The Pontiac GTO is a classic example of the muscle car.

A muscle car is a high-performance automobile. The term principally refers to American, Australian and South African models and generally describes a 2-door rear wheel drive mid-size car with a large, powerful V8 engine and special trim, intended for maximum torque on the street or in drag racing competition. It is distinguished from sports cars, which were customarily and coincidentally considered smaller, two-seat cars, or GTs, two-seat or 2+2 cars intended for high-speed touring and possibly road racing. High-performance full-size or compact cars are arguably excluded from this category, as are the breed of compact sports coupes inspired by the Ford Mustang. Other factors used in defining classic muscle cars are their age and country of origin. A classic muscle car is usually but not necessarily made in the US or Australia between 1964 and 1975. Notably, the term "muscle car" did not enter common usage until after production of the cars had essentially ended. During their heyday, print media usually referred to this class of vehicle as "supercars". Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 1. ... Pontiac is a marque of automobile produced by General Motors and sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 1926 to the present. ... 1965 Pontiac GTO convertible The Pontiac GTO was an automobile built by Pontiac from 1964 to 1974, and by General Motors Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. ... “Car” and “Cars” redirect here. ... Rear wheel drive was a common form of engine/transmission layout used in automobiles throughout the 20th century. ... A mid-size car, frequently referred to as an intermediate, is an automobile with a size between that of a compact and a full-size or standard-size car. ... Top Fuel dragster Drag racing is a sport in which cars race down a track with a set distance as fast as possible. ... 1963 Jaguar E-Type, a classic sports car 1963 Chevrolet Corvette was based upon European sports cars A sports car is an automobile designed for performance driving. ... A grand tourer (Italian: Gran Turismo), (initialised GT), is a high-performance automobile designed for long-distance driving. ... 2 plus 2 (2+2) The term 2 plus 2 (or 2+2) is a semi-slang phrase used to describe a car with seating for two passengers up front, plus two for occasional passengers in the rear. ... Road racing can be a term involving road running, road bicycle races, or automobile races. ... 2001 BMW 750iL The Ford Falcon, a popular Australian full-size car A full-size car is a marketing term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car. ... Rambler American Compact car is a largely North American term denoting an automobile smaller than a midsize car, but larger than a subcompact car. ... For other Ford Mustang models and concepts, see Ford Mustang Variants. ...

An alternate definition is based on power-to-weight ratio, defining a muscle car as an automobile with (for example) fewer than 12 lb (5.4 kg) per rated 1 horsepower (0.7 kW). Such definitions are inexact, thanks to a wide variation in curb weight depending on options and to the questionable nature of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) gross hp ratings in use before 1972, which were often deliberately overstated or underrated for various reasons. Power-to-weight ratio is a measure commonly used when comparing various vehicles (or engines), including automobiles, motorcycles and aircraft. ... SAE International (SAE) is a professional organization for mobility engineering professionals in aerospace, automotive and the commercial vehicle industries. ...

Origin

Focus on performance among the major American automakers after World War II was rekindled by the Chrysler 300 letter series in 1955. They can be considered the muscle car's ancestors, though much more luxurious, expensive, exclusive, and larger in size. Other makes soon offered high-performance engines in their "standard"-sized models. Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... 1957 Chrysler 300C The Chrysler 300 letter series were high-performance luxury cars built in very limited numbers by the Chrysler Corporation in the United States between 1955 and 1965. ... 2001 BMW 750iL The Ford Falcon, a popular Australian full-size car A full-size car is a marketing term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car. ...

The idea of installing a powerful engine in a post WWII mid-size car was introduced in 1957. The American Motors (AMC) Rebel showcased AMC’s new 327 cu in (5.4 L) V8 producing 255 horsepower (190.2 kW) with a 4-barrel carburetor (fuel injection was to be optional), thus making it the first American budget-priced and intermediate-sized, factory hot-rod hardtop sedan. The Rambler Rebel came with a manual or automatic transmission, and dual exhaust. The Rebel was promoted as the fastest four-door car in America from 0–60 mph (0–96.6 km/h) and ran the quarter mile in 17.0 seconds. It was one of the quickest production automobiles at that time. American Motors Corporation (AMC) was an American automobile company formed on January 14, 1954 by the merger of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and the Hudson Motor Car Company. ... American Motors produced a series of widely-used V8 engines before being absorbed into Chrysler. ... Bendix-Technico (Stromberg) 1-barrel downdraft carburetor model BXUV-3, with nomenclature A carburetor (North American spelling) / carburettor (international spelling), colloquially called a carb (in North America and the United Kingdom) or carby (chiefly in Australia), is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. ... // Fuel injection is a means of metering fuel into an internal combustion engine. ... A hardtop is a term for a rigid, rather than canvas, automobile roof. ... The Rambler Rebel was an automobile was a product by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) of Kenosha, Wisconsin between 1957 and 1961. ... A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift, straight drive, or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ... The automatic gear selector in a Ford Five Hundred vehicle An automatic transmission (commonly abbreviated as AT) is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually (similar but larger devices are also used for railroad... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Dragstrip. ...

