American muscle cars are definitely rare (I would dare to say UNIQUE) specimens amongst the sports cars in the entire world – fact well known also to the Europeans besides their superb sports cars – and therefore it is absolutely necessary to treat them with special approach and emotions.
So we came on the idea to make a list by our own free choice, a sort of ranking of the famous muscle cars, based on our personal experience and preference (also we have taken the opinion of several other eminent car magazines like the Muscle Car Review Magazine, Autoblog and others) of the very cream of American technology and car manufacturing. Also we seriously have taken to an account test results and other measurement attributes. So let’s start with the list. ..CLICK BELOW ON NEXT PAGE to SEE The Best & Fastest Muscle Cars of All Times..
The list is a bit one-sided. 6 GM products, 3 Chrysler’s, and 1 Ford. The 6 GM are 3 Corvettes; 2 Chevy’s; and 1 Buick. The 3 Chrysler’s are all Plymouths. And the lonely Ford wasn’t a viable option to the public at the time unless you had the cash for it. Same thing for the Corvettes; those were not easy to obtain for the everyman. The Plymouths were a readily accessible as was the Camaro, Chevelle, and Buick.
My list:
10. 1966 Pontiac GTO 389 Tri-Power
Production: Sports Coupe: 10,363 Hardtop Coupe: 73,785 Convertible: 12,798
Engines: 389 V8 335 bhp @ 5000 rpm, 431 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm. 389 V8 360 bhp @ 5200 rpm, 424 lb-ft @ 3600rpm. 389 V8 Ram Air 360 bhp @ 5200 rpm, 424 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
Performance: 389/360: 0-60 in 6.5 sec, 1/4 mile in 14.65 sec @ 98mph.
09. 1967 Mustang Fastback
Production:
2D Hardtop: 356,271
Fastback: 71,042
Convertible: 44,808
Engines:
390 V8 320 bhp.
(Shelby GT500) 428 V8 355bhp@5400rpm, 420lb-ft@3200rpm.
Performance
(Shelby GT500) 428/355: 0-60 in 6.2 sec, 1/4 mile in 14.6 sec @ 99mph.
08. 1969 AMC Hurst
Production: 1,512
Engines: 390 V8 315 bhp @ 4600 rpm, 425 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
Performance: 390/315: 0-60 in 6.3 seconds, 1/4 mile in 14.3 seconds @ 99 mph.
07. 1968 Dodge Charger
Production: 17,665
Engines: 318 V8 230bhp. 383 V8 335bhp. 426 V8 Hemi 425bhp@5000rpm, 490lb-ft@4000rpm. 440 V8 375bhp@4600rpm, 480lb-ft@3200rpm.
Performance: 426 Hemi V8 425: 0-60 in 5.3 sec, 1/4 mile in 13.8 sec @ 105mph.
06. 1970 Olds 442
Performance:
(W-30) 455/370: 0-60 in 5.7 sec, 1/4 mile in 14.2 sec @ 100mph.
05. 1969 Firebird
400 V8 (Ram Air IV) 345 bhp @ 5400 rpm, 430 lb-ft @ 3700 rpm.
Performance:
400/335 (RA IV): 0-60 in 6.3 sec, 1/4 mile in 14.1 sec @ 101 mph.
04. 69 Mercury Cougar
428 V8 335 bhp @ 5200 rpm, 440 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm.
Performance:
428/335: 0-60 in 5.6 seconds, 1/4 mile in 14.1 seconds @ 103 mph.
03. 1970 Cuda
440+6 V8 390 bhp @ 4600 rpm, 480 lb-ft @ 2300 rpm.
Performance:
Hemi – 426/425: 0-60 in 5.6 seconds, 1/4 mile in 13.41 sec. @ 104.6 mph.
02. 70 Challenger
Performance:
T/A: 0-60 in 5.9 seconds, 1/4 mile in 14.5 seconds @ 99.6 mph.
R/T 440-6: 0-60 in 6.2 seconds, 1/4 mile in 13.7 seconds @ 105 mph.
01. 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2
Production: 11,519
Engines: 421 V8 338 bhp @ 4600 rpm, 459 ft-lb @ 2800 rpm. 421 V8 356 bhp @ 4800 rpm, 459 ft-lb @ 3200 rpm. 421 V8 376 bhp @ 5000 rpm, 461 ft-lb @ 3600 rpm.
Performance: 421/376: 0-60 in 3.9 sec 1/4 mile in 13.8 @ 106 mph
There we are.
GM: 4
Ford: 2
Chrysler: 3
AMC: 1
Not a bad list.