1. Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
   Buick Skylark Gran Sport
2. Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
   Dodge Charger R/T E49

Introduced in 1966, the Camaro was Chevy's answer to Ford's Mustang. The car soon found an identity and a fan base all its own and, except for a period between 2002 and 2010, has been in production ever since. The 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE has a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that can produce an impressive 650 horsepower.

1. Mercury Cyclone
   Dodge Super Bee
2. Oldsmobile Starfire
   Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

With its iconic firebird hood decal and upgraded horsepower and handling from the standard Firebird class, the Pontiac Trans Am was one of the most bankable star vehicles of its time, featured in hits like "Smokey and the Bandit," "Rocky II" and "Knight Rider." It also had the muscle to back up that image, with the 1979 model offering a 6.6-liter V8 engine.

1. Ford Falcon GT
   Chevrolet Chevelle SS396
2. Dodge Challenger SRT 392
   Plymouth Fury 413

The Dodge Challenger SRT 392 is part of the third generation of the Challenger line, which started in 1969. Closely related to the modern Dodge Chargers, the Challenger is just a bit faster, with a top speed of 182 mph, as compared to the Charger's 175 mph. The SRT comes with a 6.4-liter V8 that somehow stuffs 485 horses under its hood.

1. Dodge Conquest
   Dodge 440
2. Dodge Victory Sonoma
   Dodge Charger Daytona

While there were other Dodge Daytonas, the 1969 version with its bullet-shaped nose and a massive rear spoiler is easily one of the brand's most iconic cars. With a 7.2-liter Hemi V8, this limited-edition Charger won its first race, the inaugural Talladega 500, and went on to win five more in 1969 and 1970.

1. Plymouth Road Runner
   Chevy Underdog
2. Dodge Supermobile
   Ford Popeye

Available between 1968 and 1980, the Plymouth Road Runner was designed to be a more inexpensive muscle car, when the trend was to make ever-more pricy models with horses under the hood. While it may not have cost as much as some of its competitors, the car came with the option of having a 7.0-liter Hemi V8. "Meep Meep," indeed!

1. Nissan Sentra SE-R
   Toyota MR2 Turbo
2. Lexus RC F
   Mitsubishi Model A

It's got grace, it's got comfort and it's got power. The Lexus RC F first hit the streets in 2014 and is a two-door coupe version of the company's XE30. The car ("RC" stands for "Radical Coupe") has several engine options, including a 5.0-liter V8 that can generate almost 500 horsepower.

1. Honda S2000
   Toyota Supra
2. Mitsubishi Eclipse
   Mazda Miata

The Toyota Supra, with its streamlined chassis derived from its parent vehicle, the Celica, was first seen on roads in 1979. After its first two generations, the Supra became its own model, staying in U.S. markets until 1988 and in Japanese markets until 2002. The brand got a new lease on life when a new generation was unveiled for the 2020 model year.

1. Lincoln Mark VIII
   Cadillac CTS-V
2. GMC Syclone
   Crosley Hotshot

Although the brand is known for luxury and comfort, the Cadillac CTS-V has all that plus, in the third generation's case, a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that packs 640 horses under the hood and can go from 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 200 mph.

1. Mazda 3
   Honda CR-V
2. Nissan GT-R
   Subaru Ascent

There are few cars that check the "luxury/sport" car box better than the Nissan GT-R. First introduced in 2007, the front-engine, all-wheel drive vehicle has a 3.8-liter V6, which might not sound very powerful next to some American muscle cars. The twin-turbocharged powerplant, however, gives the vehicle a top speed of 195 mph and a 0-to-60 time of 3.2 seconds. It's got looks AND speed.

1. 1969 GTO "Judge"
   1964 2+2
2. 1967 Firebird "First"
   1971 Grand Ville

Named after the "Here Come de Judge" routine on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, the 1969 Pontiac GTO "Judge" was nothing to laugh at. This muscle car, built to compete with the Dodge Road Runner, had a Ram Air III engine that could generate 366 horsepower but was stripped of other features to make its price competitive.

1. AMC AMX
   Mercury Comet
2. Dodge GTX
   Ford Shelby Mustang GT350

The Mustang often rides the line between "pony" and "muscle," but the 2019 Shelby GT350 is all muscle. With a 5.2-liter "Voodoo" V8 engine, this car can produce 526 braking horsepower and compete with all comers with chassis tuning designed for the track.

1. Honda S600
   Mazda RX-7
2. Subaru SVX
   Nissan 300ZX

The RX-7 was Mazda's entry in its RX class from 1978 through 2002, with more than 800,000 copies of the vehicle made during that time. The RX-7 had three generations and made Car and Driver Magazine's "Ten Best" list five times. Later versions of the RX-7 offered a sequential twin-turbocharging system for constant acceleration.

