Often when drivers think about American muscle cars they think of the iconic ones, such as the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and the Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454. However, not all muscle cars are considered iconic, and for good reason.
In the 1970s, it became that much harder for companies to produce great muscle cars because of a slew of new safety and environmental regulations. There was a shift away from high-octane leaded gas, for the much weaker (but cleaner) unleaded fuel. In terms of safety, larger and more effective bumpers were required to help reduce the likelihood of serious injuries during a crash.
10 1980 Dodge Aspen R/T
The Dodge Aspen was problematic from the beginning. Although it definitely has the appearance of a muscle car, it experienced a major rust problem. This rusting was so severe that Chrysler actually had to recall the car soon after its release.
On top of this issue, initially two engines were available to the car, a 5.9-liter V8 and a 5.2-liter V8. However, by 1980, only the 5.9-liter model was available to consumers. It did not help Chrysler that the Camaro was available at this time and offered similar performance without the rust.
9 2004-2005 Chevrolet Impala SS
Few things are worse than a great muscle car being replaced by a subpar car, which is exactly what happened with the Chevy Impala. The 1994 Chevy Impala SS was replaced with a model that was not much different than other mid-sized sedans on market.
Chevy offered one model of the Impala SS with a supercharged V6 but this model also had front-wheel drive. As a result, drivers interested in getting a new muscle car from Chevy were stuck with a substandard vehicle.
8 AMC Hornet AMX
The AMX clearly has the appearance of a muscle car with its sleek looks but by the late 1970s, it was far from an impressive car. AMC offered the car with a V8, but even with this 5-liter motor, it could not muster more than 120 horsepower.
On top of this, the AMX had a tendency to overheat quickly, which made driving the car safely a challenge. These were all qualities that made the AMX a less-than-ideal muscle car.
7 1978-1983 Dodge Challenger
This entry may surprise drivers familiar with the current models of the Dodge Challenger but the 1978 Dodge Challenger was lacking. The 1978 Dodge Challenger was actually outsourced to Mitsubishi for manufacturing and sold as the Mitsubishi Galant Lambda GSR in Japan.
Instead of trying to create a great muscle car, Dodge wanted to compete in the coupe market with its 1978 model of the challenger. As a result, Dodge created the 1978 model only with a four-cylinder motor. The high-performance four-cylinder motor produced a little over 100 horsepower.
6 1979 Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is another surprising entry in this list, but the 1979 model was far from impressive. The 1979 Mustang was equipped with a 5.0-liter V8 but it only had 140 horsepower.
The only other offer for this underpowered muscle car was a turbocharged four-cylinder. Due to limitations on V8 engines at the time, the four-cylinder offered about the same level as horsepower. That being said, the Mustang offered more options for the time.
5 2006 Dodge Charger
Known for its loyal customers, the Dodge Charger is usually known as a great muscle car. However, the 2006 model was an exception. The biggest problem with the 2006 Charger was engine reliability. This particular motor was notorious for offering weak and unreliable performance for the Charger.
The car experienced premature engine failures typically around 94,000 miles. To repair such a failure, would cost a drive at least $5,500 dollars. In addition, the car had the habit of stalling immediately after filling up.
4 1975 Buick Gran Sport
The 1975 Gran Sport is an example of another underperforming muscle car. Buick hoped to design a muscle car similar to the GSX. With 510 lb-ft at 2,800 RPM, the GSX is often cited as one of the greatest muscle cars.
However, the Gran Sport was far great. The Gran Sport weighed almost two tons and was nowhere near aerodynamic. Even with its powerful engine, the 1975 Gran Sport's weight held it back from being a good muscle car.
3 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra
The Mustang II was an example of another car that's frame was too boxy and heavy for even a powerful engine. Unfortunately for the Mustang II, it was equipped with a measly 140 horse engine.
Even with this poor design, Ford made the car look much faster than it was with its front and rear spoilers and flaming cobra design on the front. In addition, the suspension of the car was criticized for being too stiff. The car is uncomfortable to drive on flat or bumpy surfaces, high speeds, and low speeds. Not the characteristics drivers want in a muscle car.
2 1980 Mercury Capri RS
Designed to look like a higher-end Ford Mustang, the Capri RS could not be further from its inspiration. The car offered a model with three doors and a 2.3-liter turbocharged engine.
Unlike some of the other entries, the Capri RS was not a particularly large car but its engine offered only 88 horsepower. Even under perfect conditions, the car could only reach 99 miles per hour. On top of these issues, the car was not known for being reliable and would frequently break down.
1 1975 Chevrolet Camaro
The 1975 Camaro was an example of a muscle car affected by federal regulations. The prior model of the Camaro looked sleek but due to safety regulations, it was required to have a 7-inch aluminum bumper attached to it.
If the lack of an aerodynamic design was not enough to hurt this car, Chevy also equipped the model with a catalytic converter. A car previously very capable, equipped with a 245 horsepower V8 was replaced by the 1975 model with a 155 horsepower 350ci V-8.