When you think of cool cars, you probably think of those insanely contoured rides that the rich and famous drive, or maybe you picture the luxury vehicles like the Rolls-Royce where you hardly expect them to drive it at all. For some, those cars don’t represent the true meaning of what it is to feel the thrill of owning an automobile.
The real thrill for many car enthusiasts comes from searching for answers in the past. The cars of yesteryears represent the true pinnacle of automotive engineering, not because they can go do 0-60 in less than 2.5 seconds, or that they were calibrated by a team of physicists, but because they had and still have soul, craftsmanship, and personality.
Classic cars are the way to go for some, and particularly muscle cars. Nothing gets someone fired up like seeing a 1960s muscle car cruising down a street. There's something about the way the engine roars, the body juts out and imposes its sheer strength on everything in its path, and the absolute ferocity of its presence. Here are 6 of the most badass classic cars that fit that description.
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Starting with a car most young folks would be familiar with as a modern muscle car, the Camaro goes way farther back than its infamous usage in the Michael Bay’s Transformers movies. The Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 was part of Chevy's ultra-duty line of performance cars that started in 1966 and hasn't stopped since. These are some of the most desirable muscle car beauties because of their immense speed and strength compared to other muscle cars at the time. One of the perks of owning a Camaro has always been the incredible amount of flexibility it has for customization options, making it a darling for those that buy classic cars to work on, not just let sit in a showroom.
Shelby Mustang GT500
One of the most iconic classic cars of all time is also one that gets people a little confused now and again. The Ford Mustang and Shelby Mustang are two different cars, but they both used Ford engines, both produced by Ford at the same time during a brief period of time and were made in close association with one another. They might not be exactly the same, but the Shelby Mustang GT500 is about as good as it can get, and if you check out Revology Carsyou can see why people still flock to it. The classic dual body strip is something you can’t get out of your head once you see it for the first time.
Dodge Charger R/T
Another muscle car that has gotten a modern makeover is still one of the most desirable classic cars when you want to find its predecessor. The Dodge Charger R/T is widely regarded as one of the best muscle cars of all time, and it started off in an inauspicious way. The Charger didn't begin as the hottest thing since sliced bread in the car world. In fact, they were quite slow in performance, but they quickly became more and more powerful until it was impossible to ignore their abilities. You've likely seen this car in numerous movie franchises, and it was used by police departments for quite some time because there were very few vehicles on the road capable of outdueling it on the blacktop.
Plymouth Road Runner Superbird
The 1970 Plymouth Road Runner (Superbird) is easily one of the most unique-looking vehicles that ever came out of the classic muscle car era, and it still has some odd design today, but no one is going to argue that this car isn’t built for one thing - performance. The rear wing of the vehicle no doubt stands out, but the two models (the other being the Hemi variation) capped out at 375 and 425 HP respectively. They would be able to do 0-60 in under 6 seconds, which is still wildly impressive to this day. It just goes to show that you shouldn't judge a book by the odd-shaped rear wing.
Pontiac GTO
If you're looking for the epitome of classic muscle car design, the Pontiac GTO is the basis for it all. With a production run of just 10 years between '64 and '74, it didn't last long, and eventually, Pontiac would go under as part of GM's collection of manufacturers, but the GTO still stands the test of time. With a very sleek design, it embodied the ideals of having beauty and power wrapped up in one simple to appreciate two-door coupe body style. The Pontiac GTO isn't the best of the muscle cars, but there's a very good reason why it's still on lists like these, and why it's still admired by classic car enthusiasts to this day.
Ford Mustang Mach 1
No list of badass classic cars would be complete without a true Ford Mustang on it. The Shelby GT500 is a beast and a beauty of a machine, but you also need to remember that it was part of the grand vision of Ford Motor Company and their creation of the iconic Mustang line of cars. From 1968 to 1978, the Mach 1 was the culmination of all the work Ford had put into the Mustang line and represented one of the most iconic vehicles to hit the muscle-era roads. Its body design is similar to other model Mustangs, but it gets its reputation as a track and road demon because of the V8 engine. It was considered the high-performance variation of Ford Mustangs and still stands the test of time today.
While automotive engineering is making incredible leaps with self-driving AI technology, physicist-tailored carbon bodies, and other science fiction-esque advancements, there’s something that can’t be beaten about classic cars. We don’t know if it’s the fact that they feel like you have weight under your body and you’re controlling a true machine, or if it’s the timeless effort put into making a concept come to life, but whatever it is, these 6 cars represent that badass attitude that made these cars lifelong automotive goals.
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