The American automotive industry saw an increase in the popularity of powerful vehicles in the early 1960s through the 1970s. This led to the rise of the fastest classic muscle car.
These so-called “muscle cars” grew not only in number but also in overall stature, as companies competed against each other to produce faster and more powerful machines.
Muscle cars were powerful, affordable cars that could be used for drag racing. Many brands began creating their own models in the 1960s, including legendary names such as the Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro, the Plymouth Barracuda, and the Dodge Charger.
The golden age of American muscle cars kicked off in the 60s and 70s, but it’s still going strong today. After all, with so many iconic designs in their stables, car brands like Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge are bound to have new generations of customers seeking to experience the thrill of these classics.
Let’s find out more. For easier navigation throughout this post, feel free to use our table of contents below.
- Fastest Muscle Car
- Fastest Old Muscle Car
- Fastest Mustang
- Fastest Hemi
- Fastest Pontiac
- Fastest Chevy
- Fastest Dodge
- Fastest Chrysler
- Fastest Muscle Car In The World
- Fastest V8 Cars
- Frequently Asked Questions
Fastest Muscle Car
The 2021 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock is one of the fastest muscle cars. It has the same engine as the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye, but it’s cleaner and more innovative, so it goes faster.
The biggest difference between the two cars is their wheels and tires: The Super Stock uses 18-inch wheels with 315/40R18 Nitto NT05R drag radials instead of the Hellcat’s 20-inch wheels with 285/35ZR20 Pirelli P Zero Nero GT tires.
The Super Stock and the Redeye are virtually identical, except for the wheels and tires. It’s just one way to tell them apart—but it’s a big one! The Super Stock keeps its sleek appearance but hides horsepower under the hood that most have to see to believe.
It will accelerate 0-60 mph in 3.25 seconds, cross the quarter-mile in just 10.5 seconds, and do 131 mph. It’s officially the fastest muscle car on the market.
Fastest Old Muscle Car
Carroll Shelby wanted to see just how powerful a muscle car could be. So he designed the 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake, which is considered by many the fastest classic muscle car on the road.
Shelby modified his car to make it street legal. Superchargers pump out 800 horsepower and 462 pound-feet of torque. The lightweight body and race-inspired configurations make this vehicle a real monster on the road.
The Super Snake is one of the rarest creations built by Shelby, and it remains one of the fastest street-legal Cobras. These cars can still kick the tail of just about anything more than 50 years later.
Fastest Mustang
The 2013 Shelby GT500 is America’s most powerful sports car. Many consider it the fastest classic muscle car. It produces an impressive 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque. the Shelby GT500 is a lightweight machine built for high speeds. Handcrafted in the United States, this car will make you feel the wind on your face when it hits 200 MPH.
The all-new 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 will have a record-breaking horsepower rating, churning out an estimated 760 horsepower and 625 pound-feet of torque. That will make it the most powerful street-legal Ford ever built.
Fastest Hemi
The most powerful engine that Dodge has ever produced. The Supercharged High-Output HEMI V8 is available in the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye, SRT Jailbreak, and the new SRT Super Stock is a real beast.
It cranks out 707 pound-feet of torque and ups the ante with an impressive 797 horsepower. If you want something even more powerful than that, the all-new SRT Jailbreak and Challenger SRT Super Stock will blow away the competition with 807 horsepower, making them two of the most powerful production cars in history.
Fastest Pontiac
The Pontiac GTO is the embodiment of what the original GTO could have been having it been given time to mature and adapt to and adopt the latest technology. It is a rear-wheel muscle car seating four people and features an interior made of black leather.
The GTO is powered by a 6.0-liter LS2 400 hp V-8 engine, and you can either choose an automatic transmission or the six-speed manual options. Traction control is standard, as well as the limited-slip differential. Pontiac GTO was carried over from 2005.
Every 2006 Pontiac GTO comes standard with four-wheel antilock disc brakes, traction control, front airbags as well as an emergency mode that will shut down the car’s systems and unlock the door in the case of deployment of the airbags.
Side airbags are not available, nor is stability control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not conducted crash tests on the GTO, nor has its counterpart agency in Europe.