1. Nissan Maxima
   Lexus LFA
2. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
   Acura NSX

It's not the biggest or most powerful automobile on this list, but the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X has got a 291-horsepower engine and a computer-controlled all-wheel-drive system that allows it to eat up rally tracks and give its driver top-flight performance on the roads. These factors have ensured that the EVO has found a place in the hearts of drivers who value handling and Japanese design.

1. Ford Mustang Mach 1
   Rambler Rogue V8
2. AMC AMX
   Buick GNX

The Buick GNX was the result of the limited edition "Grand National Experimental" project the company conducted with McLaren Performance Technologies to produce the "Grand National to end all Grand Nationals." Only about 500 were made, and they featured the Garrett AiResearch T-3 turbocharger for added power.

1. Honda Prelude
   Datsun 240Z
2. Acura Integra GS-R
   Nissan Skyline

With a distinctive shape and a style all its own, the Datsun 240Z (also known as the Nissan S30 and Nissan Fairlady Z) turned plenty of heads when it was released in 1969. Sleek and relatively low-priced, the two-seat coupe kicked off a successful run of the Z series, which continues to this day.

1. Nissan Maxima
   Lexus SC
2. Toyota Celica
   Mazda MX-5

The Mazda MX-5 has been giving drivers a fun ride for more than 30 years, and it's easy to see why. The two-passenger convertible roadster is lightweight, affordable and, most of all, fun to drive. This is something both drivers and critics can agree on; the MX-5 has also won many international awards over the years and has sold more than 1 million copies.

1. Nissan Skyline GT-R
   Mitsubishi Starion Turbo
2. Toyota Toyopet
   Infiniti Q45

Produced between 1969 and 1973 and again between 1989 and 2002, the later-model Skyline GT-R was capable of running a quarter-mile in 12.7 seconds and going from 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds. This particular car never made it to North American shores; it was produced only in Japan and exported only to Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.

1. 1964 Pontiac GTO Tri-Power
   1971 Plymouth Hemi Barracuda
2. 1969 Boss 429 Mustang
   1970 Chevy Chevelle SS

Although Mustangs are generally considered "pony" cars — the category is named after them, after all — the 1969-70 Mustang Boss 429 was designed for the racetrack (the NASCAR racetrack, specifically). Ford needed to make enough 429 V8 engines to homologate it to meet NASCAR rules, and the "Boss 9" Mustang was the result.

1. Lexus IS F
   Honda Civic Si
2. Acura Integra Type R
   Toyota Celica ST

Introduced as a third-generation variant of the Acura Integra, the Type R model was designed for better handling by strengthening its chassis, reducing its weight and other modifications. What was beneath the hood wasn't neglected with the Type R, though; its hand-built engine could rev up to 8,500 RPM to put and keep the vehicle in motion.

1. Toyota Corolla SR5
   Honda NSX
2. Nissan Leaf
   Honda Civic Coupe

Designed to take on Ferrari, the Honda NSX first hit the streets in 1990 (North American audiences probably recognize it as the Acura NSX). The first mass-produced car with an all-aluminum body, the first-gen NSX had a 3.2-liter V6. After a period of retirement between 2005 and 2016, the NSX reappeared as a hybrid with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 and three electric motors.

1. Chevy Chevelle
   Ford Falcon
2. Pontiac GTO
   Buick Grand National

The first and second generations of the Chevy Chevelle, made between the 1964 and 1972 model years, were some of the most iconic muscle cars in the field, boasting 7.4-liter big-block V8 engines. The styles started to calm down in the third generation, and in 1978 the line was replaced by a car named after one of the Chevelle's trim levels, the Malibu.

1. Toyota Prius
   Lexus LFA
2. Mazda Cosmo
   Honda Civic Type-R

The Mazda Cosmo was sporty and stylish, but its engine is what seals its place in history. The Cosmo, which was put into production in 1967, was the first vehicle to feature the Mazda Wankel engine, a dual-rotor combustion powerplant that is both small and powerful (although hard on gas mileage).

1. 370ZX
   Maxima X1
2. NL-76
   R390 GT1

Nissan claimed that the R390 GT1 was capable of reaching a top speed of 220 mph, but the car was never put to the official test — and we say "the" car because there was only one made. It was built to meet the requirements of Le Mans, but was never put into production and, as such, never met the homologation requirements. Still, the super-sleek body and mechanical specifications captured the attention of sports car fans around the world.

