We all know what muscle cars are about. Muscular bodies, big V8 engines, loud noises, massive and raw power. What's not to like? Who wouldn't like to own one and feel the freedom while cruising on a highway?
But, since the muscle car boom in the '60s, many kinds of cars have been produced. Some are iconic, like the Pontiac GTO or the Dodge Charger, but some others didn't get much credit. Some were not good cars and some were offset by their more popular brothers. even though they were not recognized as other cars from the same era, I still think they incredibly cool cars.
14 Chevy Corvair
There is no other way of saying this, the Corvair its a one-of-a-kind car. It was designed in the '50s and built from 1960 to 1969. It was at the time and it still is the only American mass-produced car with a rear-mounted air-cooled engine. But perhaps the Corvair is better known by its special appearance on Ralph's Nader book Unsafe at any speed in which he reported a design flaw on the suspension that made the car extremely dangerous and poor-handling.
13 Dodge Dart
It may not have USB ports, Bluetooth, or hydraulic steering, but the fourth-gen Dodge Dart looks better than the boring Fiat sedan that has appropriated the name. It was originally marketed as a full-size in 1960 and eventually downsized to a compact car for the launch of the 1967 model. This was also the year when the 426 and the big block 440 were optional on the top of the line models. While it may have been overlooked at the time because of its big brother, the Charger, the Dart was muscle car material.
12 Ford Torino Cobra
The 1968 season of stock car racing was really for Ford, so for 1969, they unveiled a more sleek and aerodynamic design and complementary sport "goodies", like de cobra emblems, the hood-scoop, and the blacked-out grille. But the sporty was not just on the looks. The engine was a 428cu Cobra Jet V8, rated at 335 horsepower, but Ford later admitted to "conservative rating" the power.
11 Ford Falcon Sprint
Some of you may be a little confused right now, as this is not the American Falcon that you know. The Ford Falcon Sprint is the performance version of the Argentinian Ford Falcon, built from 1962 to 1991.
The Sprint version was introduced in 1973 when the Falcon had already become an idol and national pride. The engine was the 221 SP (Special Performance), a 3.6-liter inline-six with 166 horsepower, 2 more than the American 4.3 liter V8 version.
10 AMC Rebel Machine
AMC was never a big player on the American car market, but they build some cars that carry the legacy today, 30 after the brand's death. The Rebel Machine is one of those cars. Build-in collaboration with Hurst Performance, The Machine packed the 340 horsepower 6.4 liter V8, the same engine found on the SC/Rambler. Around 2.300 were ever made, and most of them were painted with the blue-white-red pattern.
9 Ford Torino Talladega
The Talladega is another trim version of the fourth-gen Torino. It may look just like any regular Torino of the time, but the '60s were a big era regarding aerodynamics in Stock Car Racing, and the Talladega is proof of that. The nose was extended by six inches, and both grill and headlights were relocated. Another feature was the satin black hood, standard in the Talladega no matter the color of the car. The function of this was to minimize the glare of sunshine on the driver's eyes. Fun fact: the front bumper and the rear bumper are the same.
8 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser
If you are a That '70s Show fan (as I am), you probably already know everything there is to know about the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser. It was produced from 1964 to 1997, and all versions had a V8 engine. The Vista Cruiser had some peculiarities, such as the roof-mounted skylights over the second and third row, the elevated roof on the cargo area, and the forward-facing third row. The top of the line engine available for the Vista cruiser was the 455cu Rocket V8.
7 Dodge GTX
Once again, this is a car that many of you may not be familiarized with, as it was built and commercialized in the Argentinian market. In 1968, the Dodge Argentina needed to offer a car better equipped than the Valiant and sportier than the luxury models, the Polara and Coronado. That same year they imported a 67 Dart from Mexico, and two years later unveiled the GTX (Gran Turismo eXtremo). The GTX was available with a 318ci V8 that produced 212 horsepower.
6 Chevy Montecarlo SS
The Monte Carlo was introduced in 1970 as the first personal luxury car from Chevrolet. The SS performance model was also introduced that same year but canceled in 1972. According to Chevrolet, a performance personal luxury car was a "contradiction".
12 years later, for the 1984 season of Stock Car Racing, Chevy decided that the Monte Carlo needed a new nose, and this meant producing a street version of the car. The SS badge was back with a 305ci V8 and 180 hp.
5 Dodge Super Bee
The Super Bee was a limited-production muscle car, built from 1968 to 1971. It was based on the platform of the Coronet and was designed to go against the successful Plymouth Roadrunner. For its first generation, it was available with 3 engines, the 383 Magnum, the 426 Hemi, and the 44o Six. Pack, which produced 335, 425, and 390 horsepower respectively.
4 Oldsmobile Toronado
In the middle of the muscle car golden era of the '60s, Oldsmobile made a bold move. They wanted to build a front-wheel-drive personal luxury car. And the Toronado is what they came up with. The sleek design is possible thanks to the absence of a differential. The engine was a 425 V8, and despite weighing over 2 tons and being FWD, the 385 ponies took the Toronado from 0-60 in 7.5 seconds. Not bad for a boat on four wheels.
3 Jensen Interceptor
Even though the Jensen Interceptor is a British car, its worth considering it as a muscle car. It was built between 1966 and 1976, and only 6,408 were produced, so they are pretty rare. The Interceptor is an improved version of the Jensen CV8, which used glass-reinforced plastic for the body panels. For the Interceptor, they used steel instead. Another major change was the use of a V8 Chrysler engine that produced around 300 hp.
2 Mercury Marauder
The Mercury Marauder was a fastback version of the Mercury Marquis and was marketed as a personal luxury car. It competed with cars like the Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado we mentioned before. There were two V8 engine options, a 390cu, and a 429ci, which was only available with a 3-speed automatic gearbox.
1 AMC Hornet
The Hornet was produced from 1970 to 1977 in a one.gen run, with slight changes over the years. It was a small family compact car, cheap and reliable, combined with sporty attributes borrowed from its brother, the Javelin. It was available in almost any configuration: sedan, coupe, wagon, and hatchback. The top of the line available engine was a 360cu V8.