Muscle cars first gained popularity in the 1960s, and the ensuing years ushered in a golden era for the car segment. Almost every automaker in the U.S. produced muscle cars; while some have stood the test of time, others have gone by the wayside. Those who had survived continued to thrive, particularly in recent years when the muscle car segment experienced a renaissance.
Today, the pony car business is as alive as ever. We're seeing automakers break new ground on some of the most powerful cars in the industry. While the rest of the auto world has gravitated towards SUVs, hybrid vehicles, and electric cars, there's still plenty of space for muscle cars to roam free and remind us that these high-powered machines are more than just chips off the old block.
Take a look at these fifteen modern muscle cars that you shouldn't overlook at a time when electrification is what's on everyone's mind. You never know; the next best "king of the streets" may very well be a hybrid or E.V. muscle car that purrs like a kitten but strikes like a panther.
Updated April 15, 2023: Things are changing fast within the car industry as the world shifts to electric vehicles. People find that the best muscle cars are not necessarily the old classics we grew up drooling over. As the future continues to unfold, things will continue to change, but for now, let's revisit some modern muscle cars that should not be overlooked as the world continues to go green.
1 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350R Is The Aerodynamic Version Of The Shelby GT350
Shelby Mustangs have been around since the birth of the Mustang nameplate, so it's no surprise that the legacy of this muscle car is tied to the history of the iconic nameplate. It's powered by the same 5.2-liter V-8 engine as the GT350 with similar output levels at 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. The "R" stands out in aerodynamics, where the GT350R comes with a carbon fiber rear wing and a larger splitter, creating significantly more downforce than the GT350.
Ford Shelby Mustang GT350R specifications
| Engine: | 5.2-liter V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 526 horsepower |
| Torque: | 429 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 3.8 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 12.5 seconds at 119 mph |
| Top speed: | 180 mph |
2 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Is The Frankenstein Of Muscle Cars
If it wasn't enough that the current-generation Charger comes in so many versions, Dodge decided to enlist the help of SRT to turn the Charger into a full-blown Frankenstein monster. With a mammoth 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 engine sitting under that hood and delivering a whopping 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, the Charger SRT Hellcat is capable of destroying just about every muscle car on this list.
Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat specifications
| Engine: | 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 707 horsepower |
| Torque: | 650 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 3.6 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 10.96 seconds |
| Top speed: | 196 mph |
3 Ford Mustang GT Performance Pack 2 Is Not The Average Mustang GT
The Mustang GT Performance Pack 2 is powered by the same 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 engine as most versions of the Mustang GT. Even the output — 460 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque — is straight out of the Ford Mustang catalog. The Mustang GT Performance Pack 2 stands out in areas you don't see in fancy brochures. From the low weight, stout brakes, incredible handling, and all-around driving dynamics, the Mustang G.T. Performance Pack 2 is a sleeper Mustang that people shouldn't be sleeping on in the first place.
Ford Mustang GT Performance Pack 2 specifications
| Engine: | 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 460 horsepower |
| Torque: | 420 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 4.5 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 12.6 seconds at 113.5 mph |
| Top speed: | 155 mph |
4 Chrysler 300 SRT8 Is Not Your Everyday Family Sedan
The Chrysler 300 is an out-of-place model on this list since it's known more as a full-sized luxury sedan. While the 300 is a model that is soon to be discontinued, once was a time when Chrysler decided to add some muscle to the 300. For a model typically powered by a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine, the sight of a 6.4-liter 392 HEMI V-8-powered Chrysler 300 SRT8 was jarring, to say the least. The massive powertrain produces 470 horsepower and 470-pound-feet of torque, allowing the 4,328-pound sedan to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds.
Chrysler 300 SRT8 specifications
| Engine: | 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 470 horsepower |
| Torque: | 470 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 4.3 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 13.2 seconds at 109.4 mph |
| Top speed: | 165 mph |
5 Equus Bass 770 Is A Modern Mix Of Favorite Muscle Cars
If a niche muscle car deserves our attention, we'll give that car its proper due. The Equus Bass 770 is one of those cars. Design elements from the Mustang, the Camaro, and the Charger were mish-mashed to create a saucy-looking American muscle car. Of course, it helps the Bass 770's cause by being powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine that Equus' sourced from the Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1. The unit produces a mouth-watering 640 horsepower and 605 pound-feet of torque, enough to propel the Bass 770 from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds.
