Muscle cars first emerged towards the end of the 1940s – a response to a craving for speed and raw power, mostly in the North American market. One of the first muscle cars on the scene was the Oldsmobile Rocket 88, a car that combined a lightweight frame with a healthy dose of horsepower.
Updated June 2021: If you're looking for the fastest muscle cars of all time, you've come to the right place. Whether you're into old-school muscle, the newest machinery, or anything that's American and powerful, you'll be happy to know we've updated this list and added more classic muscle cars for your reading pleasure.
The Rocket 88 set the tone for what was to follow, and it did not take long for other American car companies to answer with their own versions of the muscle car, producing some American classic muscle cars with iconic design features, such as the Pontiac GTO, Dodge Charger, and Chevy Chevelle. And the trend continues to this day. Muscle cars have always been about bringing speed and thrills to the average consumer, and these 10 did it better than any other. Here are the fastest muscle cars ever made (based on their 0-60 mph times).
12 1970 Chevelle SS454 - 6.0 Seconds To 60 MPH
The 1970 Chevelle SS454 sat among muscle car royalty and ruled its era with very few worthy challengers. Here was a beast of a muscle car with an iconic 450hp engine that was one of the most powerful at the time. It cranked out 500 pound-feet of torque and could translate most of that power to pretty impressive performance on the road. A 6-second sprint to 60mph was laudable in the 70s and the Chevelle SS454 would keep going until it maxed out at 142mph.
11 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda - 5.8 Seconds To 60 MPH
The Plymouth Hemi Cuda checked off all the muscle car requirements in the early 70s – great design, street credibility, and plenty of horsepower under the hood. The Hemi V8 was mated to either a 4-speed manual transmission or a 3-speed automatic. The car had 475hp and 490 pound-feet of torque at its disposal and it allowed the Hemi Cuda muscle its way to the top as one of the fastest muscle cars of its era. It was also one of the most expensive muscle cars and even today, a pristine example can set you back a million dollars.
10 1970 Buick GS Stage 1 - 5.5 Seconds To 60 MPH
This is one of the fastest Buicks ever built, and it is unfortunate that the car does not get the recognition it deserves today. Here was a car that Motor Trend magazine called the fastest muscle car they had ever tested after a review in January 1970 when the Buick achieved a quarter-mile run in 13.38 seconds at 105.5mph. This was even faster than the legendary Hemi Cuda that was the toast of the town during the same period.
9 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 – 5.3 Seconds To 60 MPH
In the late 1960s, Ford was faced with the challenge of qualifying at least 500 examples of its new racing engine for NASCAR competition. The Ford Mustang Boss 429 emerged as a solution to that problem. The car featured a tweaked suspension to support the massive 7.0-liter semi-HEMI V8 that could rev all the way up to 8,000rpm. Here was a proper race car that also happened to be road legal. The Mustang Boss 429 boasted an impressive 0 to 60mph time and could rocket on to a top speed well in excess of 100mph.
8 1969 Plymouth Road Runner 426ci Hemi - 5.1 Seconds To 60 MPH
The Road Runner was based on the Belvedere, and it was pretty much as basic as it could be with very few options available. It featured a bench seat and a stripped-out interior — some early models even lacked a carpet. However, who needs a fancy interior when you could purchase a bargain-basement car with a 426 Hemi under the hood? In fact, one might argue that its lack of options made it lighter and therefore a better performance car. The desirable 426 engine was a $714 option at the time, and with that box ticked, the Road Runner would get to 60 mph from a standstill in a mere 5.1 seconds, which is somewhat respectable even today.
7 1968 Dodge Charger 426ci Hemi - 4.8 Seconds To 60 MPH
Made famous by movie appearances in Bullitt and as Dom's go-to ride in the Fast and Furious franchise, the Dodge Charger has enjoyed its time in the spotlight for several decades. However, the real reason the Charger is famous is all thanks to its incredible performance. The second-gen charger certainly wasn't a lightweight, weighing in at almost 4,400 lbs. However, when equipped with the 426 Hemi under the hood, it managed to accelerate from a standstill to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. When keeping the throttle buried, the Charger would fly down the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds, crossing the line while doing 105 mph.
6 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake - 4.5 Seconds To 60 MPH
There are few cars that are more aptly named than this Shelby masterpiece. The front end of the car had to be specially modified with a massive bulge to accommodate the superchargers attached to the V8 powerplant. That 7.0-liter monster could whip up an incredible 800hp which boggles the mind especially since the entire car weighs a scant 2,535 lbs. That’s a better power-to-weight ratio than the Bugatti Veyron. With an experienced driver behind the wheel, the Shelby Cobra could accelerate to 60mph in less than 5 seconds, and it had a top speed in excess of 160mph, and remember, this was in 1966.
5 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack - 3.8 Seconds To 60 MPH
In 2019, Dodge introduced the R/T Scat Pack for its Challenger model, and it was like injecting a shot of steroids into an enraged bull. Engine power was bumped up by more than 150hp over the standard Challenger and there were other various tweaks to the mechanical framework of the car to make it a serious drag strip threat. You also get goodies like adaptive dampers with Drag mode, a Torque Reserve System to help with launches, and a Transbrake.
4 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 - 3.5 Seconds To 60 MPH
The Camaro is currently in a fierce fight to hold its own in the midst of fierce competition with the Ford Mustangs and Dodge Challenger models. That does not mean the car is a pushover, though, especially the 2020 Camaro ZL1. This potent muscle car is powered by a 650hp supercharged V8 that can smoothly achieve a blistering 0 to 60mph time before crossing the quarter-mile in 11.4 seconds. It’s almost enough to make you forget that trademark poor visibility out the narrow windshield.
3 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody - 3.4 Seconds To 60 MPH
This 2020 Dodge Charger is a proper sedan, with four doors and practical trunk space. It can even seat 5 adults. However, that’s where all the similarities to a conventional sedan end. Apart from those really cool fender flares, the Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody packs a supercharged V8 engine that can generate 707hp and 650 pound-feet of torque, essentially turning this sedan into a road rocket. 60mph in less than 4 seconds for a sedan is no joke, and a 196mph top speed puts this car in elite company indeed.
2 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 - 3.3 Seconds To 60 MPH
Yes, the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 weighs almost 2 tons, and it looks almost ungainly with all that heft and characteristic muscle-car chunkiness. However, don’t let any of that fool you. This car is the fastest production Mustang to date and its performance figures keep it at the very top of its class. The car's weight is propelled by a very capable engine in the form of a supercharged V8 that can put out 760hp and 625 pound-feet of torque. That’s more power than an Aventador S, and it’s enough to make you think twice before you challenge this pony car to a drag race.
1 Dodge Challenger Demon - 2.3 Seconds To 60 MPH
Even today, 3 years after it first launched, the Dodge Challenger Demon is still spoken about with hushed reverence and awe. The sinister machine set the automotive world alight with performance that had previously been considered unthinkable for a muscle car. It sent supercars scurrying for cover. On the drag strip, get your launch sequence right, and you could experience a g-force of up 1.8 G's, making it the hardest accelerating production car. The wheelie in the image above is not camera trickery; that’s a statement of power unlike nothing else.