The gorgeous and exotic sports cars produced in Europe have always put pressure on American automakers to compete and make more exciting products. This is no doubt due to the brilliant engineering of German brands; the luxury offered by British brands, and the design styles offered by Italian makers. Cars such as the Porsche 911 have become revolutionary and iconic in the car world, however, they were quickly put in their place when the first muscle cars debuted offering larger and more powerful engines.
In this list, we take a look at some of the most dominant American performance cars of their time, both classic and new. Not only were classic muscle cars packed with power, but they were also made attractive and affordable for almost anyone to own, which was unheard of in Europe. The trend continues to this day, with some American performance cars offering near-supercar performance for just a fraction of the price.
9 1964 Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang was originally launched in 1964 as a 1965 year model, but Ford made some changes to the Mustang at this time, bringing about the 1964.5 model name. The vehicle ended up becoming extremely iconic as it created the pony car as a vehicle class.
Coming with an optional V8 engine that produced 271 bhp was amazing as it meant that buyers and enthusiasts were able to sit in a stylish car that was also capable of amazing performance. The car offered more power than contemporary European sports cars like the Triumph TR5 and W113 Mercedes SL and were considerably cheaper too.
8 Chevrolet Corvette C2
Launched in 1963, the Corvette C2 is noted as being one of the most revolutionary cars in the US. It proved that the US could compete with European sports cars in both driving capabilities and style. When looking at the design of the car, there was plenty of inspiration coming out of the Mako Shark XP-755 concept, making it one of the most stylish cars of the 1960s.
The C2 was a quick car too, with the 141 mph top speed being incredibly impressive. When combining this with the elegant design, the C2 easily offered more power and better acceleration than most European sports cars, including the groundbreaking Jaguar E-Type. We're not surprised that the Corvette has had such a lasting legacy and that the car still beats its competition in the newer generations.
7 AMC AMX
When the muscle car started to die out with the incoming oil crises in the 1970s, the AMC AMX is often forgotten about and became incredibly underrated. Certainly, the AMX was one of the best handling muscle cars of the period and was actually better than many early '70s European sports cars.
Only the vastly more expensive BMW 3.0 CSL and Porsche 911 were better to drive which makes the AMX a real gem of US manufacturing. The 5.9-liter V8 engine produced 290 bhp too, which was amazing considering the strangling emissions regulations imposed at the time.
6 2018 Dodge Challenger Demon
The Dodge Challenger Demon is an incredibly fast vehicle. It outperforms European sports cars including the Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type and represents everything the capabilities of the Dodge brand. The size, the speed, and the attitude of the car are all the necessary components of a muscle car, and Dodge pulls it off amazingly.
The car can accelerate 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds, which is mind-blowing. Also coming with 840 bhp, the car is incredibly powerful. Nothing from Europe really comes close in terms of acceleration until your spending north of $250,000.
5 Cadillac CTS-V Estate
The Cadillac CTS-V Estate is an incredible car. It launched in 2008 in its second generation, and it came with sophisticated styling and brutal power output. The car made 556 bhp from a 6.2-liter V8, which was impressive for such a car that looked like a regular wagon.
It wasn't as heavy as previous Cadillacs either, which drove up its desirability. When we look at the handling of the Cadillac and its power, it can easily hold its own against the BMW M5 Touring and Audi RS6 V10, two cars worth a good bit more when new.
4 Chevrolet Impala SS
The Chevrolet Impala SS introduced in 1994 was practically a sporty version of a Caprice, but despite its outward appearance, the car was impressive because of the upgrades that were given to it. Also, the car could go 0-60 mph in 7.5 seconds, making it an amazing sleeper car.
While it wasn't as fast as an E34 BMW M5 or a Mercedes 500E, the Impala SS offered far more space and it wasn't as expensive as its German counterparts. The Impala SS is also more reliable nowadays as the older German cars become more expensive to run. As such, in the long term, the Impala has paid off as a great car that is better than what Europe could actually produce.
3 1965 Pontiac GTO
The first generation of the Pontiac GTO was amazing generally, and it set some high standards for US car design. When it was restyled in 1965, the car was made bigger and heavier. At the same time, power also increased to 360 bhp in the Tri-power V8 engine. Indeed, the Tri-power engine was the engine that was most desirable among consumers and enthusiasts as this version of the GTO went 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds.
The GTO was loved by many, and it sold extremely well too. The success of the vehicle also led to the creation of further cars of similar capabilities within GM. Nothing from Europe could come close in terms of power or acceleration and the attractive styling gave the design houses of Europe a run for their money.
2 Chevrolet Corvette C7 ZR1
The Chevrolet Corvette C7 ZR1 is amazing, and in true ZR1 fashion, it follows the same high-performance caliber as the versions which came before it. It came with 755 bhp and a ridiculous top speed of 212 mph. While it costs about $150,000 brand new, it was significantly cheaper than a McLaren 720S (which offers similar power outputs).
Regarding handling, the Corvette is amazing too, which puts it as a direct competitor to the McLaren. When looking at the new LT5 engine that was put into it, the performance of the ZR1 is very unsurprising. These outstanding power capabilities put it above its European counterparts and reflect the finest engineering completed by the US.
1 1971 Plymouth Barracuda Hemi
The 1971 model of the Plymouth Barracuda is incredibly iconic because of its Hemi engine. The 7.0-liter Hemi V8 produced 425 bhp and looked like a true American muscle car too. The power and the looks were there, and the speed levels simply completed this trinity. Going 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds was amazing and the car truly stood out.
Sadly, after only 115 being made, Plymouth decided to pull production due to the incoming emissions tax that would have been applied to the Barracuda Hemi. Despite this, not much Europe offered could get close to the power, looks, or desirability of the 'Cuda.