Muscle car
A muscle car is an American-made two-door sports coupe with a powerful engine, generally designed for high-performance driving.
This formula of putting a maker's largest, most powerful engine in a smaller, lighter, more affordable vehicle evolved into the "muscle car" category.
[6] The concept of high performance at lower prices was exemplified by the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner and companion Dodge Super Bee, whose powerful engines drove relatively basic-trimmed intermediate-sized cars that were meant to undercut more expensive, more stylish, and better-appointed models from General Motors and Ford that had come to define the market, such as the Pontiac GTO (1964), 396 Chevrolet Chevelle (1965), 400 Buick Gran Sport (1965), 400 Oldsmobile 442 (1965), as well as the 427 Mercury Comet Cyclone (1964) and 390 Mercury Cyclone (1966).
In the opposite direction, by the late 1960s a wave of inexpensive, straight-line speed oriented stripped down intermediate sedans offered at prices under as US$3,000 (equivalent to $26,285 in 2023)[17][18] expanded the original definition from a "muscle car" as one offering both performance and some measure of style, accessories, and cachet, and doubled it back toward the drag strip focus[19] of such exceptional early proto-muscle cars as the limited production, factory experimental 1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt.
[37] Capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 9.8 seconds and reaching 130 miles per hour (209 km/h), the 1955 Chrysler 300 is also recognized as one of the best-handling cars of its era.
[42][41] With a 327 cu in (5.4 L) V8 engine producing 255 hp (190 kW), its 0–60 mph acceleration of 7.5 seconds made it the fastest stock American sedan at the time.
The 1961 Chevrolet Impala offered an SS package for $53.80, which consisted of a 409 cu in (6.7 L) V8 engine producing 425 hp (317 kW)[citation needed] along with upgraded brakes, tires, and suspension.
[48] Upgrades included fiberglass panels, aluminum bumpers, traction bars, and a 427 cu in (7.0 L) Ford FE-based racing engine conservatively rated at 425 hp (317 kW).
The RPOZ-11 package also included weight reduction measures such as an aluminum hood and fenders, the removal of sound-deadening material as well as the deletion of the heater and radio.
[58] Weight reduction measures included an aluminium hood as well as lightweight front bumpers, fenders and doors, polycarbonate side windows, and no sound deadening.
[59] Although pure muscle cars often sold in relatively small volumes, manufacturers valued the halo effect of the publicity created by these models.
The GTO was developed by Pontiac division president John DeLorean and was initially powered by a 389 cu in (6.4 L) V8 engine producing 325 hp (242 kW).
The success of the GTO led other GM divisions to develop muscle cars based on intermediate-sized platforms: the 1964 Oldsmobile 442, 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, and 1965 Buick Gran Sport.
With the added weight and power-consuming accessories and features, engines had to be more powerful to maintain performance levels, and the cars became more expensive.
[68] With optional performance parts such as intake and exhaust manifolds, upgraded carburetor, and drag-racing tires, the Road Runner had a quarter-mile time of 14.7 seconds at 100.6 mph (161.9 km/h).
Originally based on the smaller compact car body and chassis of the Plymouth Valiant, the Barracuda was also available with a 383 cu in (6.3 L) V8 engine producing 300 hp (224 kW).
Simultaneously, efforts to combat air pollution focused Detroit's attention on emissions control rather than increased power outputs.
Muscle car performance began a resurgence in the early 1980s with high-output V8 engines introduced for the Ford Mustang GT, Chevrolet Camaro Z28, and Pontiac Firebird Formula/Trans Am.
Muscle car performance began to reappear on intermediate two-door coupés such as the Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS and Buick Regal.
[82][83] For the 2004 model year, the Pontiac GTO was relaunched in the United States as a rebadged captive import version of the Holden Monaro.
The same V8 was used on the Monte Carlo's W-Body sister cars like the Pontiac Grand Prix GXP, Buick Lacrosse Super, and the Chevrolet Impala SS.
All Monte Carlo production ended on June 19, 2007, because of declining sales of coupe models in general as well as Chevrolet's plan to reintroduce a new Camaro.
[90][91] In 1964, the Ford Falcon (XM) became available with an enlarged 3.3 L (200 cu in) "Super Pursuit" version of the standard six-cylinder engine, which produced 90 kW (121 bhp).
[99] In 1972, the production of Australian muscle cars saw a setback when the Supercar scare caused Ford, Holden, and Chrysler to cease development of upcoming performance models, due to government pressure.
[103][104] Brands still offered high-performance models with V8 variants throughout the 1980s, but these vehicles were low production and were generally underpowered compared to their late 1960s and 1970s predecessors.
In Argentina, local subsidiaries General Motors and Chrysler produced two acclaimed models of muscle cars, commercialising them under the Chevrolet and Dodge brands respectively.
This vehicle presented sedan and coupe versions, which in turn were a local redesign of the Dart model and which, depending on its level of equipment, received different names (Polara, Coronado, RT, and GTX).
