So many of you say that these are not muscle cars whatsoever. So is it that the American ones cannot turn and these potential non-US ones can and that's basically why you write them off? I am open for a discussion. Tell me, what else defines a muscle car (other than affordable price, but markets and financial situations are different amongst various parts of the world which is why I sort of skipped that).
VisioRacer it's not that, it's the fact that the muscle car is an American concept. Really most of the non-American cars that could potentially fit into this category are Australian Holdens and Ford's (Because they are still American companies.) There are only a few on this list that have the potential to fit into the muscle car category and that is because they either are made by American companies or have American engines
A muscle car is a sedan or coupe with an engine too powerful for the chassis and suspension to handle. If the chassis and suspension are designed to handle the power of the engine, it isn't a muscle car. Muscle cars exist because American car companies wanted to make sports cars, but they didn't want to spend the time and effort to build proper chassis and suspensions, so they put huge engines into their normal cars. That is why people say "muscle cars can't corner" -- because they were never designed to go so fast. The problem is not that the cars you selected are bad, the problem is they *are too good* to be muscle cars.
To be a "muscle-car" in the American definition, all that's needed are three things: 1. More horsepower then sense. 2. The road manners akin to a riding three legged cow on a frozen lake. 3. Just enough brakes to see what is about to kill you as you smash into it.
lol, until pretty recently that was true, but the later renditions of corvette, mustang, charger and camaro, are all pretty road worthy vehicles, and they`re basically the quintessential examples of muscle cars, both history-wise and today ;)
An M5, Audi RS7 or Merc E63 AMG will eat any U.S. muscle car for breakfast. And please dont come with Nurenburg ring times, its totally up to the driver, U.S. car companies hire the best drivers with race slick tires, while the rest of the cars go usually with serial production tires and mediocore drivers, in a real life scenario german cars always win.
Zac Gobshite you said that the jenson sounded good if you payed atening that's because it came with a cheysler v8 and as we all know how great a hotroded American iron sounds like no other believe or not there have been other car company's indifferent country's even Japan that have tried copy the American v8 sound and no i'm not making that up I all ways thought that was funny because us American just did it are way😂
Good start, but you missed all the Aussie muscle cars, ford GT HO phase 3 falcon, Holden torana GTR XUI, Torana A9X, valiant charger, valiant pacer.............. Let's see this in the next edition. Cheers
well I personally think that the bmw's are not muscle cars but sport cars and I expected some Australian muscle cars like the 1973 ford falcon xb gt or the 1973 holden monaro gts
The best looking in the bunch are the BMW 840 and the Aston Martin V8. I have always described the Aston V8 as a Rolls Royce muscle car. Refined with nice classy touches, but hit the gas and this car shows its power with the right sounds and lots of brute power.
jacob motosicky All AM V8s have a faulty gasket that leaks almost all engine oil. To replace it you are looking at at least $12K. Clutch goes much early too if you buy a manual. You've been warned.
The "affordable" part would be rather controversial as market, people and economy are very very different now and back then too in America and other parts of the world.
MrcabooseVG We can get them fairly cheap here too, it doesn't make them true muscle car. The guy down the road put one on a Ford Bronco Frame. Road Kill created Draguar, google that. That's what blue collar does to a UK sports car.
I definitely would've added the CLK430 and CLK55 to make it an even 10. Very affordable and very well built V8 2 door coupes. Both feel like muscle cars, but with a touch of class.
Don't mind the Americans, they get upset when it's pointed out the rest of the world builds better V8's and cars. Putting truck engines into ancient, body on frame cars is their specialty.
Haha 🤣🤣 That's how American cars consistently match or beat the performance of other cars around world-renowned race tracks and road courses. By not being as good.
The rest of the world now is making more muscle cars than America.Just compare how much Ford has now compared to Mercedes. one mustang vs several 63AMGs.
I'd add Alfa Romeo Montreal to the list too......and some old Opel's like Manta, Monza and Record Coupe look totally "muscle", although they didn't come with V8's.
You should have split this into a modern and classic video. Many more classic cars such as the Monteverdi High-speed, Bitter CD, Iso Grifo, Maserati Ghibli/Indy, et al. would have been applicable.
The Capri at 4:43 is not a Perana , it's a 3000GT from Finland that has a 302W V8 in it but it's not a genuine Basil Green motors Perana V8 from South Africa, the one at 4:49 is also just a regular 4 cylinder Capri with a 302 V8, i doubt that the first one is real either.
I guess thats debatable too. In fact only about 1000 original Cobras were produced including the much rarer 427 variants. In my mind at least, a muscle car is a high performance, with a decent quantity produced (I'll include limited edition model in here), affordable, sports car without too many luxuries, usually built by mainstream companies, sometimes based on existing generic models
Round it up to 10 with the Maserati Ghibli! (Not the new one, the cool one from 67-73.) It has a great rumble at idle, screams when at speed. (And it looks fantastic!) Happy to see the Gordon Keeble here, but I'd swap out the XJR for an ISO. The Rivolta and Grifo both have the muscle car "look", but the Lele is pretty wild looking.