The GTO rides like a luxury car on the street, but it can feel a bit cumbersome when driven aggressively. The V8 engine and handling, however, make up for any shortcomings in the design of the car.
Fastest Chevy
When it comes to the fastest Chevy, hands down, the Corvette ZR1 takes the cake with a 60-mph sprint time of three seconds flat and reaches the top speed of 212 mph. It can go toe to toe with the fastest classic muscle car while holding its own.
The ZR1 is the fastest and most powerful Corvette ever made. From the moment you step on the accelerator, you’ll know this car is special.
Starting with the C3 model of the Corvette, the ZR1 designation indicated a special edition with an upgraded transmission, brakes, cooling, and suspension. Later models would keep these same improvements.
The Corvette C4 generation (known as ZR-1) came with an exclusive engine. It had a 5.7-liter V8 that also featured dual-overhead camshafts. This contrasted with the standard engine’s pushrod valve train. The next special edition was for the Corvette C6 generation the 6.2-liter V8 engine was supercharged for 638 hp, while carbon-ceramic brakes and numerous carbon-fiber components contributed to the lightness.
The C7 ZR1’s swansong brought back the ZR1 badge, which was the most powerful Corvette ever. A larger supercharger was part of the package, as well as stronger internals, resulting in 755 hp. A wing made of carbon fiber helped deliver a downforce of 950 pounds.
Fastest Dodge
The Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock is a powerful muscle car that takes only 3.25 seconds to reach 60 mph. While it can not be categorized as the fastest classic muscle car, the car’s standard 807 horsepower is impressive, as it gives the vehicle enough power to be the world’s most powerful muscle car.
It owes its basic design to the Challenger Redeye and also features Bilstein adaptive dampers, launch mode, and Line Lock to help you get off the line quickly.
Brembo brakes and lightweight wheels that are 18-inches inside Nitto drag radials help give you better control when racing down the track. The Super Stock also comes with a limited-slip differential for much more improved handling.
The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye’s supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine, which produces 797 horsepower on the Redeye, can now generate 807 horsepower with the Super Stock model. While this is still less than the 840 horsepower produced by the previous Challenger Demon, there is no denying that the SRT is still quite a powerful machine.
While it can run the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds, Dodge claims this Challenger can move from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.2 seconds. This is quite fast.
Fastest Chrysler
Daimler’s ownership of Chrysler has brought us some interesting cars, one of which is the Crossfire. The Crossfire is similar to a Mercedes SLK but with a Chrysler 300-style body. The SRT6 version comes with a 330-hp supercharged V-6 and could reach a top speed of 158 mph.
Granted it is not the fastest classic muscle car, but it is one of the most impressive cars any muscle car enthusiast can have the privilege of driving.
It was one of the fastest cars that Chrysler ever produced and was priced at around $45,000, making it their most expensive car as well. Though the SRT6 only lasted two years, it at least did its job right by being able to run with Porsche Boxsters, Mercedes SLKs, and BMW Z4s.
The Mercedes SOHC, 3.2-liter, 18-valve V-6 engine that is supercharged powers the Crossfire. The power is increased from the initial 215 hp to as high as 330 hp, and let’s not forget 310 lb-ft of torque. This engine is also mated to a five-speed automatic transmission featuring a manumatic actuation.
The SRT-6 had a lot that was similar to the SLK32 AMG, including the car’s engine and its gearbox. The suspension is similar to the outgoing car’s but was tweaked for this application. It has firmer dampers and stiffer springs. It also features improved brakes. The SRT-6 has ventilated discs, bigger discs that are large, as well as dual-piston calipers instead of the single-piston calipers.
Fastest Muscle Car In The World
Three years after its debut, the Dodge Challenger Demon still remains to be the talk of the town. It is a more recent design so many will not consider it the fastest classic muscle car. That said, the machine set the car world on fire with a performance that was only previously considered unattainable by a muscle car.
If you get your launch sequence right on the strip the g-force could be as high as up 1.8 G’s. That’s more than enough power to cause your tires to lift off the ground!
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon has the 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 supercharged engine that delivers 808 horsepower and 770 lb-ft of torque. This is when you fuel it with 100-octane race fuel and add the $1 Demon Crate engine controller. The Demon is able to cover the quarter-mile in 9.65 seconds at 140 mph.
