Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high performance
automobiles.
[1][2] The term principally refers to American, Australian and to a lesser extent South African models. It generally describes a 2-door
mid-size car with a large, powerful
V8 engine, and at an affordable price. Although opinions vary, it is generally accepted that classic muscle cars were produced in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
[3][4][5][6] Muscle cars were built for street use and in some cases
racing. They are distinct from
sports cars and also from
GTs, which are two-seat or
2+2 cars intended for high-speed touring/
road racing. These are not generally considered muscle cars owing to their small size, relatively high cost and specialty nature. (The two-seater
AMC AMX may or may not be an exception: one source queries whether it qualifies as a true muscle car or pony car,
[7] but also lists it among vehicles that fit the general interpretation of both categories.
[8] AMC was "never shy" about describing the car as "a genuine sports car"
[9] as it was relatively inexpensive).
[3]For a definition from the muscle car era, Peter Henshaw's 2004 book Muscle Cars refers the reader to an extract from Road Test magazine’s June 1967 issue: "Just what is a Muscle Car? Exactly what the name implies. It is a product of the American car industry adhering to the
hot rodder's philosophy of taking a small car and putting a BIG engine in it [...] The Muscle Car is
Charles Atlas kicking sand in the face of the 98 hp (73 kW) weakling." Henshaw adds that the muscle car was designed for straight-line speed, and did not have the "sophisticated chassis", "engineering integrity" or "lithe appearance" of European high-performance cars
[10]Opinions vary as to whether high-performance
full-size cars,
compacts, and
pony cars qualify as muscle cars.
[11]Classic muscle cars are also defined by age and country of origin. The term "muscle car" did not enter common usage until after production of the vehicles had essentially ended,
[3] and American print media of the era commonly referred to them as "supercars
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