Muscle cars, by their very nature, are spectacular-looking machines. They are fearsome and fast, and they produce some of the best sounds of any vehicle ever made. The styling, of course, plays a part in this, even if they aren’t the most powerful of muscle cars.
This list contains some incredible muscle cars based purely on their design and appearance. Some of them you might have never heard of, while others will be highly familiar faces.
1980 Ford Mustang McLaren M81
One of the lesser-known Ford Mustang models is the 1980 Mustang McLaren M81. Produced for just one year, Ford had partnered with McLaren’s American engine division to create a spectacular-looking Papaya Mustang that McLaren gave a “hot-rod tune.”
McLaren worked their magic on a turbocharged 2.3-liter engine, with the inline-four producing 175 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque. A production run of 249 was planned, but only ten were ever made.
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Few muscle cars can claim to have the jaw-dropping looks of the radical 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. Arguably the finest of all Camaros, the Z28 was created in response to General Motors’s high-displacement engine ban.
As a result, the 5.0-liter 302 ci V8 engine under the hood of the Z28 produced 290 horsepower, which was a massive number for the late 1960s. Even in 2024, the 1969 Camaro Z28 remains one of the most sought-after muscle machines ever made.
Buick GNX
If there was ever a muscle car that could sum up the segment, it had to be the 1987 Buick GNX. The GNX was the final fling for the Buick Regal, and the manufacturer turned to McLaren’s US engine division to tune the 3.8-liter V6 under the hood.
McLaren extracted 276 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque out of the GNX, which, with its all-black exterior, was a mean and spectacular-looking machine. Yet that power estimate was somewhat conservative, as the reality was that the GNX could produce over 300 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque.
Plymouth Superbird
The Plymouth Superbird of the 1970s has to be one of the most recognizable muscle cars of all time. Its streamlined nose cone and huge rear wing made it one of the “Aero Cars” that took NASCAR by storm in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The Superbird’s finest form came with the 426 ci Hemi 7.0-liter V8 engine under the hood, a mighty powertrain that produced 425 horsepower. With so few Hemi Superbirds produced, they are now incredibly valuable.
Dodge Charger Daytona
Equally spectacular to look at as the Superbird is the Dodge Charger Daytona. The Daytona was produced just before the Superbird in 1969, and it was the first NASCAR that was able to top the 200 mph barrier, which at the time was a significant milestone.
Power came from a 7.2-liter Magnum V8 or the mighty 426 ci 7.0-liter Hemi V8 also found in the Superbird. Remarkably, of the 503 Charger Daytonas built, just 70 would receive the Hemi V8, making them extremely rare and desirable.
1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429
The 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 is a fascinating muscle car. In the late 1960s, Ford wanted to shove its 429 ci V8 engine into one of its NASCAR racers. However, it soon found it was too heavy to offer any performance advantage.
The engine was so big that it didn’t fit into the Mustang’s standard engine bay. This led to the Mustang Boss 429, a limited-edition version of the muscle car with the 375 horsepower 429 ci V8 under the hood. It may have performed slower than other Mustangs of the time, but it made the muscle car a rowdy beast.
1969 Pontiac GTO Judge
Pontiac has long faded into history, but there was a time when it could produce some of the finest muscle cars in the world. The 1969 GTO Judge is a prime example, and Pontiac boss John DeLorean personally loved the model.
Under the hood of the Judge was the Ram Air III V8 engine, producing 360 horsepower. Buyers, however, could also opt for the Ram Air IV engine, which made 370 horses. The rarest of all GTO Judges were the 1969 Ram Air IV convertibles, with Pontiac only making five of these.
AMC Javelin AMX
A forgotten yet no less spectacular-looking muscle car is the brilliant AMC Javelin AMX. AMC was one of the more obscure of the muscle car manufacturers, but its distinctive shape ensured that it could stand out from the crowd.
It was no slouch either. The 1971 Javelin AMX used a 401 ci V8 engine that produced 330 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. With a four-speed manual transmission, the Javelin AMX was one of the best enthusiast cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Oldsmobile 442
Oldsmobile originally sold the 442 as an optional trim on the company’s F-85 and Cutlass models, but it became a model in its own right from 1968 to 1971. It may have been short-lived in its initial form, but it was one of the best-looking muscle cars of the 1960s and 1970s.
Power came from either the 455 ci 7.5-liter V8 or the 400 ci 6.6-liter V8. The 455 ci engine was the base model, and in 1970, this engine was good enough for 365 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. The W30 option saw power increase to 370 horses, yet in 1968, both engines were rated even higher at 390 horsepower.
2025 Ford Mustang GTD
There can be no arguing that the upcoming Ford Mustang GTD is one of the most spectacular-looking muscle cars ever produced. The Mustang GTD takes the Blue Oval’s icon to the next level, with a massive supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine producing up to 800 horsepower under the hood.
Not only that, but the Mustang GTD looks incredible. Its large rear wing and diffuser, front splitter, and wider bodywork make it look like a fully-fledged GT car rather than a street-legal muscle car.
