For every Chevelle SS, Road Runner, and GT500KR there's a host of other muscle cars that don't get their fair share of the spotlight. Let's take a moment to appreciate ten that don't get their due often enough.
10.) AMC Rebel Machine
It's a car called "The Machine" with a red, white, and blue paint job and a 390 cid V8 that made 340 HP. What's not to love?
Suggested By: Arch Duke Maxyenko, no spambot, Photo Credit: Alden Jewell
9.) Ford Torino GT
These mid-sized coupes were surprisingly fast, especially when equipped with the 429 Cobra Jet motor.
Suggested By: Stig-a-saw-us-wrecks, Photo Credit: John Lloyd
8.) Jensen Interceptor
Ok, so the British Interceptor was marketed as a GT car, but if it isn't a muscle car in spirit then I don't know what is. It's Carrozzeria Touring design looks like an Italian AMC, and you could have one with a 440 cid Chrysler V8 and a Torqueflite automatic. Muscle car, indeed.
Suggested By: Michael-Morrill, Photo Credit: allen watkin
7.) GMC Syclone
In a Car & Driver test, this pick-up truck was recorded as being faster than a Ferrari 348ts. Right, so for $26k in 1991 you could buy a pickup truck that could outrun a Ferrari.
Suggested By: svenskfox , Photo Credit: GMC
6.) AMC Gremlin Randall 401-XR
Ah, the much maligned Gremlin: an economy car designed on a barf bag. They were kind of terrible, but when you dropped a 401 cid V8 in them and gave them to Randall Engineering, magic happened. You got a car that could run high thirteens in the 1/4 mile for just $2995 back in 1972.
Suggested By: Arch Duke Maxyenko, no spambot, Photo Credit: Randall Engineering
5.) Shelby Maverick
Here's one that's exceedingly rare – the Shelby Maverick, of which 300 were sold only in Mexico. There are only a handful of pictures of the car, all found right here. They were Brazilian-made Ford Mavericks with 302ci V8s, and some extra Shelby bits.
Suggested By: JSWilson64_g, Photo Credit: maverick.to
4.) Studebaker Super Lark
Supercharged 302 V8 that made 335 HP and 320 ft/lbs of torque put in a car that only weighed 3,000 lbs in the R3 version? Sign me up. This was one of the first true muscle cars, coming out right around the same time as the much heralded GTO.
Suggested By: manifold engines, wanting for time, Photo Credit: Alden Jewell
3.) Mercury Cyclone
There's no love lost for the Ford Fairlane, but we can't forget about it's interestingly styled brother, the Cyclone. Car & Driver tested a Cobra Jet 428 equipped Cyclone in 1969 and it took a brief 5.5 seconds to hit 60.
Suggested By: My X-type is too a real Jaguar, Photo Credit: Mercury
2.) Dodge Demon/Plymouth Duster
The 340 Demon and its Plymouth Duster brother were not the most powerful muscle cars of their time, but their relative light weight could give the big boys a serious run for their money.
Suggested By: GR1M RACER : Wrong Most of the Time & foxbody Photo Credit:Greg Gjerdingen
1.) Buick GS 455 Stage I
510 lb/ft of torque. I repeat, 510 lb/ft of torque. That's all you need to know.
Suggested By: Vlan1, Photo Credit: Sicnag
Welcome back to Answers of the Day - our daily Jalopnik feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
Top Photo Credit: Buick