Carmakers worldwide have produced some seriously fast cars over the years. In 1960s Europe, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche were dominating the relatively affordable sports car industry. Across the Atlantic Ocean, the sports car scene was dominated by Ford and Chevrolet. That being said, plenty of other automakers released some truly respectable muscle cars.
Some of the classic muscle cars produced in the US are extremely fast, even by today's standards. Consequently, some of these classic cars are way more expensive now than when they were new. Their prices may be outrageous, but so is their performance. Most of these cars can put some of the muscle cars released thirty years later to shame.
10 1973 Pontiac Trans Am Super Duty 455
In the early 1970s, Pontiac muscle cars meant business. They were incredibly aggressive. More often than not, they were fitted with some huge big-block V8s that produced an astonishing amount of power for the time. Though the company went out of business a decade ago, it did have some major classics roaming the streets back in the day.
It is important to remember that the second part of the 1970s signaled the very beginning of the Malaise Era. However, the Trans Am is one of those classics from the 1970s anyone should collect. The '73 Trans Am Super Duty 455 is equipped with a 455ci big-block V8 that cranks out 290 hp at 4,000 rpm and 390 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. It may not seem like much, but that was a whole lot of power at the time.
9 1964 Pontiac GTO
Pontiac is the only American carmaker that went from rags to riches, then rags again within a relatively short period of time. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Pontiac was the only carmaker that was seriously worrying Ford and Chevrolet. Sadly, the car manufacturer completely lost the plot after the Malaise Era.
If there is one car Pontiac is known for, it is for sure the GTO. The 1964 GTO is far from being a lukewarm muscle car. Its tame look hides a true beast. Under the hood sits a 6.6-liter V8 that produces 348 hp at best. Though it may seem like nothing compared to today's muscle cars, the '64 GTO was far more powerful than several high-end European sports cars of the same era.
8 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Fastback
It is often believed that the only respectable Ford Mustang is the Shelby GT500 variant. Only people with limited muscle car knowledge would state that. Between 1965 and 1973, Ford released several truly fast Mustangs that are worth tons of money today. Though they have not been heavily mediatized, they are nonetheless impressive.
The '69 Mustang Mach 1 Fastback is a beautiful car. It was tastefully designed, so much so that the car has aged like fine wine. Originally, the Mach 1 Fastback comes at best with a 428ci Super Cobra Jet V8 that produces 335 hp at 5,200 rpm and 440 lb-ft of torque at 3,400 rpm.
7 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator
Mercury is known for being the missing link between regular Ford cars and overly luxurious Lincolns. Until recently, several Ford and Mercury cars shared the same engines, and even sometimes the same bodies. Back in the late 1960s, Mercury muscle cars successfully bridged the gap between all the Ford Motors owned brands.
Understandably, the '69 Cougar Eliminator is fitted with a Ford engine. Under the hood sits the powerful 428ci Cobra Jet V8 that produces 355 hp at 5,200 rpm and 440 lb-ft of torque at 3,400 rpm. That is quite respectable given the fact that the Cougar Eliminator includes several luxurious features that aren't available on its cousin, the Mustang.
6 1967 Mustang Shelby GT500
While Mustangs are known for being sexy, they are also known for being quite spectacular. Not only are they fast, they are also emblematic. Some of the high-end classic Mustangs are worth millions of dollars today. When looking at this GT500, it is quite understandable why.
The Mustang Shelby GT500 is wrongly believed to be the fastest car of its era. That being said, the GT500 is still far more powerful than some of the newest Japanese sports cars. It's all thanks to a 7.0-liter Police Interceptor V8 that produces 355 hp at 5,400 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. The GT500 is definitely one of those Mustangs that can be modified to produce crazy power.
5 1968 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds
Muscle cars have always been perceived as the best vehicles to ever come out of American car factories. However, not all muscle cars were created equal. Top tier muscle cars such as the Mustang and the Camaro are alone in their category. Third-tier muscle cars, such as the Oldsmobile 442, were nothing to look down upon.
The Hurst/Olds is based on the popular 442. Unlike the 442, the Hurst/Olds is powered by a much more potent engine. The humongous 7.5-liter Rocket V8 is capable of producing 390 hp at 5,000 rpm and 500 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. Though it is not the fastest muscle car of its era, it is quite respectable for a third-tier muscle car.
4 1966 Plymouth Satellite
Plymouth produced some of the most underrated muscle cars during the golden era of the American automotive industry. The most notorious Plymouth muscle car is by far the Barracuda. It is a great muscle car that was depicted in several movies and TV shows. Though the Satellite is less known, it is a very respectable muscle car.
The '66 Plymouth Satellite 426 Hemi is a rarity. Only 503 units were made for the US market. This is not where the peculiarity ends. The original 426 Hemi V8 produces 425 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque. That is almost the same amount of power as the 2010 Ford Mustang GT. A '66 Plymouth Satellite 426 Hemi sold on Bring A Trailer for $59,500 last year.
3 1967 Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet is the only carmaker that truly rivaled Ford during the heydays of the muscle car era. Though Chevy was never as successful as Ford when comparing the Mustang and the Camaro, the company hogged most of the luxury muscle car market shares. The Corvette Stingray is a great car, but some special edition Stingrays are simply flabbergasting.
To most Corvette fans, the '67 Corvette L88 is the best Corvette ever made. With only 20 units produced that year, it is safe to say that the car is one of the rarest Corvettes out there. Its huge 427ci big-block V8 was rated at 425 hp, however it is widely known that the engine can easily produce over 500 hp. A L88 in mint condition with the original 427 engine was for sale for $3.95 million.
2 1969 Dodge Charger R/T
Prior to 1965, most Dodge vehicles looked atrocious. They were so poorly designed that no one would ever think they could be powerful. However, some Dodge cars were powered by the infamous 426 Ramcharger engine. Despite having such a great engine under the hood, the cars were too ugly to even rival the cheapest muscle cars.
The Dodge Charger R/T is the definition of American muscle; it is mean-looking and rear-wheel drive. Most importantly, it comes with a huge 7.0-liter big-block V8 that can produce 425 hp at 5,000 rpm and 490 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. Needless to say, a Charger R/T in mint condition will set you back a substantial amount of money.
1 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
The first-generation Camaro is beautifully designed. It looks very serious and is powered by some potent engines, and the model never looked outdated. Back then, the Camaro was one of the best cars available on the market. The latest Camaro is in some ways very similar to the very first editions of the pony car.
Every single car enthusiast is fully aware of the Camaro ZL1. The latest version is quite explosive, but unfortunately it costs as much as one year's tuition attending a prestigious private university. The very first ZL1 is just as wild as its granddaughters. The 427ci V8 is similar to the L88 engine in many ways, which explains why the ZL1 was rated at only 430 hp.