Classic American muscle cars, the stuff of vintage vehicle enthusiasts’ dreams, may appear to be out of reach due to their perceived high prices.

However, here’s a surprising fact: A wide range of these iconic cars are pretty affordable. Yes, you heard it right.

There are affordable muscle cars out there, ready to introduce you to the exhilarating world of classic cars.

First-Generation Ford Mustang

While they are the most desirable version of the Mustang, the sheer number of first-generation Mustangs available makes them cheaper on the classic car market. For owners, this has the added benefit of ensuring plenty of spare parts to go around, making servicing a Mustang easier.

The original Ford Mustang remains one of the most eye-catching and iconic muscle cars ever built. Its long hood and short deck were revolutionary in the mid-1960s, and it came into its own with the big and small block Ford V8 engines under the hood.

1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

Following a rough period for muscle cars in the 1970s and 1980s, the 1990s began to see a renaissance within the segment. The 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra was a perfect example of this revival, with the Ford Special Vehicles Team product showcasing to the world that the Mustang was back.

The SVT Cobra came for the 1994 model year with a 4.9-liter V8 under the hood producing 235 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. The groundwork laid by the SVT Cobra meant that Shelby could introduce their Mustang GT500 in 2007, taking the muscle car to new heights and signaling that the fallow period of the late 20th century was well and truly over.

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Muscle cars from the mid-2000s are often overlooked for ones from the decade’s second half. One of the most overlooked was the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, an Australian version of the Pontiac GTO that only hit the market two years before Pontiac discontinued the name, thanks to its downfall as a company.

Its short production run hides what was a successful and potent muscle car. Under the hood, the 6.0-liter engine produced 361 hp, one of the best V8 soundtracks possible. Thanks to its relative anonymity, the Pontiac G8 GT doesn’t sell for crazy money on the used market. According to Kelley Blue Book, you can pick one up for around $16,000.

2006 Pontiac GTO

Alongside the Pontiac G8 GT sat the American version of the muscle car, the 2006 Pontiac GTO. The last call for the famous GTO is highly underrated, with the sleek and subtle exterior hiding a massive 6.2-liter V8 engine with 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. The 2006 GTO provided everything you would want from a muscle car, and its styling meant it was an excellent sleeper car.

Unlike many General Motors products of the mid-2000s, the 2006 GTO didn’t age badly. The interior is refined and classy, with red gauges on the dashboard reminding us of its performance credentials. The 2006 Pontiac GTO has become a modern classic and provides an exciting option on the used car market.

Chevrolet Camaro Z28 SS

Like most other muscle cars, the Chevrolet Camaro experienced a challenging period in the 1980s. However, its fortunes began to turn around in the 1990s, and the fourth-generation Camaro brought a sleek, new exterior that made it look much more like a sports car than a brawny muscle car, but it was equally a sensational-looking car.

The Catfish Camaro never received the same love as its predecessors, but it was an excellent machine, particularly in Camaro Z28 SS form. The Z28 SS, an upgrade over the regular Z28, had a V8 under the hood, producing 305 hp, 30 hp more than the standard Z28. It is also enough for a 0-60 mph sprint in just 5.3 seconds.

1994—1996 Chevrolet Impala SS

It might look big and ungainly, but there is much to love about the Chevrolet Impala SS of the mid-1990s. Essentially, the Impala SS was a redecorated version of the Caprice 9C1 cop car, but under the hood, it packed a 260 hp version of the old-school LT1 V8 engine.

However, the new Impala SS was a world away from the drab and underwhelming muscle cars of the 1970s. With power pushing up to 300 hp, it felt like a return to old muscle cars. Yet despite the size, the Impala SS was an agile muscle car, making it great fun both in the corners and on the drag strip.

1998—1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG

While a muscle car is traditionally an all-American affair, the rest of the world can occasionally throw a contender into the mix. That is precisely the case with the gorgeous 1998-1999 Mercedes C43 AMG, which has all the ingredients of the classic muscle car.

