When it comes to muscle cars, there are only three genuine muscle car offerings nowadays. Each one of them comes from the big three American automakers, Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge. But while the Camaro and the Mustang seem to be slightly distancing themselves from the muscle car formula, especially the Camaro ZL1 1LE, Dodge's contender is staying true to its origins.

For the dozens of people who are looking for a true American muscle car with all the trimmings, the Challenger and Charger Hellcat are pretty much unbeatable. With that being said, there are quite a few reasons why muscle car fans should at least consider owning a Charger or Challenger Hellcat.

10 A True Muscle Car

A red Challenger Super Stock
caranddriver.com

As mentioned previously, the Mustang and Camaro seem to be slowly straying away from the muscle car formula. Both of them have insane track versions that are hell-bent on setting the best possible lap times, and the new Shelby GT500 even has a dual-clutch automatic transmission.

A silver Hellcat on the salt flats
caranddriver.com

RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About The New Dodge Challenger Super Stock

The Challenger, in any form, isn't bothered about any of those things. It's just a simple, no-nonsense muscle car. It has a big engine, RWD, either a classic stick shift or a regular torque converter auto to choose from, and all it wants to do is burnouts and put a smile on the driver's face. As it turns out, the Challenger can also look quite good when modified.

9 Exterior Design

A blue Charger Hellcat, left 3/4 view
motortrend.com

The Challenger and Charger have some of the best exterior designs currently on the market. No matter which one you go for, they both look menacing and muscular on the outside. They look like they mean serious business.

A blue Charger Hellcat, front view
caranddriver.com

They look especially angry and ready to pounce if the Widebody package is equipped. This package is available on all the Hellcat variants, and even some regular SRT variants beginning with the 2021 model year.

8 Track Apps

The Track Mode Setup display
topspeed.com

On the inside, one of the coolest features offered by the Hellcat stablemates is something called Track Apps. These are accessible through the infotainment system, and they allow the driver to do things like measure quarter-mile times, adjust momentary horsepower output, and set different modes for different parts of the car.

The launch control rev limiter settings in Track Apps
cnet.com

There's also the option of adjusting the rev limiter for launch control, and even activating the Line Lock feature. The Line Lock feature, as it might suggest, locks up the front wheels allowing you to do massive fit-for-a-Hellcat burnouts. All of that is accessible through the infotainment system. Not bad.

7 Manual Transmission

The shift lever in the Challenger, passenger side
canadianautoreview.ca

Sadly, there's a caveat with this feature; only the Challenger is available with the 6-speed manual. The Charger is automatic only. So, if you want a manual transmission in your Hellcat, you'll have to sacrifice the rear doors and the additional space.

The shift lever in the Challenger, driver side
atlantaautos.com

Due to the fact that it's so rare to come by a manual transmission these days, we'd imagine that's a sacrifice most people are willing to make. Though the manual isn't as quick-shifting as the surprisingly good automatic, it's still a solid transmission, with an awesome retro shifter, short throws, and simply the satisfaction of shifting gears yourself. It's now the time to buy a stick shift car, before they're gone forever.

6 Lots Of Models To Choose From

A white Charger Hellcat Widebody
hdcarwallpapers.com

Dodge seems to be competing with the Porsche 911 in this category. They're trying to make the Challenger and Charger lineups extremely complicated. Buyers really are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking between these two, as there are just so many models to choose from.

A red Challenger SRT 392 Widebody
caranddriver.com

All Challenger models from the R/T Scat Pack and above are available with the Widebody package, and the same goes for the Charger. The Challenger also gets the now-famous Redeye upgrade for the Hellcat engine, increasing the output to 797 hp. Whatever you're shopping for when it comes to a muscle car, the Challenger and Charger have you covered.

5 Bucket Loads Of Power

A close-up of the Hellcat engine
pinterest.com

One of the main reasons why anyone would want a Hellcat, and the main reason why it was such a big deal when it came out, and still is, is because of the powertrain. The Hellcats both use a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8 made specifically for them, and you can get it as a crate engine as well.

A close-up of the Hellcat engine
universitydodge.com

In its first iteration, the Hellcat motor made 707 hp. Then, the absolutely terrifying Challenger Demon bumped that to 840 hp, and then 797 hp was possible with the Hellcat Redeye. As crazy as it might sound, this engine has found its way into a ton of other FCA products, including the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and more recently, the Dodge Durango and the RAM 1500.

4 Handling Isn't Too Bad

A yellow Challenger Demon drifting
hellcat.org

A lot of people discredit the Challenger and Charger because they're not all that good in the corners. This is attributed to a lack of chassis control and the immense weight, which is partly the reason why a lot of people refer to them as "boats."

A yellow Hellcat Redeye drifting
guideautoweb.com

RELATED: 10 American Sports Cars Built To Handle (And 5 That Will Only Go In A Straight Line)

But, truth be told, the handling on these cars isn't all bad. Particularly the Widebody cars, thanks to a wider track and meatier, more up-to-the-task tires. As long as you don't set your expectations high, the Challenger and Charger Hellcats can put a massive smile on your face in the corners, and in the end, that's what matters.

3 The Coolest Colors Ever

A Sinnamon Stick-painted Challenger R/T
automobilemag.com

When buying a new car, color is quite important. Even though most cars nowadays are silver, gray, white, or black, Dodge offers quite a nice, varied selection of colors for these two cars. Not only that, they have the greatest names of all time.

A White Knuckle-painted Hellcat Widebody
newcarcars.com

Some of the highlights include Hellraisin, which is a dark purple color reminiscent of... a raisin. There's also White Knuckle, Pitch Black, Sinamon Stick, IndiGo Blue, and Go Mango. Not only are the names humorous and inventive, but all of those colors look really awesome.

2 Value

A green Hellcat with black stripes
guideautoweb.com

One of the biggest reasons why the Charger and Challenger need to be considered by muscle car enthusiasts is the value proposition. Even the most expensive model, the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, starts at less than $80,000.

A blue Charger Hellcat with black stripes
gtspirit.com

RELATED: You Can Buy These Classic Muscle Cars For Dirt Cheap

Meanwhile, the Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody starts at just over $70,000, which is great value. Few cars out there offer a supercharged V8 with up to almost 797 hp, a low 11-second quarter-mile time, great looks, good handling, and in the case of the Challenger, a manual transmission. What's more, a look through the classifieds shows that older model Hellcats have dropped in price a fair bit.

1 The Last Of Its Kind

A blue Hellcat Widebody doing a burnout
autoblog.com

Electrification is taking over the automotive world faster than anyone can blink. With every automaker investing a ton of money into electric car infrastructure, platforms, and technology, the Challenger and Charger are almost certainly representative of an era that will soon vanish.

Black Challenger Hellcat, rear 3/4 view
marinoperformancemotors.com

Between their ostentatious V8 powertrains with crazy horsepower, RWD platforms, available manual transmission, and little in the way of safety features and modern driving tech, it's safe to assume that these two are the last hurrah of the proper, true-to-the-formula American muscle car.

NEXT: 10 Reasons Why We'd Buy The New Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Over Any SUV