The popularity of the muscle car grew in the early 1960s. Among these was the 1962 Dodge Dart 413 cu in (6.8 L) Max Wedge, with mid-13-second 1/4-mile performance at over 100 mph. Both Mopar (Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler) and Ford battled in the early 1960s for drag racing supremacy; these were the true muscle cars that ruled the road and the strip. For 1964 and 1965, Ford had its 427 cu in (7 L) Thunderbolts and Mopar unveiled the mighty 426 cu in (7 L) Hemi engine. The Pontiac GTO was an option package that included Pontiac's 389 cu in (6.4 L) V8 engine, floor-shifted transmission with Hurst shift linkage, and special trim. In 1966, the Pontiac GTO was no longer an option, and became its own model. The project, spearheaded by Pontiac division president John De Lorean, was technically a violation of General Motors' policy limiting its smaller cars to 330 cu in (5.4 L) displacement, but it proved far more popular than expected, and inspired a host of imitations, both at GM and its competitors. That said, the influential GTO itself was a response to the Dodge Polara 500 and the Plymouth Sport Fury. These had been shrunk to intermediates in 1962, which was an infamous blunder in terms of general marketing strategy at a time when bigger was considered better. As the muscle car in the U.S. is generally considered an intermediate two door with a large engine, however, the blunder arguably resulted in the 1962 Dodge Dart Max Wedge beating the GTO to the title of "first true muscle car." Both were very influential in the market (and very capable) at the time. 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ford Fairlane The Ford Fairlane was an automobile model sold between 1955 and 1971 by the Ford Motor Company in North America. ... Mopar (short for MOtor PARts) is the automobile parts and service arm of Chrysler Group. ... Early Hemi in a 1957 Chrysler 300C See also: Chrysler Hemi engine Hemi (from hemisphere) is a design of internal-combustion engines in which the cylinder heads combustion chamber is of hemispherical form. ... Pontiac V8 engine with Tripower carb setup From 1954 to 1981 the Pontiac Division of General Motors manufactured its own, unique V8 engines. ... Hurst Performance Inc. ... 1965 Pontiac GTO convertible The Pontiac GTO was an automobile built by Pontiac from 1964 to 1974, and by General Motors Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. ... John Zachary De Lorean (b. ... General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM), also known as GM, is an American automobile maker with worldwide operations and brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Vauxhall. ... The Dodge Polara was an automobile introduced in the United States for the 1960 model year as Dodges top-of-the-line fullsize car; after the introduction of the Dodge Custom 880 in 1962, the Polara nameplate designated a step below the best trimmed Dodge model. ... The Plymouth Fury was an automobile made by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1956 to 1978. ... The Dodge Dart was an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960 to 1976. ...

The Dodge Charger, known for its appearance as the villains' vehicle in the movie Bullitt and the heroes' in The Dukes of Hazzard

This marked a general trend towards factory performance, which reflected the importance of the youth market. A key appeal of the muscle cars was that they offered the burgeoning American car culture an array of relatively affordable vehicles with strong street performance that could also be used for racing. The affordability aspect was quickly compromised by increases in size, optional equipment, and plushness, forcing the addition of more and more powerful engines just to keep pace with performance. A backlash against this cost and weight growth led in 1967 and 1968 to a secondary trend of "budget muscle" in the form of the Plymouth Road Runner, Dodge Super Bee, and other stripped, lower-cost variants. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Dodge is a North American brand of automobiles and light to heavy-duty trucks from Chrysler, sold globally. ... For other models using this name, see Dodge Charger. ... Bullitt is a 1968 action crime mystery thriller film starring Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn and Jacqueline Bisset, with Don Gordon, Robert Duvall, Carl Reindel, Felice Orlandi, Vic Tayback, Pat Renella, Paul Genge, Bill Hickman, Norman Fell and Brandy Carroll. ... The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that originally aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985. ... Plymouth dealers gave away this promotional windbreaker in 1970. ... The Super Bee was a limited-production muscle car from Chryslers Dodge division produced from 1968 through 1971. ...

Although the sales of true muscle cars were relatively modest by total Detroit production standards, they had considerable value in publicity and bragging rights. They also served to bring young customers (or their parents) into showrooms who would then buy the standard editions of these mid-size cars. Automakers saw these as halo models and some, such as the AMC Rebel Machine, the COPO (Central Office Production Order) Chevrolet Chevelle, and the Super Cobra Jet Ford Torino were factory upgraded to be turn-key drag racers. The 1970 Machine even came with standard flamboyant and patriotic red, white, and blue reflective body graphics and paint for maximum street and racetrack visibility. A mid-size car, frequently referred to as an intermediate, is an automobile with a size between that of a compact and a full-size or standard-size car. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Halo vehicle. ... 1969 AMC Rebel sedan The AMC Rebel (known as the Rambler Rebel in 1967) was an intermediate car produced from 1967 to 1970. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... The Ford Torino was an intermediate sized car produced by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. ... Drag racing is a form of auto racing in which cars attempt to complete a fairly short, straight and level course in the shortest amount of time. ...

The AMC Rebel Machine, a factory built drag racer in its standard RWB stripe and paint scheme

The fierce competition led to an escalation in power that peaked in 1970, with some models offering as much as 450 horsepower (336 kW) (with this and others likely producing as much or more actual power, whatever their rating). Image File history File links 1970_AMC_Rebel_Machine_Muscle_Car-RWB.jpg‎ File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Muscle car ... Image File history File links 1970_AMC_Rebel_Machine_Muscle_Car-RWB.jpg‎ File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Muscle car ... 1969 AMC Rebel sedan The AMC Rebel (known as the Rambler Rebel in 1967) was an intermediate car produced from 1967 to 1970. ...