Equus Bass 770 specifications
| Engine: | 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 640 horsepower |
| Torque: | 605 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 3.4 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | n/a |
| Top speed: | Over 200 mph |
6 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Is A Launching Machine
Not all muscle cars are built the same way. Case in point: the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. It counts as a muscle car or a muscle SUV, because of the massive powertrain underneath its hood. That engine — a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 unit — is the same engine that powers two other vehicles on this list: the Charger SRT Hellcat and the Challenger SRT Hellcat. Imagine an SUV producing 707 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque with all-wheel-drive capability.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk specifications
| Engine: | 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 707 horsepower |
| Torque: | 645 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 3.5 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 11.7 seconds at 116.2 mph |
| Top speed: | 180 mph |
7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Is A Worthy Model Produced By G.M.
You can't have a list of muscle cars without mentioning the Chevrolet Camaro. A 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine brings 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque to the table. It only takes 3.5 seconds for the ZL1 to go from 0 to 60 mph and just 11.4 seconds to hit the quarter-mile. It may not be as deranged as the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, but rest assured, the Camaro ZL1 is a worthy model to sit atop the model's hierarchy. While the current Camaro is on its way, there's no harm in reimagining what a future model could look like, as GM has said that this ins't the end of the Camaro story.
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 specifications
| Engine: | 6.2-liter turbocharged V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 650 horsepower |
| Torque: | 650 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 3.5 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 11.4 seconds at 127 mph |
| Top speed: | 198 mph |
8 Cadillac ATS-V Is A Luxury Model Muscle Car
When you think of Cadillac, you usually think of luxury cars. That sentiment still holds true, but Caddy has also dabbled into the world of muscle cars as part of its V-Series line of cars, which recently turned 20. Take for example, the small but super-powerful ATS-V. Power comes from a 3.6-liter turbocharged V-6 engine that produces 464 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque, making it one of the most potent Caddys of its time. Giving it a respectable 0 to 60 time of 4.2 seconds from a dead stop.
Cadillac ATS-V specifications
| Engine: | 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine |
| Horsepower: | 464 horsepower |
| Torque: | 445 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 4.2 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 12.6 seconds at 114.2 mph |
| Top speed: | 189 mph |
9 Pontiac GTO May Be Retired But Should Not Be Forgotten
Not many people remember, but Pontiac was once a prominent player in the muscle car scene. It's not a "modern" muscle car compared to other models on this list, but we have to pay some measure of respect to the GTO name. The last model to carry the nameplate was the 2006 Pontiac GTO. It was powered by a 6.0-liter V-8 engine that produced 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. It only needs 4.7 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph and 13.3 seconds to break the quarter-mile.
Pontiac GTO specifications
| Engine: | 6.2-liter V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 400 horsepower |
| Torque: | 400 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 4.8 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 13.3 seconds at 105.9 mph |
| Top speed: | 170 mph |
10 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon Is Truly A Beast Of A Muscle Car
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon teras up the road
What is there to say about the Challenger SRT Demon that hasn't been said already. If it's not enough that the SRT Demon carries a 6.2-liter turbocharged engine that's equipped with a 2.7-liter supercharger that helps produce as much as 840 horsepower with 100 octane fuel or higher, the Challenger SRT Demon is capable of the kind of performance that requires a specific set of drag radial road tires. You know you're remarkable when tire makers build tires specifically for you. The Challenger SRT Demon is the crown jewel of muscle cars and the Demon 170 marks an end of an era for the modern-day Challenger.
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon specifications
| Engine: | 6.2-liter turbocharged V-8 |
| Horsepower: | 808 horsepower (with 91 octane fuel) / 840 horsepower (with 100 octane fuel or higher) |
| Torque: | 770 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 2.3 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 9.65 seconds at 140.09 mph |
| Top speed: | Over 200 mph |
11 Chevrolet SS Is An Australian Born Muscle Car
The Chevrolet SS was never given the go-ahead for production in the U.S., but it was built in Australia as the Holden Commodore and marketed in the States as the Chevrolet SS. There were many variations of the car, with the top-of-the-line coming with a 408 horsepower 6.2L V-8 under the hood that could give most muscle cars a run for their money. It used to be a car that went under the radar and could be picked up cheaply, but not anymore.
Chevrolet SS specifications
| Engine: | 6.2-Liter V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 408 horsepower |
| Torque: | 420 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 4.5 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 13.2 seconds at 108.9 mph |
| Top speed: | 165 mph |
12 Dodge Magnum SRT8 Is Not Your Average Grocery Getter
You may not think of a station wagon as a muscle car, but it will surely become one whenever Dodge puts their hands on it. Not to mention when the Chrysler Street and Racing Technology Group gets their hands on it, nothing will ever be the same again. This one-time grocery getter received a 6.1L HEMI under the hood that pushes out 425 horses, which is more than enough to surprise the heck out of most people pulling up alongside you at the light.
