New Muscle Cars

Even from the time that Ford introduced the first “muscle car” in 1964 in the form of the Mustang, America has been in love.

Pretty well everyone has a favorite classic muscle car. Yours might be the 1964 Dodge Dart 426 Max Wedge 426 Hemi, 1969 Dodge Super Bee 440 Six Pack, 1973 Ford Torino Talladega, 1966 Chevy II SS327, 1968 Buick Skylark Gran Sport, 1973 Plymouth Road Runner or the Australian 1970 HG Monaro GTS.

With the well known performance and power that these cars offered, the Ford Mustang became the top selling car for many of the years during its “performance era.” Times are very different, though, and there are many factors that would seem to dampen the muscle car’s popularity. Government regulation and high fuel prices would seem to be a force to a thumbs down on all that horsepower. But these horses can’t be corralled and the muscle car is still a hot item, especially to the new generation. And for them, there is a new generation of muscle cars hitting the dealer lots.

Cadillac CTS-V

This high performance Cadillac tosses its hat into the muscle car ring. While the Cadillac name may not exactly make you think of performance, the CTS-V delivers with power, a roomy interior and great handling. Showing off its surprising 400 horses of power with a 6.0 liter V8, this ride sits you in a stylish car with a lower price tag and terrific performance.

Pontiac GTO

GM after too many years brought back the “Goat”, much to the delight of muscle car enthusiasts. One of the original muscle cars, the GTO was introduced in 1964 and ran through the 1974 production year. Pontiac wanted to keep the awesome performance of the GTO without breaking the bank. With a 6.0 liter LS2 V8 under the hood offering 400 horses, the new breed of GTO ran from 2004 to 2006. But, this is one car that can’t be held down and just has to emerge again in the future.

Infiniti G35

One of the new breed of muscle cars, the Infinity G35 offers sleek styling, superior handling and great performance. Sporting a powerful 3.5 liter V6, 306 horses strong, you get the old school muscle car style combined with the newer, technological plusses of the 21st century. With this car, performance is its strong suit. It offers great handling and a nice, “beauty meets beastly power” look and feel.

Lexus IS 350

Another high end sleek addition, the Lexus IS 350 offers a powerful V6 with 306 horsepower. Its advanced safety technology give it an edge over some of the other muscle cars on offer. While you correctly equate the Lexus name with luxury, the IS 350 shines with top performance as well.

Ford Mustang

You can’t say muscle car without thinking about the Ford Mustang. The grand daddy muscle car, this pony with horsepower has seen some major changes over the past twenty years. The latest Mustang, though, still packs a powerful punch with a wicked performance V8 version with 300 horses galloping under the hood in the GT version. The retro curves will take the old timers back and recruit new enthusiasts just discovering this classic to a new love.

There are many other muscle cars that could fit on this list and stack up just fine against their high performance cousins. Make an effort to test drive a few of the latest muscle cars and find the performance package that speaks to you. Styling, power and performance make a muscle car, but you have to drive one to really appreciate it.