Another related type of car is the car-based pickup (known colloquially in Australia as a "ute"(short for "utility") Holden makes such a vehicle under the model name "Ute""). Examples of these are the Ford Ranchero, GMC Sprint, GMC Caballero, and one of the most famous examples, the Chevrolet El Camino. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Pickup. ... Holdens rule This article is about the Australian car manufacturer. ... The Holden Ute (ute is a colloquial term commonly used in Australia for utility vehicle) is a car-based pickup truck built by Holden, a subsidiary of General Motors in Australia. ... The Ford Ranchero was a car/pickup truck combination vehicle produced between 1957 and 1979 based on full-size, compact and intermediate automobiles by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market. ... The Chevrolet El Camino, a car-based small pickup truck built by Chevrolet in the United States, was produced in response to the success of the rival Ford Ranchero. ... The Chevrolet El Camino, a car-based small pickup truck built by Chevrolet in the United States, was produced in response to the success of the rival Ford Ranchero. ... The Chevrolet El Camino (Spanish translation The Road) was a car-like pick-up built by Chevrolet in the United States from 1959 to 1987. ...

Politics of the muscle car

The muscle cars' performance soon became a liability during this period. The automotive safety lobby, which had been spearheaded by Ralph Nader, decried the irresponsibility of offering such powerful cars for public sale, particularly targeted to young buyers. The high power of the muscle cars also underlined the marginal handling and braking capacity of many contemporary cars, as well as the severe limitations of their tires. In response, the automobile insurance industry began levying punitive surcharges on all high-powered models, soon pushing many muscle cars out of the price range of their intended buyers. Simultaneously, efforts to combat air pollution led to a shift in Detroit's attention from power to emissions control, a problem that grew more complicated in 1973 when the OPEC oil embargo led to price controls and gasoline rationing. Ralph Nader (born February 27, 1934) is an American attorney and political activist in the areas of consumer rights, humanitarianism, environmentalism and democratic government. ... Car handling and vehicle handling is a description of the way wheeled vehicles perform transverse to their direction of motion, particularly during cornering and swerving. ... Auto insurance is insurance consumers can purchase for cars, trucks, and other vehicles. ... Air pollution is a chemical, particulate matter, or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Not to be confused with APEC. OPEC Logo The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an international cartel[1][2] made up of Iraq, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Angola, Algeria, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. ... This article or section should be merged with 1973 energy crisis On October 16th, 1973, as part of the political strategy that included the Yom Kippur War, OPEC cut production of oil, and placed an embargo on shipments of crude oil to the West, with the Netherlands, specifically targetted. ... The 1973 oil crisis began in earnest on October 17, 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC, consisting of the Arab members of OPEC plus Egypt and Syria) announced, as a result of the ongoing Yom Kippur War, that they would no longer ship petroleum...

With all these forces against it, the market for muscle cars rapidly evaporated. Power began to drop in 1971 as engine compression ratios were reduced, high-performance engines like Chrysler's 426 Hemi were discontinued, and all but a handful of performance models were discontinued or transformed into soft personal luxury cars. One of the last hold-outs, which Car and Driver dubbed "The Last of the Fast Ones", was Pontiac's Trans Am SD455 model of 1973–1974, which had performance to rival most any other muscle car of the era. The Trans Am remained in production through 2002, but after 1974 its performance, like those of its predecessors and rivals, entered the doldrums. Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... Bold text The compression ratio is a single number that can be used to predict the performance of any engine (such as an internal-combustion engine or a Stirling Engine). ... Early Hemi in a 1957 Chrysler 300C. A Chrysler Hemi engine is one of three different internal combustion engine families from Chrysler that are Hemi engines; in other words, they utilize a hemispherical combustion chamber. ... Ford Thunderbird A personal luxury car is a highly styled, luxurious automobile intended for the comfort and satisfaction of its owner/driver, sacrificing passenger space, cargo capacity, and other practical concerns for the sake of style. ... Cover of Car and Driver from age of psychedelic lettering Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Pontiac Firebird. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

While performance cars began to make a return in the 1980s, spiraling costs and complexity seem to have made the low-cost traditional muscle car a thing of the past. Surviving models are now prized collectibles, some carrying prices to rival exotic European sports cars. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ...

Outside the US

Australia developed its own muscle car tradition around the same period, with the big three manufacturers Ford Australia, Holden or Holden Dealer Team (by then part of General Motors) and Chrysler Australia. The cars were specifically developed to run in the Bathurst 500—then known as the Armstrong 500 (miles) race and later the Hardie Ferodo 500. These cars were supercars in every sense of the word and were brimming with powerful engines and other racing options. The demise of these cars were brought about by the racing rules of the time being that 200 examples had to be sold to the general public before the car could qualify. In 1972 this rule came to a head and the Government stepped in to ban supercars from the streets. Ford factory in Norlane, Victoria, 1957. ... Holdens rule This article is about the Australian car manufacturer. ... Peter Geoffrey Brock (born February 26, 1945) is an Australian automobile racing driver. ... Chrysler Australia is a trading name for DaimlerChrysler Australia/ Pacific Pty Ltd. ...

