When one thinks of classic American cars, images of the 1960s and 1970s muscle car world are automatically conjured. Images of the Ford Mustang Fastback, Dodge Challenger and Charger, and Chevrolet Camaro – among others – swirl through the mind, emitting their grumbly V8 noises.
While these were indeed brilliant cars, there were many others that have been left in the shadows of these great behemoths of performance. Most of the cars on this list were a big deal when they were launched, but were quickly drowned out by the big names and their big V8s – names such as the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger, and the Chevrolet Camaro. Some were even the slightly less powerful or original versions of the greatest models. Many of these cars have had a second chance at becoming popular as the prices for the most desired models have skyrocketed into the stratosphere, leaving potential customers looking for cheaper, yet just-as-good-looking alternatives.
So, while these cars were never the best or the top-of-the-range models or trims, they were still worthy of recognition. Here are ten of the most underrated American classics we’d love to own.
10 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix
The first-generation Pontiac Grand Prix debuted in 1962 and was a new addition to Pontiac’s full-size vehicle line-up. The Grand Prix was designed to be a new entry into the personal luxury car market, although trim levels varied greatly. The famous John DeLorean was head of Advanced Engineering at Pontiac at the time and contributed to the development of not only the Grand Prix but also the GTO.
The Grand Prix was fitted with a choice of four V8 engines – a 6.4, a 6.6, a 6.9, and a 7.0-liter. Power outputs ranged from 303 hp, all the way to 405 hp in the double-carburetor 7.0-liter. Power was sent to the rear wheels only via either a 3- or 4-speed manual, or a 3-speed automatic.
9 1963 Plymouth Sporty Fury
The third generation Plymouth Fury was moved to a smaller platform, putting the model in a different class compared to the previous generation. Even though this change occurred, the Fury kept the previous generation’s engines, including the 426 7.0-liter 4-barrel V8.
Sales of the third generation weren’t all that great, so Plymouth reintroduced the ‘Sport Fury’ nameplate, which added some sportier trim pieces. This helped sales a bit, but Chrysler reverted to larger cars halfway through the model’s production, which boosted popularity a lot.
8 1964 Buick Wildcat
The Buick Wildcat was introduced in 1963 as a subseries to the Invicta full-size hardtop coupe. Although, unlike the Invicta, the Wildcat had larger and more powerful engines and various design differences which made it stand out from the car it was based on.
The Wildcat was available in four different body configurations – a 2-door coupe and convertible, a 4-door sedan, and a hard-top. The Wildcat got its own V8 engine, called the Wildcat V8, which displaced 6.6 liters and produced 325 hp. The larger engine choice was a 7.0-liter Wildcat V8, which upped power to 340 hp – or 360 hp with dealership-installed ‘dual quad’ carburetors.
7 1964 Mercury Super Marauder
The Mercury Marauder debuted as a trim level on four Mercury models, namely the Monterey, Montclair, S-55, and Park Lane. The Marauder trim was a sportier and more aggressively styled option that added some larger engines, stiffened the suspension, and added some luxury touches to the interior.
The 1964 Marauder was available with the Ford FE-Series V8 engines, which included the 6.4-liter, the 6.7-liter, and the 7.0-liter from the Galaxie 500. The Super Marauder was a special trim within a trim that featured the 6.7-liter and a 4-speed manual.
6 1967 Buick Grand Sport
The Buick Gran Sport – also just known as the Buick GS – was the top-of-the-line version of the legendary Skylark. The first GS was introduced in 1965 and featured the largest engine permitted by GM, which was a 7.0-liter V8. The GS received updates over the next few years, until 1967 when Buick added new engines to the model.
The first was a 5.6-liter V8, known as the 340. It was fitted in the GS 340 and GS California models. The next was a 5.7-liter – named the 350. Finally, Buick added the 455, a 7.5-liter version that offered 360 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. Although, due to standards of the time, this was a relatively conservative official output figure.
5 1966 Dodge Coronet
The Dodge Coronet was first introduced in 1949; however, the most famous model is the one based on the Charger R/T from 1970. In the 1960s, the Coronet was very much its own model, eventually being available as a sedan and even a wagon.
The 1966 Coronet was available with a few engine choices, including the famous Slant-6 3.7-liter straight-six, a 6.3-liter Magnum V8, and the awesome 7.0-liter HEMI V8. The Coronet was fitted with either a 4-speed manual or the tried-and-trusted 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic.
4 1962 Ford Galaxie 500
The 1962 Ford Galaxie saw many changes over the previous year’s model. The biggest differences were the lack of tailfins on the rear fenders and the addition of a 7.0-liter V8. The Galaxie 500 models received more chrome trim pieces along the exterior.
Galaxie 500XL models got even more chrome and while the ‘XL’ today means ‘extra large’, Ford insisted that it meant ‘Xtra Lively’ – mostly because the 500XL models were created in direct competition to Chevrolet’s Impala SS, which had debuted a year before.
3 1969 Mercury Cougar
The Mercury Cougar was developed as the more luxurious alternative to the Ford Mustang while remaining a pony car. The Cougar was fitted with most of the same engines as the Mustang, bar the base inline-6.
In 1969, the Cougar underwent a mid-cycle refresh – just like the Mustang did – and transitioned closer to the traditional ‘Coke-bottle’ design, rather than the clean, straight lines of the original. The front fascia changed slightly as the split grille became a single, full-width one with horizontal spats instead of the iconic ‘electric-shaver’ design.
2 1970 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser
The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is one of the coolest station wagons to ever exist. The reason for this is that it could be fitted with the engines out of the Oldsmobile 4-4-2. The standard Vista Cruiser was fitted with a 5.7-liter V8, with the option of a 6.6-liter 400 V8 – straight from the 4-4-2.
The best option was the 455 7.5-liter V8, which produced 300 hp and 416 lb-ft of torque – not much against today’s standards, but awesome for the 1970s. The transmission options included 2-speed Jetaway and 3-speed Turbo Hydramatic automatic transmissions, as well as 3- and 4-speed manuals.
1 1980 AMC Eagle
The AMC Eagle may not be the best-looking or most exciting vehicle, but it was a revolution in automotive engineering. The Eagle was based on the AMC Concorde station wagon, but with significantly lifted suspension and, most importantly, all-wheel-drive.
The AMC Eagle was the first production car to feature all-wheel-drive, as other 4-wheel-drive vehicles used a part-time system – some of which could not be activated when on dry pavement. The Eagle’s system was completely automatic and showcased the gains to be had with permanent all-wheel-drive. We wouldn’t at all mind owning one – even if it is only to bask in its importance.