This however only happens if the driver adds 100-plus-octane race fuel to the gas tank. You will need to also add the $1 Demon Crate package. This includes an engine controller which helps to unlock the full potential of the V8 engine.
The interior pieces also help to reduce the weight. Plus there are plenty of other ways to save and reduce weight as well. Dodger says that the Demon will cover a quarter-mile in just 9.65 seconds while moving at 140 mph. One this is for sure, it’s fast!
The Demon’s interior is mostly the same as the rest of the Dodge Challenger models. That said, you can modify it by taking out the passenger seat as well as rear seats, swapping out some amenities like the power steering wheel as well a complex sound system, and in place installing simpler alternatives.
You can also add the sound system as well as the other comforts including the power sunroof, the heated steering wheel, and the ventilated front seats.
Fastest V8 Cars
A V8 engine is one of the most powerful and common engines in cars today. It features two banks each having 4 cylinders and all of them sharing a single crankshaft under a v shape design.
It is not surprising that V8 engines push the boundaries of vehicle performance and power. Not to mention that the fastest production cars also feature this type of engine. it is, therefore, a favorite of car enthusiasts and fans of top-performance vehicles.
With car manufacturers always looking for ways to improve their brands, a V8-powered car always comes across as a modern vehicle with a lot of speed and power.
Having the option to purchase some really cool V8-powered trucks, to awesome V8 sedans as well as sports cars; this variant of an engine is very much loved in the car industry. Let’s take a look at some top-performance cars (not necessarily a muscle car, mind you) with a V8 engine.
Fastest (Not A Classic Muscle) V8 Car #1: Dodge Challenger V8 6.2 SRT Demon
The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is an 840-horsepower version of the already-powerful. Exclusively designed to state its challenge in drag racing, this SRT Demon comes with a number of exclusive features. These features make it faster than most other cars on the market.
It can reach 0–60 in only 2.3 seconds, making it much faster than even some sports cars!
Fastest (Not A Classic Muscle) V8 Car #2: Ferrari Stradale SF90 Hybrid 4.0 V8
Ferrari’s Stradale SF90 Hybrid 4.0 V8 is undoubtedly a powerful and fast car, and few cars by Ferrari can even compare to the speed and performance of this machine.
Granted, it is not the fastest car out there, and there are plenty of European cars that have an American V8, but these Italian car giants should never be underestimated concerning their capability in producing a dominant V8 engine.
Fastest (Not A Classic Muscle) V8 Car #3: Lexus LC500
Perhaps not what comes to mind when thinking about the fastest V8 cars. That said the Lexus LC500 is an awesome choice if you’re in the market for a powerful sports car. This Lexus uses a smooth-running 471 horsepower V8 engine developed by combining Yamaha’s and Toyota’s expertise.
The result is a thrilling driving experience that comes with equally luxurious good looks.
Fastest (Not A Classic Muscle) V8 Car #4: Koenigsegg Jesko Bi-Turbo
Koenigsegg is popular with its incredibly stylish and speedy sports cars. Jesko is just a perfect example that is capable of getting from 0-60 mph in only 2.5 seconds. It has among the greatest V8s currently that you can find in the market. It is capable of producing 1,280 horsepower at 7,800 revolutions per minute as well as 1,106 pound-feet of torque at 5,100 revolutions per minute.
Fastest (Not A Classic Muscle) V8 Car #5: Koenigsegg Regera
The Koenigsegg Regera is a hybrid supercar with an eight-cylinder engine that can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 2.5 seconds. Its 1-speed transmission has a 1,100 hp and produces 944 lb-ft of torque at 4,100 revolutions per minute.
Fastest (Not A Classic Muscle) V8 Car #6: Ferrari 458 Speciale
The Ferrari 458 Speciale, one of the best Ferraris in existence, rocks a powerful V8 engine. The company first used this engine in the Ford F430. Later it was used in the 458 Italia. But it was only when it was incorporated with 458 Speciale that its true potential was realized. This car is incredibly fast and responsive and offers drivers an incredible driving experience.