Ford produced what is considered to be the first Australian muscle car in 1967, being the 287 cu in (4.7 L) Windsor–powered XR Falcon. Ford continued to release faster and faster models culminating in what is considered to be Australia's most desirable musclecar—the Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III of 1971, which was powered by a 351 cu in (5.8 L) Cleveland. Along with its GT and GTHO models, Ford, staring with the XW model in 1969, introduced a 'sporty' GS model, available across the Falcon range. The basic GS only came with 250 cu in (4.1 L) six, but the 302 cu in (4.9 L) and 351ci Windsor (replaced by the Cleveland engines for the XY), were optional. Ford's larger, more luxurious Fairlane was also available with these engines, and could also be optioned with the 300 bhp (224 kW) 351 Cleveland engine. The Ford XR Falcon was a car produced by the Ford Motor Company between 1966 and 1968. ... The GTHO Phase III was a modified Ford Falcon muscle car produced by Ford Australia in 1971. ...

Holden produced the famous Holden Monaro with 307 cu in (5 L), 327 cu in (5.4 L), and 350 cu in (5.7 L) Chevrolet smallblocks or 253 cu in (4.1 L) and 308 cu in (5 L) Holden V8s, followed by the release of four high-performance Toranas, the GTR-XU1 (1970–1973), SL/R 5000 (1974–1977), L34 (1974) and the A9X (1977). The XU-1 was originally fitted with a 186 cu in (3 L) triple carburetored 6-cylinder engine, later increased to 202 cu in (3.3 L), as opposed to the 308 cu in (5 L) single quad-barrel carburetored V8 in the SL/R 5000, L34, and A9X. The Monaro is a muscle car produced by Holden, the Australian branch of General Motors. ... A torana is an element of Hindu and Buddhist architecture. ...

Chrysler produced the R/T Valiant Charger from 1971 to 1973 when the R/Ts were discontinued; the dominant R/T models were the E38 and E49 with high performance 256 cu in (4.2 L) Hemi engines featuring triple Weber carburetors. Chrysler apparently considered a high-performance V8 program importing 350 340 cu in (5.6 L) V8 engines from the U.S. Main article: Valiant (automobile) The Valiant Charger was a short wheelbase Valiant coupe produced by Chrysler Australia from 1971, introduced with the VH model, through the 1973 VJ, up to the VK model in 1975. ...

The 1972 SE E55 340 V8 Valiant Charger

This project never went ahead and the engines were subsequently fitted to the upmarket 770 model Charger. Initially this model was designated "SE" E55 340 (V8) and only available with automatic transmission, with a model change to the VJ in 1973 the engine became an option and the performance was watered down. All Chrysler performance Chargers were discontinued in 1974 with the exhausting of high performance 265ci hemi and 340 V8s. Image File history File links Myvhe55-1-.jpg‎ Other versions Originally from en. ... Image File history File links Myvhe55-1-.jpg‎ Other versions Originally from en. ... Main article: Valiant (automobile) The Valiant Charger was a short wheelbase Valiant coupe produced by Chrysler Australia from 1971, introduced with the VH model, through the 1973 VJ, up to the VK model in 1975. ... The automatic gear selector in a Ford Five Hundred vehicle An automatic transmission (commonly abbreviated as AT) is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually (similar but larger devices are also used for railroad...

The Australian muscle car era is generally considered to have ended with the release of the Australian Design Rule regarding emissions in ADR27a in 1976. An exception to this rule was the small number of Bathurst 1000 homologation specials that were built after 1976 which are considered to be musclecars. These cars were built by the Holden Dealer Team for track and road use and quickly gained an enthusiastic following. The program was under Peter Brock's direction and had approval from Holden. Several highly modified high-performance road-going Commodores were produced through the early and mid 1980s. These "homologation specials" were produced to meet the Group A racing regulations. Models included the VC Group C, the VH SS Group III with a 0-100 km/h of 6.7 seconds (quickest HDT according to Modern Motor Magazine - Jan 1983), the Blue VK SS Group A and the burgundy VL SS Group A. These vehicles are all individually numbered with only 4246 Brock HDT's made and are considered to be collectors' items due to their rarity. The HDT Commodores have a substantial place in Australian motoring enthusiast history, and thus they are highly collectible muscle cars. It is not uncommon to see these vehicles selling for over $60,000 for a clean genuine example or even between $80-150,000 for an extremely low km example. After the death of Peter Brock, Holden Dealer Team vehicles became more collectible than ever. According to the Australian 5/2007 Wheels Magazine showroom-condition cars are generating prices as high as $200,000 AU. Peter Geoffrey Brock (born February 26, 1945) is an Australian automobile racing driver. ...

Currently in Australia Ford and Holden are producing performance vehicles—-for example Holden has its SS and SSV Commodores and Utilities, and their even more powerful HSV versions, which will soon be joined by an as-yet unnamed 7.0 litre Commodore.

Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) turns out similarly uprated special versions of the Ford Falcon Sedan, the major difference being Ford offer a 350+ hp turbocharged 4.0 litre I6 as well as their V8s. FPV are producing the GT 4-door Falcons—both Boss V8 and turbocharged sixes; the premier Fords are currently the BOSS V8 and Typhoon turbocharged inline 6. Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) is the Melbourne-based official performance tuning division of Ford Australia, founded in 2002. ... Air foil bearing-supported turbocharger cutaway made by Mohawk Innovative Technology Inc. ...

