Let's settle this, who makes the greatest American muscle car?

Everyone seems to think muscle cars are geared to how quick they are in the quarter mile. There is so much more to a muscle car than quarter mile trap speeds. My top 15 list is based on “cool” factor as well as how quick they were compared to the competition:

1. 1961 Chevrolet Impala with 409 4 speed
2. 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible with 327 fuel-injected 4 speed
3. 1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt with 427
4. 1965 Pontiac GTO with 421 Tri-Power
5. 1966 Ford Galaxy 500 Police Interceptor with solid lifter 428
6. 1966 Shelby Mustang 350
7. 1967 Ford Fairlane GT 427
8. 1967 Plymouth GTX with 426 Hemi
9. 1968 Dodge Charger RT with 426 Hemi
10. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
11. 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302
12. 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429
13. 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle with 454
14. 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible with 426 Hemi
15. 1970 Buick GS455

There are a number of other cars that are interesting in their concept, i.e. AMC AMX 390, Matador 401, and the Pontiac Firebird 455, but they didn’t rate very highly on my "cruising through the Dairy Queen parking lot" scale. Most cars in the 70s and 80s were a wash.

Today anyone with a wad of cash can walk into almost any dealership and buy a car that will outrun most of the cars produced in the 60s and early 70s. To me the cars produced today, while interesting, just don’t have that “cool” factor. Perhaps that’s because they’re all computerized, sanitized and industrialized. No mortal can actually work on the things! Also, anyone who buys a Dodge Demon really needs to have their meds adjusted.

Being old enough to have bought most of the original muscle cars new, my two choices would be the Mopar powered Roadrunner/Charger/Challenger series of vehicles and the Pontiac GTO. The 426 Hemi was an awesome, if somewhat sensitive, power plant and the big block GTO wasn't a slouch either.
What's even more amazing for those of us that survived the Muscle Car era is that we aren't all dead. 500 HP on heavy cars with bad suspension, what today would be minimal brakes and some pretty crappy tires is a recipe for a disaster.

Toyota

Mustang. That is all.

Here's a few that were missed in the above commentary: The '94 Chevy Impala SS (the black car for anyone who has no idea); I guarantee this not your father's Oldsmobile. Awarded "Sleeper Muscle Car" of the century because stock it blew the doors off anything on the line, and it could run long with the best of them. The red car is a '70 Chevy El Camino 454 SS. My friend Jim Long had one in the early '80's and this was a fun car to drive. Kudos to everyone who weighed in with their picks! There is no #1 All-time "muscle car" in my book; good 'ole American Ingenuity produced many outstanding rides.

I will also say that today, Dodge is knocking it out of the park with their line of upgraded street sweepers! All you little girls driving them loud, tricked out little Honda's beware. You're about to get eaten!

1971 Hemi Cuda Convertible or realistically a 71 Hemi Challenger Convertible. Currently own a 66 Chevy ll Nova package with chopped top since convertible unavailable 9 out of 10 driver. Doesn’t matter the car if on a trailer

Honestly of all the responses I read I am going to say all of you are wrong. With a 0-100 and back zero speed of under 10 seconds which would not be broken for decades the Shelby Cobra 427 SOHC pretty much spanked every other stock production, and many modified factory automobiles. It has atimeless look that still makes people turn heads. The 289 Cobra was no slouch either, but the 427 was the beast that others stayed away from for good reason. Power to weight was the secret tothe Shelby that many Detroit cars could never get over.

Every one of the major auto manufacturers in the US have all made excellent muscle cars; the only question is “which one is your favorite ?”. If I had the scratch, I want a Plymouth Barracuda with a 440 six pack. Actually, I want 1 of every one made.

Vanishing Point Car Specs (1971 Movie)

1970 Dodge Charger R/T
440 CID V8 “U” code
375HP
480 ft-lbs of torque
4bbl carburetor
4-Speed manual transmission “A-833”
4.10:1 Sure-Grip differential
Pistol grip shifter
Alpine white
Black vinyl interior
Bucket seats
Heavy-duty shocks
Rallye wheels

And —> RIP Barry Newman (aka Kowalski)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGVgrnRtrhE

I don't see Mopar as a choice......? Didn't see a Buick GS 455 Stage 1....13.38's all day off the showroom floor in "D" In the 12's with very minor tweaking...

Ford: Boss 9
Chevy: ZL1 Vette or Camaro
Pontiac: Any S/D