Muscle cars are known for their potent engines. Since the mid-1960s, American automakers have released some truly powerful cars. Though they were perceived as the poor man's sports cars, they evolved over the years to become respectable. As time went by, their notoriety increased.
Over the last couple of decades, domestic carmakers have released some truly fast machines. Some of these modern muscle cars will soon cost a fortune, since it is quite rare to stumble upon a mass-produced vehicle that develops as much power as an Italian supercar. They are in fact some of the fastest muscle cars produced in the recent past.
10 Chevrolet Corvette C6
The Corvette C6 is by far the best high-end muscle car ever made between 2005 and 2013. The car does not need much to look impressive. It is simply a gorgeous car that is far more attractive than some of the top-line German cars produced during the same era. The top-line Corvette C6, the ZR1, is even better than some Italian-made supercars.
It is safe to say that the Corvette is the only luxurious muscle car out there. Since it is a muscle car, it is of course equipped with a potent engine. The ZR1 edition is by far the craziest Corvette made available to the public. It is among the most powerful Corvettes ever. Its 6.2-liter V8 develops 638 hp, which is almost as powerful as a German high-end sports car.
9 Dodge Viper ACR-X
Dodge is unlike Ford and Chevrolet. The company is not directly involved in any rivalry. In fact, Dodge seems to be on the fringe of the domestic auto industry. That being said, Dodge is still producing some emblematic vehicles such as the Charger and the Challenger. Its top-line car, the Viper, is one of the few American-made supercars/muscle cars.
Unfortunately, the Dodge Viper ACR-X is not street-legal. It is the sort of car that is entirely reserved for the track. The 8.4-liter V10 cranks out 640 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque. It is a very fast racecar that will obliterate some of the most popular cars out there. One ACR-X was for sale for $159,000.
8 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Daytona
When Dodge re-released the Charger as a sedan, most purists out there were outraged. They couldn't fathom why Dodge would "ruin" such an iconic vehicle. What these purists failed to realize is that Dodge was actually at the forefront of the muscle sedan craze. Fast-forward 15 years and the Charger is one of the fastest muscle sedans ever made.
The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Daytona is fitted with the exact same engine found on the regular Hellcat. The supercharged 6.2-liter V8 produces 717 hp. However, only 501 units of the Daytona were produced, thus making this Dodge Charger extremely valuable. Though it is not the fastest muscle car out there, it is one hell of a muscle sedan.
7 2020 Roush Mustang Stage 3
Some gearheads are not satisfied with the 460 hp provided by the Coyote engine. To most drivers, 460 hp is a lot of power. Maybe too much for some. However, there are some gearheads out there that look at the Coyote, and start thinking about how to almost double the power generated by the engine. Madness.
The Roush Stage 3 is based on the Mustang GT. However, thanks to the Roush package, the Coyote engine goes from producing 460 to 750 hp. The list of modifications would be too long to list, but the supercharger applied to the engine is a pure piece of engineering. Though the package is not affordable, the Mustang Roush Stage 3 is a genuine street-legal race car.
6 Saleen Mustang S302 Black Label
The latest Mustang truly is an astonishing sports car. Unlike previous editions, the newer Mustangs are sleek and sporty. The GT version is also equipped with a powerful 5.0-liter V8 that develops 460 hp. It is fair to say that the Mustang GT can easily rival European sports cars.
The previous Mustang Saleens were not as impressive as the newer ones. The S302 Black Label edition is equipped with a supercharged 5.0-liter Coyote V8 that cranks out 800 hp and 687 lb-ft of torque. Moreover, the car was given a plethora of aesthetic parts that give it a true sports car feel. For $78,495, this beauty can be yours.
5 Hennessey Exorcist Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
The Camaro is a true masterpiece. Since its creation in the late 1960s, the Chevy pony has provided motorists with an alternative to the Ford Mustang. The very first Camaro ZL1 was a true muscle car. The L88 engine found under the hood is capable of producing over 500 hp, even if Chevrolet rated it at 475 hp. The latest ZL1 is just like its predecessor.
This souped-up Camaro ZL1 is the sort of tuned muscle cars that are producing ridiculous amounts of power. The ZL1 is originally fitted with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that cranks out 650 hp. The Exorcist is based on the ZL1, but produces 1,000 hp and 883 lb-ft of torque. With a top speed of 217 mph, the Exorcist is far from being your typical Camaro.
4 Hennessey Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
The Mustang is by far the most popular pony car ever made. Though the earlier versions of the car were somewhat underpowered, Ford Motors put an emphasis on churning out true sports cars as time went by. With the help of tuners such as Saleen and Shelby, Mustangs were given the additional power and aggressiveness needed.
The Mustang GT500 is known to be the top-line Mustang. For years, the GT500 has been synonymous with speed and massive burnouts. The 2020 GT500 comes with a supercharged and intercooled 5.2-liter V8 that produces 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque. The Venom package adds another 240 hp and 225 lb-ft of torque to the GT500.
3 Yenko/SC Chevrolet Camaro
Some muscle cars sometimes inherit a very special bundle of modifications. As they are modified by accredited tuners, these muscle cars can be perceived as factory-made custom vehicles. Whether it is the Mustang, the Corvette, or the Charger, each popular muscle car has a performance package that only the privileged will have access to.
The 2018 Camaro Yenko SC is far from being the first Yenko Camaro. These monsters have been roaming the streets for over four decades. The 2018 model is based on the 6.2-liter V8 found on the LT. Special Vehicle Engineering created a package that helps the engine crank out 1,000 hp.
2 Hennessey Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye
When Dodge first released the Challenger, it completely shook the market. Unlike Mercury and Pontiac muscle cars, the Challenger was considered a tier-1 muscle car. Though the Challenger was completely ruined in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Dodge did a great job at redesigning this emblematic muscle car 15 years ago.
There are several little known facts about the Dodge Challenger. It is widely unknown that the Challenger RT convertible costs over a million dollars. However, it is well-known that Hennessey Performance has created a package for the Hellcat Redeye. This supercar-like American muscle can be transformed into a Bugatti killer. The HPE1000 boasts 1,035 hp and 948 lb-ft of torque.
1 Hennessey Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
When the Corvette Stingray was first released, gearheads must have gone completely crazy. The car, until today, is one of the coolest vehicles ever made by Chevrolet. Realizing that the market for truly stylish and powerful cars was gaining traction once again, Chevrolet came up with the C7 Stingray a couple of years ago.
This Corvette ZR1 is the type of modern muscle cars that are tuned to produce crazy amounts of horsepower. However, Hennessey Performance decided to come up with a package for the ZR1 that would increase its power output, and aggressiveness. The HPE1200 package allows the 6.2-liter V8 to produce 1,200 hp and 1,066 lb-ft of torque. Needless to say, the Hennessey HPE1200 Corvette ZR1 is a beast.