Holden Special Vehicles currently produces high-performance versions of various rear-drive Holden Utes, Commodore sedans and, ceasing production in 2006, the Monaro coupes including one model with AWD, fitted with high performance (400hp+) V8 engines, and are perhaps one of the closest contemporary equivalents to the classic American muscle car (excluding the AWD of course)—-fast, exciting, but relatively crude automobiles (though with far more attention to handling, suspension, safety and exceptional brakes compared with the stock models). Holden Special Vehicles (usually abbreviated to HSV) is the officially designated performance vehicle division of Australian motor car manufacturer Holden. ... The Holden Ute (ute is a colloquial term commonly used in Australia for utility vehicle) is a car-based pickup truck built by Holden, a subsidiary of General Motors in Australia. ...

In the United Kingdom, the muscle car itself never gained a significant market, but it certainly influenced British manufacturers, with models such as the Ford Capri and Vauxhall Firenza directly inspired by American designs. Later, both Ford and Vauxhall continued the tradition of producing high performance variants of its family cars, though often these had more subtle styling than the traditional muscle car, but with some notable exceptions. The more European influenced hot hatch has largely occupied this segment of the market since the early 1980s. Vauxhall imported the Holden Monaro from Australia in 2004, and this could possibly be considered a muscle car as it is identical to the Pontiac GTO (which is a rebadged Monaro). Ford Capri Mk III 1. ... The Firenza was a model of car produced by Vauxhall Motors between 1970 and 1976. ... VW Golf Mk. ... The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... The Monaro is a muscle car produced by Holden, the Australian branch of General Motors. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In South Africa, Chevrolet shoehorned the Z28 302 Chevrolet smallblock into a Vauxhall Viva coupe bodyshell and called it the Firenza CanAm. Basil Green produced the 302 Windsor–powered Capri Perana. In addition Australian HT and HG GTS Monaros (1969-71) were exported in CKD form, and were given a new fascia and rebadged as a Chevrolet SS, which were sold until about 1973. Falcon GTs were also exported to South Africa and rebadged as Fairmont GTs. In South African the Australian XW Falcon GT was called the 1970 Fairmont GT and the XY Falcon GTs were called the 1971/72/73 Fairmont GT. The Falcons were re-badged as Fairmonts due to the bad reputation of the American Falcons at the time. The Fairmonts were almost the same as their Australian cousins apart from a few cosmetic differences. The Viva was a model of car produced by Vauxhall Motors in a variety of models from 1963 to 1979. ...

Modern muscle cars

In the US, the full-size, 4-door Chevrolet Impala SS had a short but popular production run from 1994–1996 as a high-performance limited-edition version of the Caprice equipped with a Corvette-derived 5.7 L V8 LT1 engine and other specific performance features and body styling. The Impala SS nameplate was resurrected again in 2000 as a high-performance version of the standard Impala with larger and/or supercharged engines (whether the 21st century Impalas, which are front-wheel drive and have had variously V6s and V8s, can be considered muscle cars in the same vein as their earlier namesakes is debatable). GM discontinued its F-body pony-car models, the Chevrolet Camaro and Firebird after 2002, but brought back the GTO in 2004 as a rebadged Holden Monaro imported from Australia. The new GTO only lasted three years, making 2006 the last model year for the current GTO. 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible The Chevrolet Impala is an automobile built for the Chevrolet division by General Motors. ... The Chevrolet Caprice (later called Caprice Classic) was a series name of automobile produced by Chevrolet, a division of General Motors, in the United States from the 1965 through 1996 model years. ... The second-generation Chevrolet Small-Block engine, which uses the LT prefix, was introduced in 1992. ... General Motors Corporation, also known as GM or The General, an American multinational conglomerate corporation, is the worlds largest auto company by annual production volume for 2006, and the second largest by sales volume as of the first half of 2007, behind Toyota Motor Corporation. ... The F platform, or F-body, was General Motors less-expensive rear wheel drive automobile platform from the 1967 until 2002. ... The Chevrolet Camaro is a pony car made in North America by the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors. ... The Pontiac Firebird was a pony car built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. ... 1965 Pontiac GTO convertible The Pontiac GTO was an automobile built by Pontiac from 1964 to 1974, and by General Motors Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. ... The Monaro is a muscle car produced by Holden, the Australian branch of General Motors. ...

For 2003, Mercury revived its old Marauder nameplate, as a modified Mercury Grand Marquis. The "Terminator" SVT Cobra was produced by Ford for 2003-2004, and is generally regarded as a muscle car despite its pony car platform. In 2005, a "retro" version of the Ford Mustang went on sale—this new model resembled a 1967/68 model year Mustang. Mercury is an automobile brand name of the Ford Motor Company founded in 1939 to market semi-luxury cars slotted between entry-level Ford and luxury Lincoln models. ... The Mercury Marauder was the name of different automobiles made by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company. ... The Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size rear wheel drive sedan branded by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company and manufactured at the St. ... The Ford Mustang SVT Cobra is a sportscar built by Ford since 1993. ...

