Cheetah (United States)

Cheetah was a short-lived American sports car brand that operated in 1965, founded by Bill Thomas in Anaheim, California. The brand aimed to produce a homologation special intended for racing, specifically to compete against the Shelby Cobra. Bill Thomas was already known for his work on racing Corvettes and Chevrolet II sedans, which laid the groundwork for the Cheetah project.

The Cheetah was designed as a compact, lightweight coupe featuring a tube chassis crafted by renowned race car fabricator Don Edmunds. Initially, Chevrolet planned to support the production of 100 street cars to qualify the model for racing as a GT car. However, as development progressed, the required production number increased to 1,000 units, leading Chevrolet to withdraw its support. Consequently, only about 30 complete Cheetahs were built, available in both street and race configurations.

Powering the Cheetah was a Chevrolet 5.3-liter V8 engine, equipped with modified fuel injection systems. The race variants produced approximately 520 horsepower, enabling them to reach top speeds exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h). Despite their impressive performance, the chassis and drum brakes struggled to handle the power effectively. Although all Cheetahs were manufactured as coupes, one vehicle had its roof removed to address extreme cockpit heat issues.

A prototype for a street version known as the Super Cheetah was planned, which was to feature a 7.0-liter engine and a longer wheelbase; however, this model was never completed. All Thomas Cheetahs were sold in finished form, but several companies, including Allied Industries and C-R Cheetah Race Cars, later produced kit replicas of the original design. The Cheetah brand remains a notable example of American automotive ambition during the 1960s, despite its brief existence.