Founded in the early 1960s by American racing driver Bill Thomas, the Cheetah car brand emerged as a formidable contender to the era’s racing dominants. Initially crafted to challenge the likes of Ferrari and Corvette in sports car racing, the Cheetah’s unique design and formidable power quickly garnered attention. Thomas, along with his business partner Don Edmunds, introduced the first Cheetah with an audacious goal: to create a car that blended light weight with a powerful engine, ensuring agility and speed.

The original Cheetah, known for its compact, tubular frame and fiberglass body, featured a Chevrolet V8 engine, making it a fierce competitor on the track. Its distinctive, elongated nose and short rear end not only made it visually striking but also aerodynamically efficient. However, the Cheetah’s production was short-lived, plagued by financial difficulties and a factory fire in 1965, resulting in a very limited number of vehicles—only about 23 were ever made.

Despite its brief production run, the Cheetah left an indelible mark on automotive history. Today, original Cheetahs are highly sought after collectibles in the classic car world. The brand has experienced a revival in interest, with modern reproductions and kit cars attempting to capture the original’s raw appeal and racing pedigree. As a symbol of innovation and the underdog spirit, the Cheetah brand continues to be celebrated among enthusiasts for its unique contribution to automotive racing history.

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