About This Quiz
You won't find any car aficionados who don't appreciate a muscle car, that's for sure.
What about you? Do you have a favorite? Maybe it's the one considered the first true muscle car by many, the one that started it all for Ford in the mid-1960s. The pony car that is still loved today.Â
Or perhaps it's one of the many muscle cars made by Ford's biggest rival, Chevrolet. Pretty much every American car brand has produced some form of muscle car at one point or another in its history.
But what is it exactly that makes a muscle car? Perhaps the most important thing is the engine. A straight-six is just not going to cut it, that's for sure. It has to be a least a V6 (and there are car snobs that will tell you that's not enough) or a V8. But it's got to put out the horsepower as well, that's for sure.
And what about looks? Well, they are important as well. A muscle car's stance is unmistakable. Big, wide, bold and brash ... it just looks fast even when standing still. In the 1960s and '70s, muscle cars could be hardtops, convertibles, two-door, four-door and even pickups.
But just how much do you know about American muscle cars? Let's test your knowledge in this quiz of 35 questions.
Good luck!
Arguably the most iconic muscle car ever, the Mustang was first released in 1964. It proved one of the most popular debuts ever and within a year, 400,000 units had been sold, which quadrupled Ford’s sale estimates.
One of the most famous marques of the Corvette is the Mk II Stingray, produced between 1963 and 1967. This classic had either a 2-speed automatic gearbox or 3-speed manual with a range of engine options including small and big block V8s.
The Challenger was first introduced in 1970 as a muscle car. The top of the range model from this era was powered by a 6.98-liter Chrysler Hemi engine. Since its reintroduction in 2008, over 400,000 Challengers have been sold.
Advertisement
The 'Cuda quickly became a popular muscle car from its release in 1964. In fact, it debuted two weeks before the Ford Mustang. Of course, later models featuring the Hemi engine are the most sought after.
Pontiac produced some iconic names in motoring, and none more so than its GTO. The first models, released in 1964, were available in a convertible, hardtop and coupe. This was a serious muscle car and remains a firm favorite with enthusiasts today.
A front wheel drive muscle car? Yes, we give the Toronado muscle car status! Produced from 1966 to 1971, it certainly featured some very unique styling but under the hood, it had that all-important V8.
Advertisement
The Thunderbird was originally devised by Ford to compete with the first-generation Corvette. Much debate rages whether this vehicle could be considered as a muscle car, but early models certainly displayed many traits adopted by muscle cars in the 1960s.
The Camaro was first launched in 1967 and is still a Chevrolet model to this day. This muscle car has seen six different generations. The current Camaro offers three different engine configurations, with the SS sporting a 6.2 liter V8 capable of producing 455 brake horsepower.
The muscle car revolution of the 1960s brought about the iconic Dodge Charger. And still today, the Charger, in its seventh generation still takes on its traditional rivals, the Corvette and the Mustang. The 2016 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat has a 6.2-liter supercharged engine capable of producing 707 brake horsepower. Can you just imagine how it sounds?
Advertisement
The fastback version of the Cyclone sold 6,105 models in a year and certainly was a popular muscle car. The Cyclone was powered by a range of V8 engines including the 428 cubic inch Cobra Jet.
Created as a high-speed racing machine, especially for NASCAR, the Superbird was also for sale to the public. The first models appeared in 1970 and were instantly recognizable thanks to the massive spoiler on the back.
Perhaps one of the lesser-known muscle cars, the Rogue certainly had the credentials. Not only was it a lightweight two-door coupe but it had all the power it needed thanks to a 280 horsepower-producing V8. Sadly, it was up against Mustangs, Camaros and GTO's and never really stood a chance in that company.
Advertisement
Based on the Chevrolet Camaro chassis, the Pontiac Firebird was its own car and certainly caught the attention in the mid-1960s. The Firebird was powered by a range of engines including straight-six and V8s. Over 82,000 were sold in 1967, the first year of production.
A mid-sized car model produced by Ford from 1968 to 1976, the Torino's most popular layouts included the two-door sedan. Ford also produced a few Torino models with higher performance specs. Most were powered by 7-liter 'Cobra Jet' engine and are considered to be muscle cars.
The El Camino was produced by Chevrolet between 1964 and 1987. Despite the fact that it was a coupe/utility vehicle, the SS version was considered a muscle car and was powered by various big block V8 motors.