Fastest (Not A Classic Muscle) V8 Car #7: SSC Tuatara
The SSC Tuatara is a dream come true for all car enthusiasts looking to experience a powerful ride. It boasts of a massive, twin-turbo, 16-valve 6,942 ccs V8 engine that produces 1,350 hp at 6,800 RPM. It has an equally awesome torque of 1,042 lb-ft at 5,000 RPM. With its remarkable 2.5 seconds 0-60 mph acceleration time and a maximum speed of 276 mp/h, the SSC Tuatara is surely among the fastest cars on the market today.
Fastest (Not A Classic Muscle) V8 Car #8: Ultima GTR 720
The Ultima GTR 720 sports car is fun and exciting. You can feel the power of the engine and the boldness of the design as you drive around town. With a 2-valve, V8 engine, it is one of the most powerful cars on the market today. Moreover, it has a 5-speed manual transmission which makes driving it more fun and enjoyable.
Fastest (Not A Classic Muscle) V8 Car #9: The Hennessey Venom GT
Hennessey Venom GT is a beast of a car. Its 6.2-liter V8 engine produces enough power to push it past the 200 mph mark and accelerate from 0-60 mph in only 2.5 seconds. This makes it one of the fastest production cars ever made.
The 16-valve engine connects to a 6-speed manual transmission, ensuring that drivers are able to experience all the thrill of shifting gears themselves.
Fastest (Not A Classic Muscle) V8 Car #10: Koenigsegg Agera RS
The Koenigsegg Agera RS is a super-fast car that makes up the Koenigsegg’s impressive repertoire. It has a gas 5,065 cc twin-turbo with a 32-valve V8 engine. The car produces 1,160 horsepower at 7,800 revolutions per minute. It produces a peak torque of 944 lb-ft at 4,100 RPM. The delivery mechanism is a special RWD system and can reach 250 mph while accelerating in 2.5 seconds from 0-60 mph.
Frequently Asked Questions On The Fastest Classic Muscle Car
What Is The Fastest Classic Muscle Car
The 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake is one of the fastest muscle cars in existence. Powered by a supercharged V8 engine and lightweight body, it takes its racing heritage to the street.
What Is The Fastest Engine
The Hennessey Venom GT is a real speed demon. It can go from 0 to 60 mph in only 2.5 seconds, making it one of the fastest production cars ever made. The 16-valve engine connects to a 6-speed manual transmission so drivers can shift gears themselves and experience all the thrill of driving this beast.
What Is The Fastest Dodge Car
The Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock is the fastest muscle car on the market in 2021. The vehicle has the same engine as the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. But it’s cleaner and more innovative, so it goes faster. The Challenger SRT Super Stock will accelerate 0-60 mph in 3.25 seconds, cross the quarter-mile in just 10.5 seconds, and do 131 mph.
What Is The Fastest Ford
Ford’s GT sports car has broken the record for being the fastest vehicle. This is by hitting a top speed of 472.5 kmph in just one mile. The previous record was 455.7 kmph, set back in 2012 by a 1,700 horsepower Ford GT.
What Is The Fastest American Car
Dodge has announced that their 2021 Challenger SRT Super Stock will be the fastest car of 2021. Building upon the already-crazy tech of the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye, the Super Stock dominates in speed.
Which Mustang Is The Fastest
With a top speed of 175 mph and an acceleration from 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds, the Shelby GT500 is the fastest production Ford Mustang ever. the more modern 2022 ford mustang Shelby rocks a supercharged 5.2-liter cross-plane crank V8 engine.
What Is The Fastest Muscle Car In The World
The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is a beast of a machine, setting the automotive world on fire with performance previously thought impossible for a muscle car. It sent supercars and sportscars alike running for cover. The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon was designed to push the boundaries of what was considered normal or achievable.
Whats The Fastest Production Car
The SSC Tuatara, currently the world’s fastest production car, recorded a top speed of 316.11 mph in a recent test run. That beat the previous record of 277.9 mph set by the Koenigsegg Agera RS in 2017.
What Is A Muscle Car
The term Muscle car often means a variety of high-performance cars, including two-door models with rear-wheel drive and a powerful eight-cylinder engine. Some people will have their own opinions on what qualifies to be a muscle car, but most agree it’s an all-American term for an all-American kind of car.
