American Sports Cars – These Are the Best Muscle Cars
Muscle cars, as the legendary American cars are called, have been reissued in recent years and some have also been sold in Germany. American sports cars do have a fan base – but which of these US muscle cars are the most popular?
What makes an American sports car?
For decades, it has been American sports cars that have had a large fan base in Europe. Whether it's classic car models or new generations, muscle cars are the epitome of freedom, independence and also offer a lot of power.
A lot of horsepower and loud enginesare definitely a must for US sports cars. In addition, they stand for reliability and usually offer a good price-performance ratio. Some American car manufacturers are even only on the market in Europe with their muscle cars, the other models are less in demand in this country.
Muscle car – where does the term come from?
A "muscle car" – as one would say in German, refers to American cars with powerful engines, an enormous amount of horsepower and great speed on the straights. In the 1960s and 70s, these were mainly models with V8 engines that were aimed at younger customers. Accordingly, the price for the muscle cars was relatively moderate.
However, the term muscle car was only introduced later, at that time they were called supercars.
US Sports Cars: The Most Popular Muscle Cars
Over time, certain car manufacturers and models have emerged that are particularly popular. We introduce you to some of the most popular muscle cars:
Ford Mustang – Muscle Car Icon
When you think of a muscle car, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the Ford Mustang. The Mustang has been in production since 1964 and is now an icon. The last model came on the market with a V8 engine and an output of 450 hp. For those who prefer to save some fuel, there is also the four-cylinder version.
But the Mustang is not only powerful, but also suitable for everyday use. Inside you have plenty of space. The high consumption is less good, but if you want to drive a muscle car, you should have expected it. Furthermore, one can criticize the fact that there is a lot of plastic to be seen in the interior, which also has only moderate quality.
Nevertheless, you get a really good car for your money - at Carwow you can get the Ford Mustang from about 52,000 euros.
Chevrolet Camaro – the eternal second
The Chevrolet Camaro was developed to compete with the Mustang. It comes in its current sixth generation with an agile chassis and perfect weight distribution – and of course plenty of horsepower. If you want, you get a 6-speed manual gearbox instead of an automatic transmission and the Camaro doesn't have to hide visually either.
The most powerful version is currently the Camaro ZL1 with a 6.2-liter V8 engine and 659 hp of power. If you can make do with the entry-level model, you can get a Camaro from as little as 38,990 euros.
Dodge Charger – Retro meets modern
The Dodge Charger is another famous US muscle car that has been in production since the 60s. The future of the Charger is the Daytona, which will be presented in 2024 and will be available as both a combustion engine and an electric model.
Visually, the Charger remains true to its classic proportions – the R-Wing front spoiler is also still present, which gives the Dodge its typical silhouette. Those who want to continue driving combustion engines have the choice between 420 hp and 550 hp - but as an in-line six-cylinder - V8 engines are no longer installed.
However, if you really want all the muscle car power, you have to opt for the electric version. Here you get up to 670 hp and a 100 kWh battery, which should last up to 418 kilometers.
In 2025, there will be a high-performance version – it will be called Banshee and will produce at least 807 hp.
Chevrolet Corvette – THE sports car par excellence
The Chevrolet Corvette has had to take a lot of malice in its life, because it was often only smiled at and not taken too seriously as a sports car. In the meantime, the Corvette has blossomed as the American counterpart to the Porsche 911 and convinces not only with its pretty exterior, but also with its technical values.
The eighth generation of the Corvette C8 Stingray has been on the market since 2020, which for the first time has the engine mounted in the middle and no longer in the front. The aim is to compete with the European sports car manufacturers Ferrari or McLaren. The improved handling is noticeable and it has not had a negative effect on the driving performance either. The entry-level model already comes with 482 hp and due to its low weight, it manages the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds.
Dodge Challenger – beefy horsepower monster
The current Dodge Challenger generation has been on the market since 2008 and is another US sports car produced for the mass market. The Challenger is characterized above all by its beefy look, which doesn't make it look like a sports car at first. Even if the Challenger looks a bit out of time, it has arrived in the modern age. What is also included are a lot of displacement, a lot of power and rear-wheel drive.
As for the engines, you can choose between a 3.6-liter V6 engine or a 6.4-liter V8 engine. If you want the top model, opt for the Challenger SRT Hellcat – here you get over 700 hp. And the SRT Demon can go one step further, with rear-wheel drive you have to be able to handle the more than 800 horsepower first.
Dodge Viper – pure purism
The Dodge Viper was a project close to the heart of the then Chrysler CEO and was able to revive the spirit of an American sports car like the Shelby Cobra. In 1991, the first Viper generation was built and with the fifth generation, which was built until 2017, the era of the Viper comes to an end. The Viper VX produced 649 hp and was equipped with an 8.4-liter V10 engine.
If you want to buy a Viper as a used car, you still have to spend a lot of money - a model costs about 120,000 euros.
If the muscle cars presented here are not fast enough for you, you can take a look at our list of the 10 fastest hypercars ever.