Classic Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high performance automobiles. However Merriam-Webster definition is more limiting, “any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving.” This term generally points out to a 2-door rear wheel drive mid-size cars, and sometimes full-size cars equipped with large, powerful, V8s, and sold at an affordable price for street use and both formal and informal racing. They are distinct from two-seat sports cars and expensive two plus two GTs intended for high-speed touring and racing. Developing on the American phenomenon and developing simultaneously in their own markets, muscle cars also emerged in their own fashions in Australia, South Africa, the UK, and elsewhere.

According to the 1967 June issue of Road Test magazine, a “muscle car” is “Exactly what the name implies.” It is a manufacturing of the American car industry adhering to the hot rodder’s philosophy of taking a small car and putting a BIG engine in it. The Muscle Car is Charles Atlaskicking sand in the face of the 98 hp (73 kW) weakling. Author of the book Muscle Cars, Peter Henshaw, says that the muscle car was designed for straight-line speed, and did not have the “sophisticated chassis”, “engineering integrity” or “lithe appearance” of European high-performance cars. However, there are varied opinions as to whether high-performance full-size cars, compacts, and pony cars qualify as muscle cars. Read the rest of this entry »