Some of the best muscle cars to ever tear up the tarmac

1964 Pontiac GTO

The original 1960s muscle car, the Pontiac GTO had amazing performance for its day

1964 Pontiac GTO

The Pontiac GTO is widely acknowledged as the car that really kicked off the 1960s Muscle Car era. It was initially offered as an optional package on the mid-size Pontiac Tempest and was the first truly mass-market high performance model to follow the big displacement engine route, using a tuned 389 cubic inch (6.4-litre) V8 engine in place of the entry-level Tempest’s 140bhp six.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454

The Chevelle Super Sport was Chevrolet's 60s muscle car monster

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454

Chevrolet’s first foray into the Muscle Car world was with the Chevelle Super Sport (or SS) introduced in 1964. Early in its life it was significantly out-gunned by the Pontiac GTO, but it wasn’t long before Chevy started turning up the wick.

By 1970, the Chevelle SS had reached its most outrageous specification, with a huge 454 cubic inch (7.5-litre) big block V8 that could be ordered with an advertised 450bhp and 500lb ft of torque.

With a 0-60mph time of a little over 5 seconds, the 1970 Chevrolet Chevrolet SS 454 was one of the fastest accelerating road cars in the world, and is hugely collectable today.

1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

Chevrolet's answer to the Ford Mustang, the Camaro is a classic muscle car in its own right

1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

The Chevrolet Camaro was produced in answer to the runaway success of the Ford Mustang, which had been launched in 1964. Arriving three years later, the Camaro was a sporty coupe and convertible based on the Chevy Nova platform, but with some meaty engine options including a 396 cubic inch V8 making up to 375bhp.

There were racy RS and SS option packs that included a blacked–out grille with concealed headlamps, simulated air intakes and ‘bumble bee’ striping, but performance purists could opt for the Z/28 package which added serious chassis mods designed for racing versions.

The Z/28 goodies included disc brakes at the front, a heavy-duty four-speed manual transmission, upgraded suspension and racing stripes. It came as standard with a lighter-weight 302 cubic inch (5.0-litre) small block V8 making 290bhp, but could also be ordered with a 396 cubic inch (6.5-litre) big block.

1965 Shelby Mustang GT-350

The Ford Mustang is a muscle car icon and the Shelby versions are the ones to have

1965 Shelby Mustang GT-350

The Ford Mustang ‘pony car’ took the US by storm in 1964, selling two million examples in its first two years for production. In spite of its sporty two-door styling most of its underpinnings came from more mundane Ford saloon cars, and the most popular engines were asthmatic straight sixes.

A 289 cubic inch (4.7-litre) V8 was soon introduced with up to 271bhp, but it’s the Shelby GT-350 versions of those early cars that really get collectors fired-up. Painted in trademark Wimbledon White with blue stripes along the sill panels, the cars were uprated by legendary Le Mans 24hrs winning driver, and AC Cobra originator Carroll Shelby. As well as a power hike to 306bhp, the Mustang GT-350 featured a side-exiting exhaust system, uprated brakes and suspension, and had a spare wheel mounted where the rear seat should go, making it eligible for sports car racing.

Just 562 examples of the earliest Shelby Mustang were built in 1965, and the Shelby GT-350 models that followed in 1966 to ‘68 were more luxuriously equipped and less race-focused. Somewhat notoriously, car rental firm Hertz offered the GT-350H on its fleet of hire cars. These special models came in black with gold stripes, and stories of weekend rentals coming back with spot welds where roll cages had been installed and removed for racing have gone down in muscle car folklore.

1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt

The Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt was a street-legal drag racer with a mighty 7.0-litre V8

Another extreme rarity inspired by the need to win at the track, the Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt was a stripped-out drag racer that mated the lightweight (relatively) and compact Ford Fairlane body with the meaty 427 cubic inch (7.0-litre) V8 race engine developed for the bigger heavier Ford Galaxie NASCAR racers.

The Galaxie was too heavy to be competitive on drag-strip acceleration runs, but the Thunderbolt solved that problem for Ford by winning the National Hot Rod Association’s Super Stock championship in 1964.

According to Ford’s official documentation, the Thunderbolt was rated at 425bhp in its standard race-prepared spec. Unofficial estimates put that figure closer to 600bhp – and performance was further improved by lightening the car with plastic windows and glass-fibre doors, bonnet and wings.

The best bit? The Thunderbolt was technically street legal, although Ford riveted a disclaimer to the inside of the glovebox stating the model’s fit and finish was not up to normal road car standards. Just 100 examples were built in 1964.

1971 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda

Plymouth's Barracuda became a muscle car legend with a Hemi V8 plumbed in

The Plymouth Barracuda was introduced a couple of weeks before the Ford Mustang in 1964, but while the Mustang rival also featured sporty styling and affordable prices it spent most of its life in the more popular Ford’s shadow. Apart that is, from the legendary Hemi-powered 'Cuda model which is one of the most desirable muscle car models from the classic era.

Introduced in 1970, the Hemi 'Cuda featured a 426 cubic inch (7.0-litre) V8 making 425bhp, and was good for 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds. It looked the part too, with a range of cartoonish colours and a ‘shaker hood scoop’ poking through the bonnet to help force air into the engine.

The model was withdrawn in 1971 after just 115 examples had been sold, because Plymouth didn’t want to strangle its legendary Hemi V8 to meet new emissions regulations. Nowadays the Hemi 'Cuda is highly collectable of course, with the rarest convertible versions selling for millions of dollars.

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