Advertisement
The American Motors Corporation produced the subcompact class Gremlin between 1970 and 1978. A number of models were produced, but it was the Gremlin powered either 5.0-liter or 6.6-liter V8 that are considered to be muscle cars.
Now the Riviera stirs up a lot of debate as to whether it should be regarded as a muscle car or not. What is not disputed is its impact on American motoring. With the Riviera, Buick aimed at a European style while keeping the framework of the larger American automobile. Here, they definitely succeeded. The 1965 Riviera added a Grand Sports model, molding performance and luxury.
Although the Nova first entered the market in 1962, it was in 1964 that it attained muscle car status thanks to the introduction of a V8 engine. The Nova eventually had the full range of engine options available to its bigger stablemate, the Camaro.
Advertisement
Although it was introduced in the 1950s by Dodge, it was the mid-'60s models that muscle car enthusiasts love. The 1969 model certainly looked the part and with a 426 cubic inch V8 Hemi engine under the hood, it certainly sounded the part.
Started by Henry Ford’s son, Edsel in 1937, the Mercury brand was positioned between the Ford and luxurious Lincoln brands. Although Ford ended the brand in 2010, some iconic Mercurys were built over the years including the Cougar XR7, basically an upscaled Mustang.
Another vehicle that conjures the age-old question, 'Is it a muscle car'? Well, the mid to late '60s models certainly look the part with their 2-door hardtop styling. And in terms of power plants, the Starfire included a massive 7.0-liter V8. That's muscle car territory as far as we are concerned.
Advertisement
Built between 1958 and 1971, the Galaxie was so named to take advantage of the space race between the USSR and the United States. This vehicle was in direct competition to the Chevrolet Impala and included a few powerful models considered to be muscle cars, especially those with the Cammer V8 engine.
Introduced in 1960 as a full-sized model, the Dodge Dart received numerous changes over the first three years of its existence. It was moved to the mid-sized segment in 1962 and then the compact car segment in 1963. It was in the years that followed that it moved into the realm of muscle cars, particularly with the addition of V8 engine options.
The Impala SS was a model offered by Chevrolet between 1961 and 1969. The 1969 model was powered by a 427-cubic inch 7.0-liter V8 which produced 335 horsepower. The SS badge only disappeared until the 1990s.
Advertisement
Produced from 1962 to 1970, the Wildcat changed in looks pretty much every year. One thing that remained constant was the V8 engines found under the hood. The final model, produced in 1970, included a new 455-cubic inch V8 which produced 370 brake horsepower.
Muscle cars quickly went from fast production cars to fast luxury production cars. The Road Runner was a step back to the early days of the muscle car. Released in 1968, the Road Runner gave buyers everything they wanted in a muscle car at a respectable price.
Many muscle car aficionados call the Chrysler 300 the first muscle car. No matter if you agree or not, the 300, introduced in 1955 and produced until 1965 certainly had the cool factor.
Advertisement
Essentially a modified Dodge Charger, the Daytona was first released in 1969. The first Daytona was intended as a NASCAR racer and won its first race. Powerplants included a 426-cubic inch Hemi engine which produced 425 brake horsepower.
The Grand Sport badge first appeared on the Buick Skylark in 1965. By 1967, it was a marque all of its own. In 1970, the company released the Grand Sport 455, considered by many experts to be one of the greatest muscle cars ever built.
The Rebel, particularly the 1970 models, took AMC straight into the muscle car fight. This was a real looker, blessed with a muscle car stance. With “Up with the Rebel Machine!â€, AMC's slogan for the car, they were certainly trying to buy into the younger market.
Advertisement
The GTX was another performance model made by Plymouth and marketed more at the more mature buyer. It was built between 1967 and 1971.
This was a higher performance version of the Mercury Marauder, although it also featured a number of internal cosmetic changes.
Produced by the American Motors Corporation between 1968 and 1970, the AMX was a GT-style sports car. It featured a 2-door coupe-styled body and had six different engine options, all V8s of varying size. AMX's came with either a four-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission.
Advertisement
The Grand Prix was built by Pontiac between 1962 and 1973. It underwent a number of cosmetic changes during its 11-year production run but always had a number of V8 engine options to give it that muscle car appeal.
A performance version of the Valiant, the Duster was a fairly small vehicle for the time. It has a range of engine options and was produced by Plymouth right until 1976.