Originating in the late 1960s, the term "musclecar" has always referred to an American coupe with a robust engine designed to generate stout levels of both speed and power. In other words, a rear-drive two-door V-8-propelled Yankee capable of producing thunderclouds of Firestone smoke.
Today, much remains the same. Take a look at our recent comparison test between three modern musclecars -- Ford Mustang GT, Chevrolet Camaro SS, and Dodge Challenger SRT8 -- and you'll see that all are American designed and engineered (the Chevy and Dodge, it's worth noting, are assembled in Canada), feature brawny 400-plus-horsepower V-8 engines (the "smallest" displaces 5.0 liters), and are capable of quarter-mile times once reserved for race cars and import supercars (the Mustang GT needs just 12.7 seconds at 111.3 mph). It's safe to say that today's collection of muscle is the greatest of all time, certainly when considering the handling dynamics match the heady horsepower.
2010 New York Auto Show Photo Gallery
2011 Ford Mustang Photo Gallery
Geneva Motor Show Photo Gallery
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