As we head towards an electric automotive future, here are some of the fastest gas-powered muscle cars ever built.
The muscle car world has been buzzing lately thanks to the unconventional unveiling of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170. This car’s ferocious power has hogged the limelight, but this is a mere distraction from the true importance of this model. Dodge has billed the 1,025 hp car as the most powerful production pony ever built, although it also heralds the end of the relationship between Dodge and the traditional muscle car.
The American manufacturer claims the romance isn’t quite over, with exciting plans for electrified versions of their popular models in the works. But for many gearheads, a little of the romance is surely dying. There are also strong rumors that the Mustang S650 might be the last of Ford’s combustion engine pony cars. If that’s true, then we are surely heading for a divorce between the major manufacturers and gas-powered muscle cars. A tragedy in the minds of some purists. A mature response to climatic threats in the minds of more progressive gearheads. No matter what your stance is, this transition does kill some of the romance that has lasted in the heart of American culture for many decades.
Whether you believe the Chrysler C-300 from the 1950s, the Pontiac GTO from the following decade, or the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 was the birth of the genuine American muscle car is almost irrelevant. The important thing is that the gas-powered muscle car has been a mainstay of American culture for as long as almost anyone alive can remember. There have been countless iterations of these vehicles during the intervening years that have produced both stunning design and neck-breaking power.
Whether it’s the Dodge Dart of the ‘60s or the Chevy Chevelle SS454 of the ‘70s, we have seen some extremely powerful and charismatic cars over the years. They have managed to upstage movie icons like Burt Reynolds, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood, and even the legend that is Nicolas Cage.
The evolution of modern muscle cars with ever-increasing speed capabilities has continued to inspire new generations of drivers. We’ll all be a little sad to see them replaced by EVs, and also see it as the fading of the American dream. But before we fully wake up, there are some truly staggeringly powerful muscle cars available today. Forget General Lee, KITT, Eleanor, and other cars from the movies, here is a collection of some of the most powerful muscle cars ever constructed.
10 Chevrolet Camaro LT1 – 455 HP
The sixth generation of this Chevy muscle car has been around for almost a decade and is certainly showing some signs of its age. There are plenty of models of the current Camaro available, but the LT1 edition is a real heart-stopper. This rear-wheel drive pony comes with a small-block 6.2-liter V8 engine making 455 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque.
That impressive level of power gives this car acceleration that will take it from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 4 seconds. With rear seats, and rear and side visibility being something of an afterthought in the design of the Chevrolet Camaro LT1, this is a pony truly built for straight-line speed. Like a good muscle car should.
9 Ford Mustang Dark Horse – 500 HP
A level up from the LT1 is the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. The latest offering from the Blue Oval reaches the symbolic 500 hp level thanks to its 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine. This beefed-up variant of the S650 model will be Ford’s fastest-ever non-Shelby Mustang. The starting price on this badass pony is just under $60,000 and enthusiasts are already lining up to get their hands on one.
With 500 hp and 418 lb-ft of torque, this Ford muscle car will be one of the fastest production cars on the road in 2024. Although unconfirmed, it’s expected to move from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 3.8 seconds, which should put it ahead of the LT1.
8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 – 650 HP
The Chevrolet Camaro provides another option that usurps the Dark Horse in terms of horsepower. The ZL1 packs a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 under its hood that gives it a whopping 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. This is the most powerful of the sixth-generation Camaro and makes it competitive in almost any company.
The car can achieve 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and has a reported top speed of 190 mph. These numbers ensure that the iconic Camaro has a place on the podium of all-time best muscle cars.
7 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing – 668 HP
There may be some debate over whether the CT5-V Blackwing is a true muscle car or just a sports sedan, but what isn’t in doubt is the power of this new Cadillac. This is yet another car that will be one of the final combustion engine performance models for its brand. And Cadillac has certainly put together a fitting send-off for gas guzzlers with this 668 hp and 659 lb-ft of torque monster. The CT5-V Blackwing draws its tremendous power from its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine.
It’s certainly a fast car, but it also has all the luxury you’d expect for a price north of $90,000. If you like a more elegant form of muscle, the CT5-V Blackwing is the muscle car for you.
6 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat – 717 HP
A cheaper and more powerful muscle car is the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Dodge has been hitting it out of the park with Challenger muscle cars in recent years, and this variant of the Challenger SRT is surprisingly the most modest of the bunch. Despite not topping the Challenger charts, this car packs 717 hp from its 6.2-liter supercharged V8.
This “last call” Dodge has enough power to keep pace with the likes of the Camaro ZL1 on the strip. But there are even more powerful muscle cars on the market that force this pony into the background.
5 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – 760 HP
Although now discontinued, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is one of the most powerful muscle cars ever put into production. Shelby is keeping us waiting for its take on the S650 series, but its predecessor has enough going on to keep us occupied for a little longer. This is the best muscle car in the eyes of many gearheads, and it’s easy to see why.
The GT500 comes with a 5.2-liter V8 that puts out 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque. It can do 0 to 60 mph in approximately 3.7 seconds, which puts it in a league that few other muscle cars can reach. One can only wonder what Shelby has in store for the S650 Ford Mustang model.
4 Dodge Charger SRT Redeye Jailbreak – 807 HP
No muscle car list would be complete without a Charger making an appearance. This Dodge pony has scorched American roads for a long time, but this variant is the pick of the bunch when it comes to raw power. The Dodge Charger SRT Redeye Jailbreak comes equipped with a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine that boasts 807 hp and 707 lb-ft of torque.
This car explodes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, which should put it a nose ahead of the GT500 in a straight line. The Charger SRT Redeye Jailbreak proves that this iconic Dodge can still hold its own in the modern muscle car scene.
3 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock – 807 HP
Another Dodge muscle car that matches the Charger SRT Jailbreak is its sibling, the new Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock. This road monster comes with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine and can also hit the 807 hp barrier.
Its acceleration is astounding and enables it to do 0 to 60 mph in 3.25 seconds. This Challenger can run the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds, which places it high on our list of the most powerful muscle cars of all time.
2 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 – 1,025 HP
With a price tag of over $100,000, this is a car that few will ever get the chance to own. But that hasn’t stopped this demonic Dodge from becoming the most talked about pony of recent times. Only 3,000 of these muscle cars will be available for the American market, and despite the hefty price tag, they are sure to sell like hotcakes.
The Challenger SRT Demon 170’s 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine reaches up to a mind-blowing 1,025 hp. This is territory that few cars have ever reached, and is a fitting way for the Dodge Challenger to bow out of the combustion engine scene. Dodge claims this is the most powerful stock muscle car engine, but there’s one other entry on our list that requires a mention.
1 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C – 1,200 HP
In terms of pure horsepower, there is a rather obscure muscle car that can beat the Demon 170. It’s the Ford Mustang Shelby 1000 S/C from 2013. Based on the 2013 GT500, this unique pony delivered a reported 1,200 hp, making it a very unique vehicle indeed.
Perhaps the EV version of these iconic cars will be even more powerful and record better performance numbers. Even if they do, we will all miss the gas muscle cars that have dominated American roads over the last few decades.
Sources: TopSpeed, Dodge, MotorTrend, CarHP, Ford