1. 1965 Rambler Marlin
   1967 Ambassador 990
2. 1972 Gremlin x
   1969 AMX/3

There weren't many made — the company pulled the plug because of rising expenses — but the AMX/3 was set to be a flagship car for AMC. Sleek and built for speed, the mid-engined muscle car had a top speed of 170 mph and set a record for going from 0 to 60 mph in just five seconds.

1. Mazda HR-X
   Mitsubishi Starion
2. Mitsuoka Orochi
   Daihatsu Charade

The Mitsubishi Starion had rebadged variants in North America known as the Conquest in the Chrysler family of automobiles. Still, the car's main claim to fame in history books is as one of the first turbocharged performance automobiles with fuel injection made by a Japanese company. The Starion was produced between 1982 and 1989.

1. 1970 Ford Torino Cobra
   1968 Chevy Milan
2. 1971 Dodge Siena
   1967 Plymouth Genoa

The Cobra was a variant of the Ford Torino, named after the Italian city Turin, known for its automobile history. With a 7.0-liter V8 Ford engine that could produce 370 horsepower, however, this model was all American and could hit 60 mph from a standing start in under six seconds.

1. Lexus LS 400
   Honda Civic Type-R
2. Infiniti Q60 Project Black S
   Mazda R100

The Q60 Project Black S was built between Infiniti and the Renault Sport Formula One team, and it offers a dual motor/generator powerplant. Unveiled at the 2017 Geneva International Motor Show, the car was estimated to be able to generate 500 horsepower with its V6 gas engine and two electric motors.

1. Pontiac LeMans
   Dodge Dart
2. Mercury Marauder
   AMC SC/Rambler

There were only 80 made, but certain units of the humble Dodge Dart got a brief but major upgrade in 1968 when the company put a 426 Hemi engine in that model's frame and took it to drag racing. The car was able to make the quarter-mile run in 10 seconds, making it one of the fastest American muscle cars of all time.

1. Nissan Silvia
   Acura Integra
2. Honda Civic Type-R
   Mitsubishi Eclipse

While never sold in the North American market, the Nissan Silvia shared a frame with the company's 240SX model. Produced from 1964 to 1968 and again from 1974 through 2002, the Silvia was designed to take on the Honda Prelude, Mazda MX-6, Mitsubishi Eclipse and others. It built a loyal following throughout its production cycle.

1. 1970 Mercury Cougar
   1977 Dodge Polara GLS
2. 1969 AMC SC/Rambler
   1967 Pontiac Bonneville

The SC/Rambler was the product of a joint 1969 venture by AMC and Hurst Performance. It was built for speed and muscle and not much else; it kept the price to $3,000 by offering no options whatsoever. The car did have it where it counted, though, able to make the quarter-mile in just over 14 seconds with its V8 engine generating 315 horsepower.

1. Chevy Monte Carlo
   Equus Bass 770
2. McLaren 650S
   Bugatti Veyron

Handcrafted with an enormous powerplant, the Equus Bass 770 is a muscle car for those who don't have to look at price tags. The 700s start at $250,000 and, depending on trim and model levels, can go as high as $500,000. The car has a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that puts out 640 horses, though, so while it's a luxury car, it's also ready to go at a moment's notice.

1. Buick Skylark GSX
   Dodge Super Bee 440
2. Ford Thunderbolt 427
   Oldsmobile 442

Released in 1964, Oldsmobile's main entry in the muscle car field was the 442, named after its four-speed manual transmission, four-barrel carburetor and its dual exhaust, and it was a worthy contender. Its massive 7.5-liter V8 engine could produce 370 horsepower.

1. Datsun B210
   Toyota RAV4
2. Subaru WRX STI
   Toyota 2000GT

The Toyota 2000GT was made in collaboration with Yamaha and debuted in 1965. The undeniably sporty vehicle changed the way the world saw Japan's place in the automotive landscape, which could kindly be called "practical" at the time. Only 351 of the vehicles were produced between 1967 and 1970, and it is now a highly sought-after collector's item.

1. Plymouth Barracuda
   Chevrolet Chevelle
2. Pontiac GTO
   Buick Wildcat

Although it hit design boards after news of Ford's new pony car reached Plymouth's ears, the fully formed and finished Barracuda hit showroom floors two weeks ahead of the Mustang. While it was a pony car at first, the second-generation broke into the muscle car class with 50 copies boasting a 7.0-liter V8 Hemi under the hood.

1. Toyota Yaris
   Honda Beat
2. Toyota Toyopet
   Mitsubishi Starion

The Honda Beat was a mid-engined kei car with only an inline-three powerplant, but the vehicle was capable of revving them to 9,000 RPM, giving this tiny two-seater a lot of pep in its step. The Beat was produced between 1991 and 1996 and was never made available in North America.