I have something that would have been a formidable rival to the '96 R20: the 1995 Hampton Hawk 5.0 GTS. This was the fastest volume-produced car the British manufacturer had in its lineup at the time, according to the latest version of company lore.
Although I made this car as part of the lore for my Generations II company, I did not enter it in any rounds due to its high cost ($59200 AMU as of the latest version of this build).
Almost as quick as the '96 R20 (only 0.1s slower to 62 mph) and slightly faster at the top end, it also handles and stops well thanks to race-tuned suspension and brakes. The fact that it only weighs 1300 kg also helps.
Note: This trim was recently revised to account for the many changes implemented in the latest game build (LCV 4.11.15). Also, the Hawk range as a whole was introduced for the 1992 model year, although the GTS trim shown here did not debut until the 1995 model year.
@Boxsterholics the more I think about it, the more I realize that the Hawk and R20 are more direct rivals than I first assumed. I would like to find out what kind of engine lurks underneath its rear deck and how much power it produces, as well as exactly where in the world it’s made in.