The Classic Muscle Cars | How the Culture of the Muscle Car Came About
It’s mostly an American phenomenon—the muscle car, a 2-door V8 coupe built for speed and power. Though muscle cars are often associated with the 1960s and 1970s, their origins are somewhat earlier. How and why did muscle cars become commonplace in the United States. What are some of the iconic muscle cars? How does a muscle car differ from a sports car?
The Evolution of the Muscle Car
Though most aficionados point to the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 as the first true muscle car, the real roots of the road warrior can be traced back to Prohibition and the Roaring 20s. With alcohol illegal and a burgeoning bootlegging business, purveyors of illegal hooch needed speed to elude police and revenue agents. Many of the most significant inventions to increase motor vehicle power and speed evolved out of a need to outrun the authorities.
By the time Prohibition ended, America had developed a taste for and love of speed on the roads. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, particularly on the vast new highways being built in California, drag racing became the rage, with many drivers modifying existing vehicles to increase power and speed. The major auto manufacturers took notice and soon incorporated many of the advancements in their new lines. The term “muscle car” first came into common usage in the 1960s, generally associated with the 1964 Pontiac GTO. A “muscle car war” soon broke out among auto manufacturers, leading to such classic muscle cars as the Pontiac Firebird, the Chevy Camaro (and Chevy Nova), the Dodge Challenger, the Shelby Cobra and the Oldsmobile 442.
What Are the Features of a “Muscle Car”?
Though there tends to be disagreement about minor features, most car enthusiasts agree on the following requirements:
- It must be American made
- It will typically have a V8 engine—though there are more powerful automobile engines (such as V10s and V12s, the V8 engine offers a great balance between power and fuel efficiency.
- It’s generally a mid-sized vehicle—some V8s, such as many Cadillacs, are not considered muscle cars, as their size makes them more difficult to handle
What’s the Difference between a Muscle Car and a Sports Car?
While both are generally built for speed and performance, there are significant differences:
- Muscle cars tend to focus on top speed or power, whereas sports cars typically have somewhat better acceleration
- Muscle cars tend to be large and bulky, whereas sports cars are usually of a more compact design. Enthusiasts believe that this makes the muscle car somewhat safer in the event of a crash.
- As previously noted, muscle cars are always from American manufacturers. Many sports cars are made in Europe
- Because of their size and design, muscle cars excel on straightaways, whereas sports cars handle better and are more ideal for roads with twists and turns
- Because of their power, muscle cars tend to be less fuel efficient than sports cars
