While it's not the biggest player in Detroit, Chrysler has played a massive part in the American automotive industry. These days, Chrysler is joined by fellow Americans Dodge, Plymouth, Jeep, and Ram, as well as becoming partners with European brands Fiat, Maserati, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Opel, Peugeot, and Citroën under the Stellantis umbrella.
Updated March 2021: We have updated this list with more accurate and detailed information about these stunning classic Mopar vehicles that are loved and desired by gearheads all over the world.
However, excluding the European brands they're now associated with, many gearheads have referred to the American car brands under the Chrysler umbrella as "Mopar" cars. Mopar cars are known and celebrated by muscle car enthusiasts across the world, it doesn't matter whether it's a Plymouth, Dodge, or Chrysler vehicle. And there's certainly no shortage of Mopar cars out there to drool over. Whereas other American brands, such as Ford and GM, have sometimes played it safe, Mopar was pushing boundaries and giving the people what they wanted — cool, stylish, and overly powerful muscle cars! So without further ado, let's check out some of the fastest and greatest classic Mopar cars!
10 1955 Chrysler 300
While there's still an ongoing argument, many gearheads consider the Chrysler 300 from the 1950s to be the first-ever muscle car. This classic was built using parts from the Imperial, New Yorker, and Newport, and it was designed specifically to dominate NASCAR.
The Chrysler 300 had a 300 hp 331 cid V8 engine, which was enough to give the granddaddy of muscle cars a top speed of a very impressive 127 mph. At the time, this made it the world's fastest stock car. However, things didn't end there though. In its second year of production, the 300 received a bigger engine that increased its top speed to a whopping 140 mph — that's faster than a lot of today's cars!
9 1968 Dodge Dart L023
Pretty much all the American carmakers were involved in the muscle car war of the 1960s. Whereas the Ford Thunderbolt and Corvette ZL-1 were the cars any self-respecting gearhead dreamed of at the time and went on to become highly-desirable classics, the Dodge Dart LO23 remains somewhat forgotten.
The LO23 received a 426 Hemi V8 engine, fenders made from fiberglass, as well as a new hood, even the bumpers were swapped for lightweight items. In order to keep the weight as low as possible, Dodge removed anything deemed unnecessary, which included the carpets and the horn. The end result was nothing short of staggering! The L023 produced an incredible 535 horsepower and managed to do a quarter-mile run in the low nine-second range. Unfortunately, only 80 units of the LO23 were built.
8 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona
Almost 15 years after the Chrysler 300 dominated NASCAR races, another unstoppable Mopar stock car arrived — the Dodge Charger Daytona. Available with a 440 Magnum V8 or a 426 Hemi, the Daytona produced between 390 and 425 hp. All that power, combined with an aerodynamic front and huge rear wing meant the Daytona dominated the NASCAR oval tracks.
The Daytona was actually the first NASCAR race car to break the 200 mph barrier. However, these winged warriors weren't dominating the racetracks for long. At the end of the 1970 season, NASCAR executives changed the rule book and banned all Aero cars. These days, Dodge Daytona fetch several hundred thousand dollars at auctions.
7 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda
The Plymouth Barracuda was one of the fastest cars in America. However, the performance-oriented Hemi Cuda was spectacular as well. Fitted with a 426 cubic inch Hemi V8 engine, the 'Cuda could deliver 425 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque.
The 'Cuda was capable of reaching 60mph in under six seconds. Unfortunately, because it was so expensive, it barely sold back in the days. Today, however, one in good condition can fetch up to $1 million at auctions.
6 1978 Dodge Lil’ Red Express
The '70s were a difficult time for muscle cars. It almost seemed like the whole world was conspiring to destroy them. Starting with the emission regulations, the oil crisis, and the economic recession made the '70s a mess. But while the government was busy regulating every muscle car on the road, someone working for Dodge noticed that the laws said nothing about trucks.
Hence, the creation of the 'Lil Red Express, which was launched in 1978 as part of Chrysler's “Adult Toys” lineup. As unbelievable as it seems, the truck was the fastest American production vehicle from zero to 60, beating even the 911 Porsche and Ferrari 308. Long live the trucks!
5 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird
How can a Mopar list not include the Roadrunner? It’s arguably the coolest Mopar car ever produced and the design process was rather simple. Plymouth decided to produce something cheap yet powerful in order to attract more people.
And as expected, Plymouth succeeded with the Roadrunner and ended up creating one of the most popular cars of that era. Plus, the fact that they bought the naming rights from the popular Roadrunner character from the Looney Toons cartoon helped a bunch. Fitted with a V-8 engine, the Roadrunner was a true powerhouse.
4 1965 Plymouth Belvedere Altered Wheelbase
Just another stunning Plymouth, what else could it be? Except it's not "just another", it's one of the hottest race-spec Mopar cars ever built. Although there were two of them, both from Dodge and Plymouth—our favorite version is this Belvedere created specifically for drag strip wars.
Although it looks almost identical to the Dodge Coronet, the wheelbase was altered and the floor pans moved in order to improve weight distribution. The Belvedere was unbeatable in almost all races, delivering more than 500 horsepower. It’s truly gorgeous.
3 1986 Dodge-Shelby Omni GLHS
Chrysler was very close to collapsing during the early '80s. Fortunately, after taking a loan from the U.S. Government and succeeding with the sales of the K-Car and Dodge Caravan—the world's first minivan—it got back on track by the mid-’80s. Finally, with money to invest, Chrysler partnered with the legendary Carroll Shelby and created something memorable: the Shelby Omni GLHS.
Even from the name, you could tell it's an '80s car. But never mind the name, as the GLHS was an extremely tech-focused car featuring a 2.2-liter turbo engine that kicked out 175 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque.
2 1996 Dodge Viper GTS
Saying that the Viper was a gorgeous car in the early '90s would be such an understatement. Its launch wasn't only physical, but also spiritual as the subjective successor of the Shelby Cobra. The Viper was an outstanding car by any means. It featured a huge V10 engine and nothing else — no driving aids of any kind, not even anti-lock brakes.
Borrowing styling cues from Shelby Daytona racing cars, the Viper became a true homegrown supercar. Its crazy engine delivered 450 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque. Zero to 60 mph only took four seconds. It was absolutely crazy.
1 1962 Dodge Dart 413 Max Wedge
We're ending this list with the memorable Dodge Dart 413 Max Wedge to remind you of the glory days of Mopar muscle cars. Although the Dart started as a family car in the '50s, as soon as Chrysler joined the muscle car war, things changed for the better.
The name of the Dart comes from the massive 6.8-liter 420 horsepower V-8 engine it was fitted with. And, combined with the extremely lightweight body, heavy-duty suspension, and stripped interior, it was truly perfect for drag-racing. If you ever fancied going against Ford owners with a classic Mopar, this is the one you’re been looking for.