Dodge Magnum SRT8 specifications
| Engine: | 6.1-Liter V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 425 horsepower |
| Torque: | 420 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 5.1 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 13.6 seconds at 106 mph |
| Top speed: | 170 mph |
13 Lexus RC F Is The Japanese Take On A Modern Muscle Car
The Lexus RC F may typically be considered a sports car by many, but since the F designates a 5.0L V-8 powering the car, it is more of a muscle car than one designed for smooth cornering. To make things even better, you can upgrade trim levels to the Fuji Speedway Edition, which is all about racing and not about daily driving. That is not to say that either trim level cannot be driven every day, because they can, but care must be taken because it is simply too appealing to light up the tires at every stop light.
Lexus RC F specifications
| Engine: | 5.0-Liter V-8 engine |
| Horsepower: | 472 horsepower |
| Torque: | 395 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 4.1 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 12.7 seconds at 112.2 mph |
| Top speed: | 172 mph |
14 Mercedes-Benz AMG C63/S Is A European Muscle Car Beast
The new Mercedes-Benz AMG C63/S has thrown out the old-school V-8 that had served the car so well for many years and replaced it with a turbocharged four-cylinder. Before getting upset, that 2.0L engine works together with a 201 horsepower electric motor to create a car that can sprint off the line to 60 miles per hour in a mere three seconds. It is a true plug-in hybrid in every sense of the word, and it goes to show why the modern muscle car era is just beginning.
Mercedes-Benz AMG C63/S specifications
| Engine: | Turbocharged 2.0-Liter four-cylinder engine plus electric motor |
| Horsepower: | 671 combined horsepower |
| Torque: | 752 combined pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 3 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 10.8 seconds at 122 mph |
| Top speed: | 174 mph |
15 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition Is The First American Electric Muscle Car
We're really on the fence about including this one in our list, but the all-wheel drive Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition is an EV with electric motors on both axles to create a combined horsepower rating of 480. That may not seem like a lot when looking at some of the others on this list, but for an SUV that can rocket from 0 to 60 in under four seconds, the Mach-E is truly worth discussing. The most important thing to keep in mind is that there are no internal combustion parts. Everything is electric driven with no harmful carbon emissions given off.
Ford Mustang Mach-E specifications
| Motor: | 2 motors; one on each axle |
| Horsepower: | 480 horsepower |
| Torque: | 634 pound-feet |
| 0 to 60 mph: | 3.6 seconds |
| Quarter-mile time: | 12.6 seconds at 100.6 mph |
| Top speed: | 120 mph |
FAQ
Q: What are some modern muscle cars?
There are a lot of modern muscle cars that are in the market these days. The sixth- and current-generation Chevrolet Camaro has been around since 2016. The same holds true for the fifth-generation Ford Mustang. It’s been around since 2015 and is still going strong in the market. The third-generation Dodge Challenger has been in the market since 2008, and while that is a bit problematic for some, recent releases like the Challenger SRT Hellcat and the Challenger SRT Demon have injected new life to the Challenger nameplate.
Q: Are there any New Muscle Cars?
In addition to all the recent Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger releases, some new muscle cars to hit the market include the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and, yes, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.
Q: Is the New Dodge Challenger considered a muscle car?
Yes, the 2020 Dodge Challenger is considered a muscle car. It has always been a muscle car from the day the first-generation Challenger hit the market in 1969.
Q: Is the New Ford Mustang considered a muscle car?
Yes, the 2020 Ford Mustang and all of its trims and versions are considered muscle cars. The Mustang is one of the pioneers of the muscle car segment. You don’t mention muscle cars without mentioning the Ford Mustang.
Q: Why are modern muscle cars larger than the originals
Modern muscle cars are larger than classic muscle cars because of prevailing technical and mechanical specifications that are used in the development of these models.
Q: What’s the best modern muscle car?
Picking the best modern muscle car is a subjective undertaking, but the most powerful modern muscle is, without question, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. It’s powered by a 6.2-liter turbocharged V-8 engine that produces 808 horsepower (with 91 octane fuel) or 840 horsepower (with 100 octane fuel or higher) and 770 pound-feet of torque. The Challenger SRT Demon can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 2.3 seconds and hit a quarter-mile in just 9.65 seconds at 140.09 mph.