars from US car manufacturers that you can drive in your favourite racing games.

Photo credit: Kunos Simulazioni

If you ask an average person (someone not necessarily into cars or racing) what they associate with America, they could well respond by describing a large 60s or 70s muscle car with a huge V8 in it. This shows how deep the connection between the country and their cars runs.

However, the USA’s contribution to motoring is far more diverse than that, which is reflected in the numerous racing games they appear in. From iRacing to Forza, ACC, GTA or even Need for Speed, pretty much every title features an American car of some kind. So check out our gallery of seven of the best!

This is of course not a definitive list of every iconic American car ever. If your personal favourite is missing, tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!

Tags:
OverTake Team
View More Posts
Creating a brand-new platform for esports racing comes from a necessity the community was lacking. Because esports racing has taken the whole world, it deserves a proper stage to shine. With fans all over the globe, OverTake is here to unite them all in one place – a bold move that we’re up to achieve together with the community.