Best Muscle Cars of 2023

Characteristics of American Muscle Cars

While many of us may have a homogenous idea of muscle cars, the truth is that they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they aren’t all American, either. The BMW M8, for example, is a relatively new muscle car that ditches traditional RWD in favor of AWD while adding an extra level of luxury to one of the most popular segments in the US. Still, it shares some of the traditional motifs of the style, and while not all types of muscle cars are the same, you can generally expect each current model to have most of these qualities:

• Performance: You will usually find powerful V6 or V8 engines under the hood of these burly machines. This not only gives them the kick they need to get moving in a hurry, but also the soundtrack that petrolheads have grown to adore and expect. A turbo-four just won’t cut it for the coolest muscle cars as it lacks the presence of a traditional V. As for handling, these are seldom the nimblest of cars, although they don’t lack for feedback and engagement. Their real strength lies in the straight line sprint, though.
• Sprint times: Speaking of the straight line, this is where the fastest muscle cars shine. Grip, throttle response, lag, shift speed, and conditions play a large role in how quickly you get from point A to point B. Some can even go from 0-60 mph in nearly two seconds flat. However, advances in automotive engineering mean that you actually get the best performance from an automatic gearbox, which means sacrificing the engagement of a good manual
• Practicality: While muscle cars are just as likely to come with 2 doors as with 4, there is no denying that inside, they are more practical than your average sports coupe. They usually have accessible rear seats, even if they aren’t the most spacious, but the trunk is usually more than generous enough for daily drivers. This is something very few sports cars can boast
• Price: In comparison to sleeker, turbocharged speedsters, the price of muscle cars is quite reasonable. Unfortunately, this is only half the truth, as sticking with a traditional V6 or V8 has repercussions. In this case, they are exorbitant fuel bills. And, in an age where we are moving towards eco-friendly electric power, modern muscle cars might be a dying breed.

What to Consider When Buying Fast Muscle Cars

While there aren’t a whole lot of brands with muscle cars in their catalog, there are enough to make buying one a real tough decision. To make matters worse, a lot of these brands also offer many tempting alternatives. To be sure that a brand-new muscle car is what you actually want and/or need, be sure to list the pros and cons first:

Pros

• Some of the coolest and most nostalgic styling
• Plenty of hot engines to choose from
• Extremely fun to drive
• Reasonably priced for a performance vehicle
• More practical and comfortable than a normal sports coupe

Cons

• Massive engines drink a lot of fuel
• The best muscle car is usually the least useful in the real world
• Your neighbors probably won’t love you

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