At a peak 526 horsepower, this is the most powerful naturally aspirated Ford ever made.
If you’re looking for hardcore muscle, but you don’t want to deal with the fun of carbureted engines and a severe lack of ABS brakes, these five modern muscle cars are great.
First off, we must define what is and is not a muscle car. While some might argue otherwise, we’re going to say muscle cars only have two doors. There is a backseat, so the Corvette and Viper don’t qualify. That does throw out quite a few powerful, fun vehicles.
Also, muscle cars lay it down with loads of power. Sure, some handle quite well, but big power is an absolute must. Admittedly, that doesn’t leave too many vehicles. What you get, though, are some truly fantastic cars that will transform any road run into a pulse-pounding adventure.
Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
All you need to do is hear the flat-plane crack 5.2-liter V8 engine wail at wide open throttle to know why this car is special. Sure, such a powerplant isn’t exactly traditional for a muscle car. Neither is the fact the GT350 can stick turns like it’s glued to the road.
At a peak 526 horsepower, this is the most powerful naturally aspirated Ford ever made. The engine revs all the way to 8,250 rpm, and makes a wonderful symphony all the way there. Just try driving this car and not feel like you’re wrangling a wicked beast, you can’t.
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
How could this car not end up on the list of modern muscle cars? The Dodge Challenger is a great modern muscle car, and the Demon pushes it to an extreme level. You can get this car with just one seat, proving it’s all about going way fast in a straight line, plus big bravado. The whole thing is a big hat tip to muscle cars of old.
You probably know the Demon uses a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine, with a nice little demon icon on the cover. Feeding a ample supply of cool air is a super wide Air-Grabber hood scoop. The Torque Reserve Launch System helps ensure you’re not embarrassed by people with lesser vehicles at the track.
Acceleration is brutal, with 0 to 60 taking just 2.3 seconds. It does the quarter mile in 9.65 seconds. No other production car can do a wheelie. Sure, it won’t slalom worth crap, but that’s not the point of this modern muscle car.