Under the hood sits a 4.3-liter V8 packing 302 hp, some built during the Daimler-Chrysler era, adding actual American muscle to the German four-door. That should silence even the harshest critics claiming the C43 is not a true American muscle car. But it was fast, loud, great to look at, and with a V8 under the hood, it perfectly fits the definition of the muscle car.

1988 Pontiac Firebird

Many of us lament the passing of Pontiac and its Firebird, one of the finest muscle cars ever made. Happily, plenty of examples are cheaply available on the classic car market, and one of the most underrated is the 1988 Firebird.

As the 1980s transitioned into the 1990s, muscle cars regained their feet. The 1988 Firebird could pack up to 225 hp with the 5.7-liter V8 under the hood, and there was also the option of the 2.8-liter Multi-Port fuel injection V6. The finest moment for the late 180s Pontiac Firebird came thanks to the Banks Twin-Turbo Trans Am GT that set a world record of 267.618 mph down the Bonneville Salt Flats, becoming the world’s fastest passenger car.

2002 Ford Mustang

Like any other muscle car, the Ford Mustang has experienced tough times. But sometimes, a good model slips through the cracks, overshadowing the poorer ones around it. After a lukewarm launch for the fourth-generation Mustang in 1993, by 2002, Ford had worked its magic to improve its flagship model drastically.

Not only did it feature a more aggressive design, but power also went up. The 3.8-liter V6 offered 190 hp, as much as many muscle cars of the 1970s and 1980s could offer full stop. But thanks to V8 power, the 2002 Mustang GT could deliver 260 hp, much more in line with familiar muscle car territory.

2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS

The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is a muscle car disappearing from the Bow Tie’s lineup. In 2000, Chevrolet kicked off the model’s swansong, and the new Monte Carlo SS was within the range. This boosted the standard model significantly, thanks to the 200 hp produced by the 3.8-liter V6 engine under the hood.

Reviews at the time were quite favorable to the 2000 Monte Carlo SS, and they still are. It is possible to extract more power from this more subtle muscle car, which is a great-looking car thanks to the smooth, clean lines. Chevrolet finally stopped producing the Monte Carlo in 2007 and has not returned to the lineup since.

Jensen Interceptor

The iconic Jensen Interceptor is another rare case of a muscle car not originating from the United States. British manufacturer Jensen went to Chrysler for powertrain assistance, and the American company duly obliged by placing its small block LA V8 engine under the hood. Thus, the world now had a fantastic British muscle car.

Jensen would also use the 5.9-liter small-block V8 under the Interceptor’s hood, with the most power coming from the 383 ci 6.3-liter low deck big-block V8 engine producing 335 hp. Jensen would also create the Jensen SP, a mighty version of the Interceptor with a 440 ci V8 engine producing 330 hp.

2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R

As the 2000s dawned, the Ford Mustang, like other muscle cars, was escaping the misery of the 1980s and beginning to look and feel like a true muscle car again. Ford’s Special Vehicle Team had evolved the Cobra further, creating the 2000 SVT Cobra R that was the pinnacle of the New Edge Mustang.

The Cobra R packed a 5.4-liter V8 engine producing 385 hp and 385 lb-ft of torque, a big jump from the earlier 1993 SVT Cobra, which had been well received. Ford could now compete with some of Europe’s finest performance cars with the new Mustang, which was solidified thanks to the Eibach springs and lower ride height, making it a joy in the corners.

1982 Pontiac Firebird Formula

Your options are greatly limited if you want a muscle car from the 1980s with decent performance. However, making the best out of a bad situation was the 1982 Pontiac Firebird Formula, which is also very affordable due to the higher popularity of the first and second-generation Pontiac Firebirds.

Thanks to the gas crises of the 1970s, the power of the 1982 Firebird is much lower than anyone wanted. Under the hood sits a 5.0-liter V8, which sounds massive, but it only produces 165 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque. But if you shop around, you can find the later Firebird Formula with the 5.7-liter Chevrolet LB9 V8 under the hood, and you still get a great-looking car with a stunning, sleek body and pop-up headlights.