The Best in Modern American Muscle Cars
What makes a quality American muscle car today? How about an affordable classic muscle car which keeps on giving you goosebumps?
While some say the world is dominated by the German and Japanese cars, when it comes to muscle cars the US started the trend and has some of the biggest muscle car fans.
There are some powerful and unique American cars available, especially modern American muscle cars. But what makes these American muscle cars 1) affordable for the common car fan and 2) loud and fast to boot?
Before we go there, what do modern American muscle cars need to be considered important? American muscle cars of quality should have some “amp” to them, roar loud like the corvette, and be fast, going from 0-60 in no time.
Originally, the vintage cars we now call muscle cars were just V-8 engines with a paint job. You put a big engine in a small car. The movement for classic muscle cars drew definite interest from car makers, and we’ve seen new lines rise, fall, and rise again (like the Pontiac GTO).
The Pontiac GTO has always been in the running for American modern muscle cars, but newer additions like the highly rated Cadillac CTS-V and the Chrysler 300 Hemi are definitely to be considered too.
In terms of the very best modern American muscle car, there are still some options if you want to race a bit over the speed limit. But the best 3 may have just been mentioned.
Let’s begin with the Pontiac GTO, the car that started it all. And what an interesting story this modern American muscle car has. An American car designer, sick of driving slow cars from work to home, decided to put a big engine into a small car. Throughout its history, the Pontiac GTO has been top 5 in American muscles cars. And the modern Pontiac GTOs are no exception. It’s always had good horsepower for a modern muscle car, though usually weaker than the Cadillac and Chrysler. However, this is the best priced of all the vehicles, as used Pontiac GTOs go for fractions of their listed value all the time.
Next, let’s talk about the Cadillac CTS-V. The pros here are the incredible horsepower, the very best in modern American muscle cars. It’s got a supercharged 6.2 V8 engine, with some incredible horsepower numbers pushing 550. And you can go 0-60 in 4.3. The only clear con to this modern American muscle is the price tag, pushing $60,000.
Next on the list would be the Pontiac GTO, the car that started it all. Again, story was a car designer, sick of driving family sedans from work to home, decided to put a big engine into one of his smaller cars. Hence, we have the creation of the muscle car. Throughout its history, the Pontiac GTO has been top 5 in American muscles cars. And the modern Pontiac GTOs are no exception. It actually has some non-American flavor to it, but an American engine with 400 and up horsepower. While changing sometimes in horsepower, and a bad production run started and stopped over the years, the price is right here, with most models being sold for fractions of the stated value.
You’ve seen the prices of modern American muscle cars. You might cross out the Cadillac CTS-V, but it’s likely the best car here. For history, the GTO might get it. For sheer power, the winner is the Cadillac CTS. For a combination of price and power, you’ve got the Chrysler 300 Hemi. It’s almost a draw. For modern muscle cars, with the price and power just right, the Chrysler 300 Hemi is the winner.
Modern American muscle carshave always interested Mike Stone, a former auto journalist who likes to lend is ideas and automotive thoughts for Streetside Auto.com.
