Muscle cars are the biggest, loudest and most overpowered machines on the road—and complete beasts to handle which is why their owners deserve plenty of respect.
There have been plenty of classic muscle cars released over the years, especially during the 1960s and 1970s. So what are the best muscle cars ever made? Let’s take a look at Daily Rubber’s top 7.
1. Shelby 1000
The Shelby 1000 is synonymous with overpowered. With up to 1,200 HP from the same supercharged 5.8-liter V8 used in the Shelby GT500, this is as powerful as you can get.
Its output is the same as the stupidly expensive Bugatti Veyron 16.4 SuperSport, but it only costs a tenth of the Veyron’s price. If you love insanely powerful cars that look almost scary to drive, the Shelby 1000 is it.
2. Dodge Charger R/T 440
Everyone knows the Charger. In the 1980s, “The Dukes of Hazard” made it famous. More recently, the car has been seen in The Fast and Furious movies.
The hidden headlights and front grill hint the power that lies under the hood, while the heavy-duty suspension lets the Dodge Charger handle easily–well, easier than lots of other muscle cars.
3. 1968 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi
Plymouth was made to go fast and ooze power, and that’s what it did. As subtle as Gordon Ramsay’s criticisms, the Road Runner came with a 425 HP Hemi-V8 engine that let it tear up the road in the brawniest way.
And the Road Runner name wasn’t just coincidence. Plymouth made the car’s horn sound like the cartoon namesake’s “beep-beep”.
4. 1964 Pontiac GTO
The GTO was the first proper muscle car, and still is, the dream car of lots of muscle car enthusiasts. with a 325-horsepower V8 and going from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds. It was every boy’s dream car in the 60s.
5. Oldsmobile 442
The hardtop ’71 L69 had 360 HP with a 4-speed gearbox, 4-barrel carb and dual exhaust. Today, this is among the toughest muscle cars to find—especially the 1970 W30 version.
6. 1969 Ford Mustang
This is arguably the most popular muscle car. The Boss 429 came with a V8 that churned out 375 HP. It was hand-built because, frankly, the engine was just too big to fit in a regular Mustang. Only 1,400 of these beauties were made, so it’s pretty darn rare.
7. Chevrolet Chevelle SS
This was Chevrolet’s first muscle car, and it was a beast. Depending on the generation, this car can crank out between 300 to 425 horsepower, the Chevelle SS went from 0 to 62 in just 6 seconds.