There are many Hollywood movies which made the muscle cars extremely popular amongst the car enthusiasts. To name a few there was The Vanishing Point, Gone in Sixty Seconds, The Last Ride and many others. Here we will discuss the top 10 muscle cars which were launched in the 1960s and the 1970s. The most common feature of these cars is the power with bhp i.e. the Brake Horse Power.

1. The 1970 Buick GSX

The car had a beast of an engine that was fitted into a midsized body. The car had the body of the Buick Skylark. The model was well known in the year 1967 as one of those cars, which was available both as a convertible and a sedan. Another model of the car was launched in the year 1970 when it was given a 7.5 litre engine. This engine had the capability of producing a power of 400 bhp. The car was available in white and yellow colors which made the car very classic.

Photo by kawwsu29

2. The 1969 Pontiac GTO

The car was launched keeping in mind the younger generation. The car was cheap and fast. It had the body of a midsized Tempest coupled with a 6.3 litre V8 engine. The car was very popular after it was launched and this for sure took the marketing team by surprise and they in 1969 launched another version which had an engine of 6.5 capable of producing a power of 366 bhp.

Photo by osubuckialum

3. The Dodge Challenger

The car was launched in the year 1970 and in the first year only made a bumper sale of 80,000 cars. The car was extremely popular from the time it was launched and this reflected by the number of cars it sold after its launch. This car introduced several models but the 7 litre Hemi engine was the one which struck the chord of success with the masses. This engine had the capability to produce a power of 425 bhp. The engine power in the later model was reduced and this is where the car lost the popularity that it enjoyed during its initial days.

Photo by Mustang_V8

4. Plymouth Barracuda

The Barracuda was launched in 1964 but it took more than six years to gain recognition and become popular. In the year 1970, the muscle car became very popular when it came with a 7.2 litre engine which had a power producing capacity of 390 bhp. The car was also introduced in another version where it came with a 7.0 litre Hemi Block and had the capacity to produce 425 bhp. This car was very popular for difficult handling in spite of a revamped suspension

Photo by IMKRUZN

5. Dodge Charger

The year 1966 saw the launch of the Charger and in the preceding its launch it sold around 37,000 cars. The car had a power producing capacity of 500 bhp and it came with a 7.0 litre hemi engine. The official rating said that the car could produce 425 bhp but in actual it was designed to produce more and this is one of the main reasons why the car became so popular. It only took the car five and a half seconds to reach a speed on 100 km/hr. the engine of the car was discontinued after 1972.

Photo by splattergraphics

6. The Plymouth Road Runner

The Plymouth Road runner was a no frill car and was made to be a fast car. The concentration in this car was on the engine and the speed and there was no priority given to the looks of the car in any respect. The car had a suspension system, a powerful steering system, and a 6.3 litre engine which could produce a power of 225 bhp. There was another version of the car which had a 7.0 litre engine.

7. The 1967 Chevrolet Camaro

The most popular and exciting version of the Camaro was the Z28 though the customers had many other options also. The car had a 4.9 litre engine and a four speed manual gearbox apart from the brakes in the front which made the car great for racing.

Photo by lancef2

8. The 1966 Ford Fairlane GT

The car was launched by Ford in the year 1962 and it had an engine of 3.6 litres. In the year 1966, there were changes made to the car and then it was re-launched in 1966 with a 6.4 litre engine which could generate a power of 335 bhp. The car was a great performer and could reach the speed of 100 km/hr in six seconds.

9. The 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

The new version of the Chevrolet Chevelle was launched in 1970. It had a 7.4 litre engine with 450 bhp power producing capacity, which could take the car to a speed of 100 km/hr in flat six seconds.

Photo by MR38

10. Oldmobile 422

The car had a power producing capacity of 310 bhp. The car had twin exhausts and a four speed manual gear box. The car had improved springs, which made the handling better.

Image by automagazine

The classic muscle cars with it’s sleek look, crazy engines and powerful speed had given America a completely new look and attitude. Every youngster from every corner wanted to own one of these mean machines. Yet, is history trying to repeat itself? Has the muscle car for sales which was prevalent during the 70’s and 80’s still not died down? The trend right now in the fashion industry happens to be going for vintage material. So, has the once widely famous muscle car finally managed to rise from the ashes and write another chapter in it’s book?

Mustang happened to create a new car which surprisingly resembled a Mustang muscle car from that era, Ford tried it’s hand at this and managed to design a car which somewhat resembles a previous model of Mustang from the classic muscle cars era. Camaro managed to bring back an exact replica of the 69 Camaro which produced nice profits due to it’s unshaken popularity. Although according to car enthusiasts it is considered that the Challenger unveiled by Chrysler has managed to take the cake. Today you can buy a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro which is a replica of the iconic muscle car updated with the latest technology to suit our needs at the starting price of $22,995, prices affected by the technology and the engine quality of all these cars. A beautiful and properly equipped Mustang GT hardtop can be bought for $30,000. Other cars like the classic Dodge Charger which happens to be an updated an re-modified version of the classic 80’s muscle car can be in your driveway for a starting price of $25,140.

Although car manufacturers from all over the world are trying their hand at rebuilding and restoring the lost history of the classic muscle cars they still have not managed to match to the standards which had already been set decades ago.