In 2004 Chrysler introduced their LX platform, which serves as the base for a new line of rear-wheel drive, V8-powered cars (using the new Hemi engine), including a four-door version of the Dodge Charger. While purists would not consider a station wagon (the Dodge Magnum) or a four-door sedan a muscle car, the performance of the new models is the equal of many of the vintage muscle cars of legend. Dodge has also revived two "classic" model names with the Charger: Daytona and Super Bee. The first was featured in 2006 as a Dodge Charger Daytona R/T and the Super Bee joined in 2007 as the Dodge Charger Super Bee. In addition, Dodge has been developing a new performance vehicle under the Challenger badge, which borrows styling cues from its older namesake, the prototype for which made its debut at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. Chevrolet has recently unveiled their Camaro concept car as well, with plans to sell new Camaros beginning with the 2009 model year. The LX platform is Chryslers new full_size rear wheel drive automobile platform for the mid part of the 2000s. ... Early Hemi in a 1957 Chrysler 300C See also: Chrysler Hemi engine Hemi (from hemisphere) is a design of internal-combustion engines in which the cylinder heads combustion chamber is of hemispherical form. ... The Dodge Charger, in its current incarnation, is a rear-wheel drive full-size automobile built by the Chrysler Group for its North American Dodge brand. ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... The Dodge Magnum name has been used on a number of different automobiles. ... There have been many different Dodge vehicles, on three different platforms, bearing the Charger nameplate. ... The Super Bee was a limited-production muscle car from Chryslers Dodge division produced from 1968 through 1971. ... Dodge Challenger is the name of three different automobile models marketed by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation since the 1970s. ... NAIAS 2005, near the Audi exhibit. ...

This recent revival in popularity of the muscle car has been reflected in their price. The rarest vintage 1965–1972 muscle cars can now cost as much as US$500,000 (for certain original models and options) and possibly more depending on availability, demand, and condition of the vehicle. Still, in recent years criticisms commonly brought against SUVs with large engine displacement have also been brought against modern muscle cars, as well. Ironically, the original muscle cars of the 1960s were subject to the same arguments that criticise the SUV today. The point in question is the fuel consumption of passenger cars during a time of rising petroleum prices (see the Transportation section of the Energy conservation article). The lighter weight of modern muscle cars compared to most SUVs (4200 lb (1905 kg) or less vs. 4,000-7,200 lbs), as well as innovations such as variable displacement in some models, may moderate some of these critiques and allow the muscle cars to gain a following as the market for SUVs continues to recede. USD redirects here. ... This article or section may be confusing or unclear for some readers, and should be edited to rectify this. ... For the physical concepts, see conservation of energy and energy efficiency. ... Variable displacement is an automobile engine technology that allows the engine displacement to change for improved fuel economy. ...

American muscle cars

Motor Trend identified the following models as "musclecars" in 1965: Motor Trend is one of the oldest automotive magazines still publishing. ...

• 1962–1965 Dodge Dart 413/426 Max Wedge/426 Hemi/Plymouth Fury 413/426 Max Wedge/426 Hemi
• 1964–1965 Ford Thunderbolt 427
• 1965–1969 Buick Skylark Gran Sport
• 1965–1970 Dodge Coronet/Plymouth Belvedere 426-S
• 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS
• 1965–1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442

Road & Track identified the following models as "musclecars" in 1965: Image:1971GranSport. ... The Coronet was a full-size car from Dodge in the 1950s, initially the divisions highest trim line but, starting in 1955, the lowest trim line. ... The Plymouth Belvedere was an American automobile produced from 1951 through 1970. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 The Oldsmobile 442 (pronounced four-four-two) was a muscle car produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. ... Road & Track is an automobile enthusiast magazine in the United States, founded by two friends in 1947. ...

• 1964–1965 Pontiac Tempest Le Mans/GTO
• 1965–1975 Buick Riviera Gran Sport
• 1965–1969 Buick Skylark Gran Sport
• 1965–1970 Dodge Coronet/Plymouth Belvedere 426-S
• 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS
• 1965–1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442

Car and Driver also created a list of the 10 Best muscle cars for its January 1990 issue. The magazine focused on the engines and included: The Pontiac Tempest was an entry-level compact automobile produced by the Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors, introduced in September 1960 for the 1961 model year. ... 1965 Pontiac GTO convertible The Pontiac GTO was an automobile built by Pontiac from 1964 to 1974, and by General Motors Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. ... Image:1971GranSport. ... Image:1971GranSport. ... The Coronet was a full-size car from Dodge in the 1950s, initially the divisions highest trim line but, starting in 1955, the lowest trim line. ... The Plymouth Belvedere was an American automobile produced from 1951 through 1970. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 The Oldsmobile 442 (pronounced four-four-two) was a muscle car produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. ... Cover of Car and Driver from age of psychedelic lettering Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. ...

