Those were different times for the automobile industry. We are situated in the last century, at the end of the fifties and sixties. The oil crisis had not yet erupted and fuel consumption was not a concern.
The best North American manufacturers had sporty models in their ranges, spectacular coupes, usually four seats, that generated admiration for their sporty aesthetics. At that time there began to be a need to offer very powerful versions, capable of competing to be the fastest in accelerating.
The name muscle car responds in part to aesthetic issues, as these are very aggressive-looking cars with very marked shapes. The specification to be a true muscle car was to achieve a vehicle that attracted attention in all aspects.
To offer an aggressive aesthetic, attractive, stylized models with wide and low bodies were used. This was the perfect base to, without limits to the imagination, add details that would reinforce its presence, in the form of attractive wheels, larger specific bumpers, prominent spoilers, additional lights, etc.
The interior of these spectacular automobiles also had a special atmosphere, generally finished with exclusive materials such as sports seats, special pedals, brightly colored upholstery, additional headlights, etc.
But the best thing about muscle cars was in their guts. Their drivers wanted, above all, strong emotions when pressing the accelerator. Equipped with rear-wheel drive, these vehicles could have certain limitations in terms of quality or equipment, but an essential condition was having a very powerful engine, generally between five and seven liters of displacement, in most cases a 8-cylinder V-shaped gasoline block. Its power figures were between 350 and 500 HP, always ready to offer stratospheric acceleration capacity.
The other priority in these cars, no less important, was the price. They had to be affordable. These models cost approximately between 3,000 and 4,000 dollars at that time, rates that made them accessible to almost any budget. They were not elitist cars and, furthermore, the low price of gasoline invited unrestricted use.
The automobile industry in the United States was in excellent health and the demand for these powerful and reasonably priced cars generated an immediate response from their manufacturers. The vast majority of American manufacturers launched their first muscle cars on the market in the late fifties or during the sixties. The acceptance of this type of automobile was such that different classes were created, depending on their size, with some smaller two-seaters and even others equipped with a family body.
Muscle cars quickly became fashionable as participants in the famous dragster races, which consisted of short acceleration rounds through which participants were progressively eliminated until the champion was crowned. Their enormous mechanical drive allowed them to shine in this specialty, in which multiple competitions were held every weekend in the United States.
Muscle cars would also achieve a strong role in championships such as Nascar and “Trans Am”, circuit races for cars derived from production, in which they competed in different categories, according to their power. Victories in competition gave great prestige and the brand that achieved them saw its car sales figures increase dramatically.
The competition was, in short, one of the strongest arguments for manufacturers to strive to have cars that were faster than the competition, since lovers of these bodied cars traveled to the circuits to see how the cars fought side by side. same models that could be driven on American roads.
The list of muscle cars is very extensive, but there were some that reached a higher level of popularity. Among them it is worth highlighting, of course, the Ford Mustang, considered by many as the standard bearer of this attractive segment of cars born in the North American market. Its versions specially prepared by Shelby caused a sensation and have maintained their attraction to this day.
Another precursor model of the muscle car era was the Pontiac Tempest LeMans GTO, launched in 1964 and whose GTO option package included a 348 HP high-performance V8 engine, double exhausts, double air intakes on the hood, etc. It was capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. One of its rivals was the Buick Gran Sport GSX, with 350 HP, a limited series of which 678 exclusive units were sold.
Among the fastest of the time it is worth mentioning the Plymouth Superbird, equipped with a 7-liter V8 engine and maximum power of 435 HP. This “thoroughbred” was capable of reaching a maximum speed of 235 km/h and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, records for a true super sports car.
Chevrolet also had a notable presence in the muscle segment, with models such as the Chevelle, Bel-Air, Camaro and Nova. In 1970 it launched an SS version of the Nova that incorporated a V8 engine boosted to 375 HP, which was accompanied by dual exhausts, electric front brakes, hood air intake, etc.
For its part, Dodge accepted the muscle car challenge with models such as the Dart, the Charger and the Challenger, which delighted its fans. The Charger debuted in 1966 and a racing version called Daytona set a top speed record, 200 mph.