• 1966–1967 Plymouth/Dodge intermediates with 426 Hemi
• 1968–1969 Plymouth/Dodge intermediates with 426 Hemi
• 1970–1971 Plymouth/Dodge intermediates with 426 Hemi
• 1966–1967 Chevy II SS327
• 1966–1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396
• 1968–1969 Chevy II Nova SS396
• 1969 Ford Cobra 428
• 1969 Plymouth Road Runner/Dodge Super Bee 440 Six Pack
• 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS454
• 1969 Pontiac GTO

Other muscle cars include the following: Plymouth sailboat logo used from 1996 to 2001 Plymouth was a brand of automobile based in the United States, marketed by the Chrysler Corporation from 1928 to 2001. ... Dodge is a North American brand of automobiles and light to heavy-duty trucks from Chrysler, sold globally. ... Chryslers A platform was the basis for rear wheel drive cars in the 1960s. ... Early Hemi in a 1957 Chrysler 300C. A Chrysler Hemi engine is one of three different internal combustion engine families from Chrysler that are Hemi engines; in other words, they utilize a hemispherical combustion chamber. ... Plymouth sailboat logo used from 1996 to 2001 Plymouth was a brand of automobile based in the United States, marketed by the Chrysler Corporation from 1928 to 2001. ... Dodge is a North American brand of automobiles and light to heavy-duty trucks from Chrysler, sold globally. ... Chryslers A platform was the basis for rear wheel drive cars in the 1960s. ... Early Hemi in a 1957 Chrysler 300C. A Chrysler Hemi engine is one of three different internal combustion engine families from Chrysler that are Hemi engines; in other words, they utilize a hemispherical combustion chamber. ... Plymouth sailboat logo used from 1996 to 2001 Plymouth was a brand of automobile based in the United States, marketed by the Chrysler Corporation from 1928 to 2001. ... Dodge is a North American brand of automobiles and light to heavy-duty trucks from Chrysler, sold globally. ... Chryslers A platform was the basis for rear wheel drive cars in the 1960s. ... Early Hemi in a 1957 Chrysler 300C. A Chrysler Hemi engine is one of three different internal combustion engine families from Chrysler that are Hemi engines; in other words, they utilize a hemispherical combustion chamber. ... Modified 1965 Chevrolet Nova The Chevrolet Nova or Chevy II was an American compact car introduced by the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors in 1962. ... Big block is the term used to describe the large displacement V8 engines that were developed in the USA during the 1950s and 1960s. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Big block is the term used to describe the large displacement V8 engines that were developed in the USA during the 1950s and 1960s. ... Modified 1965 Chevrolet Nova The Chevrolet Nova or Chevy II was an American compact car introduced by the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors in 1962. ... Big block is the term used to describe the large displacement V8 engines that were developed in the USA during the 1950s and 1960s. ... The Ford FE engine was a Ford V8 engine used in vehicles sold in the North American market between 1958 and 1976. ... Plymouth dealers gave away this promotional windbreaker in 1970. ... The Super Bee was a limited-production muscle car from Chryslers Dodge division produced from 1968 through 1971. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Big block is the term used to describe the large displacement V8 engines that were developed in the USA during the 1950s and 1960s. ... 1965 Pontiac GTO convertible The Pontiac GTO was an automobile built by Pontiac from 1964 to 1974, and by General Motors Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. ...

• 1968–1974 AMC AMX, AMC Javelin AMX
• 1969 AMC SC/Rambler
• 1970–1971 AMC Rebel AMC Matador The Machine
• 1970–1974 Buick GSX
• 1965–1973 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454
• 1958–1985 Chevrolet Impala SS
• 1970–1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS454
• 1963–1974 Chevrolet Nova SS
• 1970–1974 Dodge Challenger
• 1966–1974 Dodge Charger
• 1968–1976 Dodge Dart GT, GTS, Swinger, and Demon
• 1969–1970 Dodge Charger Daytona nose cone, goalpost wing
• 1968–1971 Dodge Super Bee
• 1966–1969 Ford Fairlane GT, GTA, and Cobra
• 1968–1974 Ford Torino (GT, Cobra and Ford Torino Talladega)
• 1967–1973 Mercury Cougar Cougar Eliminator
• 1968–1971 Oldsmobile 442
• 1964–1974 Plymouth Barracuda aka 'Cuda
• 1970–1976 Plymouth Duster
• 1967–1971 Plymouth GTX
• 1968–1974 Plymouth Road Runner
• 1970 Plymouth Superbird with nose cone and goalpost wing
• 1966–1974 Pontiac GTO

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... 1973 AMC Javelin AMX Pierre Cardin edition The AMC Javelin was a sporty coupe_type automobile in the pony car class built by American Motors Corporation between 1968 and 1974. ... The original Rambler was an automobile produced of the Thomas B. Jeffery Company then by its successor, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and finally, by its successor, American Motors Corporation (all in Kenosha, Wisconsin). ... 1969 AMC Rebel sedan The AMC Rebel (known as the Rambler Rebel in 1967) was an intermediate car produced from 1967 to 1970. ... 1974 Matador rebuilt as a replica of a Police Car from The Dukes of Hazzard Second generation 1975 Matador base model sedan The AMC Matador was an intermediate car built and sold by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) from 1971 to 1978. ... Image:1971GranSport. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible 1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible The Chevrolet Impala is an automobile built for the Chevrolet division by General Motors. ... The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American mid-size car. ... The Chevrolet Nova or Chevy II was an American compact car introduced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors in 1962. ... Dodge Challenger is the name of three different automobile models marketed by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation since the 1970s. ... For other models using this name, see Dodge Charger. ... The Dodge Dart was an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960 to 1976. ... Dodge, an American automobile brand, has produced three separate vehicles with the name Dodge Charger Daytona, all of which were modified Dodge Chargers. ... The Super Bee was a limited-production muscle car from Chryslers Dodge division produced from 1968 through 1971. ... 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria 1957 Ford Fairlane 1966 Ford Fairlane GTA 1997 Ford Fairlane Ghia The Ford Fairlane was an automobile model sold between 1955 and 1971 by the Ford Motor Company in North America. ... The Ford Torino was an intermediate sized car produced by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. ... The Ford Torino Talladega was a car produced by the Ford Motor Company during 1969 only. ... The Mercury Cougar was an automobile sold under the Mercury brand of the Ford Motor Companys Lincoln-Mercury Division. ... 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 The Oldsmobile 442 (pronounced four-four-two) was a muscle car produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. ... The Barracuda is a two-door coupe/convertible muscle car that was manufactured by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1964 through 1974. ... The first Plymouth Duster was a semi-fastback version of the Plymouth Valiant automobile, produced in the US from 1970 to 1976. ... The Plymouth GTX was introduced as the Belvedere GTX in 1967 by the Plymouth division to be a gentlemans muscle car. ... Plymouth dealers gave away this promotional windbreaker in 1970. ... The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird, a sister design to the Dodge Charger Daytona, was designed to beat the Ford Torino Talladega at NASCAR stock car racing and to lure Richard Petty back to Plymouth. ... 1965 Pontiac GTO convertible The Pontiac GTO was an automobile built by Pontiac from 1964 to 1974, and by General Motors Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. ...

Australian muscle cars

Chrysler

VH model

• 1971-1972 Charger R/T E37 (101 built)
• 1971-1972 Charger R/T E38 - 280 BHP - 3 Speed Gearbox (Track pack and Big tank were options and a fully blueprinted engine) (316 built)
• 1972-1973 Charger R/T E48 (2 built)
• 1972-1973 Charger R/T E49 - 302 BHP - 4 Speed Gearbox (Track pack and Big tank were options and a fully blueprinted engine) (149 built)
• 1972-1973 Charger S/E E55 - 275 BHP - 727 Torqueflite Auto (340 cubic inch Chrysler LA engine) (124 built)
• 1969-1971 Valiant Hardtop (318 or 360ci V8s)

VJ model (R/T nomenclature dropped) were:

• 1973-1974 Charger E48 (169 built)
• 1973 Charger E49 (4 built)
• 1973-1974 Charger 770 E55 (212 built)

Ford

• 1967 XR Falcon GT (289)
• 1968 XT Falcon GT (302)
• 1969–1970 XW Falcon GT (351)
• 1969–1970 XW Falcon/Fairmont GS 302 and 351
• 1969 XW Falcon GTHO Phase I (351W)
• 1970 XW Falcon GTHO Phase II (351C)
• 1970-1971 XY Falcon/Fairmont GS 302 and 351
• 1970-1971 XY Falcon GT (351)
• 1971 XY Falcon Phase III GTHO (351)
• 1972 XA Falcon Phase IV GTHO 4 door (only four made: three prototypes, one production) (351)
• 1972–1973 XA Falcon GT hardtop coupe/4 Door Sedan (351)
• 1972–1973 XA Falcon GS Hardtop/Sedan/Ute (302, 351)
• 1973 XA Falcon Superbird (302)
• 1973–1976 XB Falcon GT hardtop coupe/4 Door Sedan (351)
• 1973–1976 XB Falcon/Fairmont GS Hardtop/Sedan/Ute (302, 351)
• 1974–1975 XB Falcon John Goss Special (302)
• 1976-1979 XC Falcon/Fairmont GS Hardtop/Sedan/Ute/Sundowner (302, 351)
• 1978 XC Falcon Cobra 5.8, Bathurst Homologation

Holden

• 1968–1969 HK Monaro GTS (327)
• 1969–1970 HT Monaro GTS (350)
• 1970–1971 HG Monaro GTS (350)
• 1971–1974 HQ Monaro GTS (350)
• 1974–1976 HJ Monaro GTS (308)
• 1976 HX Monaro LE Coupe (308)
• 1976–1977 HX Monaro GTS (308)
• 1977–1977 HZ Monaro GTS (308)

• 1970–1971 LC Torana GTR XU-1 (186)
• 1972–1973 LJ Torana GTR XU-1 (202)
• 1974–1976 LH Torana SL/R 5000 (308)
• 1974-79 Sandman panel van and utility with the 5 litre (308ci) V8. These were not originally considered muscle cars.
• 1974 LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 (308)
• 1976–1978 LX Torana SL/R 5000 (308)
• 1976–1978 LX Torana SS (308)
• 1977 LX Torana SL/R 5000 A9X (308)
• 1977 LX Torana SS A9X (308)
• 1980 VC HDT Commodore (308)
• 1982-1984 HDT VH SS GROUP III - (5.0)
• 1984-1985 HDT VK SS GROUP III - (5.0)
• 1985-1986 HDT VK SS GROUP A - (4.9)
• 1986-1987 HDT VL SS GROUP A - (4.9)

Leyland

• P76 "Force Seven". This was a coupe version of the Leyland P76, and the company's answer to the Holden Monaro GTS, Ford Falcon GT and Chrysler Valiant Charger. The company ran into financial difficulties and ceased Australian production before the Force Seven could be released. The eight completed examples were sold at auction.

See also

• Pony car
• Personal luxury car