The only reason that I might exclude some of these cars is their cost, as I would classify them as Grand Tourers (basically upper class performance cars) rather than muscle cars, which I always envisioned as affordable performance vehicles. The '64 Pontiac GTO took the intermediate Tempest and put a larger V8 into it, then named the package GTO after the Ferrari of the same name. It's considered the first muscle car (though there were earlier precedents) and was something the average factory worker with a mortgage could afford. The same just can't be said about the Jenson, the Aston Martin, the BMW or Mercedes. The Holden Monaro most certainly qualifies (heck, the Australians also sold four door muscle cars which are just as cool) and as for the compact Ford Capri, I don't care what it is, I just think it looks like fun. I always enjoy your videos, even if I occasionally disagree here and there. Great work!
Thorbjørn Madsen No The 1st Generation Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Which Used The M156 V8 Producing 425HP Is A 6.2L N/A, (6,208cc) Although Due To Mercs 1st Production V8 (The M100) Being A 6.3L It Was Named As "A 6.3 Litre" To Honour It, SO YOURE ALL FUCKING IDIOTS! Although this engine displaces 6.208 liters, it is marketed as the "6.3" to commemorate Mercedes' famed 6.3L M100 engine, its first production V8. - Wikipedia
If drifting had existed in the 1970s, the Ford Capri (especially the Mark II) would have been the car of choice - light, powerful, and rear wheel drive that made it easy to throw out the back end around corners.
I'm American and would say you got it right. I think alot of Americans define muscle cars as uniquely 'american' with a certain body style, and thus non-US manufacturers don't fit the bill completely. But I find your definition more valid, given that US manufacturers were never the only ones producing these types of vehicles.
The Chevrolet Opala is kind of in the gray area because the only reason it didn't have a v8 is because of the import ban and because Chevy didn't have a v8 in South America at the time...
Bercholr, Mate you've obviously Never been in a Aussie Chrysler Charger E49, Holden Torana GTR XU1, or a Ford Cortina XLE 250, or Falcon XR6... V8 eaters all of em! both on the track and on the street!
Great Video. Most of the US muscle cars from the 1960s-1970s were 5-seaters, most had a 3-person bench seat in the rear. Many also had a front bench seat standard, bucket seats were almost always optional. The only 4 seaters were the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camero, Pontiac Firebird,, Dodge Challenger, Plymouth Baracuda, and the AMC Javelin. Also, there were several versions of the Australian Ford Falcon that were definitely musclecars. He Mad Max Interceptor was based on a 1970s Australian Falcon. Had a 351ci V8.
Most AMG and M cars larger than M3. Possibly the Infiniti whatever-the-fuck-the-G37-is-called-now. 400 hp and a whole lot of nothing else. Lexus' RC might qualify too, if its price weren't so high. IS-F?
Good old Holden Commodore. You could have also gone with a Ford Falcon, mostly these cars are 4 door cars though. In Australia, both the V6 Holden Commodores or Ford Falcons aren't really seen as a performance or muscle car, but rather just a cheap piece of crap you buy for under $5000 usually, newer ones go for around $10,000 second hand. but the're usually still around 10 years old. They're pretty common around Australia still, even though Neither the Falcon or Commodore are made anymore. The V8 Commodore or Falcon, while popular, still arent really seen as a performance car, and if they are the serious performance models (Commodore SS or Falcon XR8) you can usually find doing burn outs and drifting in shopping center carparks or in someones back yard
1:44 so just saying there's a car in Brazil called "brasinca" and if you take the Jensen interseptor and the brasinca you will see that the both cars are really similar
He's not wrong, US muscle cars didn't have independent suspension until quite recently, hell they even kept using leaf spring when the entire rest of the world had moved to coils. That and Americans get so few horsepower out of a V8, i didn't think it was possible to have a weak V8
MrcabooseVG hmmm??? Are you kidding me? Let's see. 460, 455, 454, 440, 350, 327,302,351,360, . Ya they have only a few hp, no torque, they don't run worth a shit, yep they aren't as superior. Are you really being serious? All of the motors I just stated make these German cars get put to shame. Not to mention if it essential for our engines yours wouldn't exist.
Bradley Webb Great thats half the power of the Bugatti Chiron. Power is not the problewm with U.S. cars, handling, brakes and cooling are, also I have to admit in the past 10years they made fenomenal progress, U.S. high performance cars are now in quality, handling, brakes and reliablity where European high performance were 10years ago, wich sounds arrogant but it isnt since you guys had to bypass 40years of laziness in car development, another 10years and you could beat us.
Claim to fame: when I worked in southampton docks in the UK, someone had their Gordon Keeble shipped across from the Isle of Wight to have it's servicing done by a specialist. I drove that car about 1.5 miles in the docks, and it was a total event :D
Now the problem here is that none of these cars are proper muscle cars. Muscle cars are varying degrees of pathetic and shit, these cars are none of that.
I hate BMW, but I agree because I hate American cars even more. BMW are good cars at least and developed properly. They weren't built by apes and drive properly. Muscle cars are just sh!t and made for people who are too stupid ('muricans) to put a 'v8 modor' in a normal car while leaving the suspension and brakes untouched. After having ruined the design of course. Europe and Japan build proper cars, the rest can stay over there.
I love the voiceover for the fact that I can watch it on 1.25 speed (and it still sounds a bit slow) so I have more time for other vids too :D Mabye a pro tip, although can turn out to be a bit awkward: Record your voice as you usually do, speed it up a bit and then insert it under the vid, until you are more comfortable with speaking.
If I had to give any of the 9 cars in this list a musclecar designation, it would be the Jensen Interceptor. Being built toward the end of the musclecar era helps greatly. Did I mention the TNT 440 under the hood?
The important defining characteristic of a muscle car that these cars lack, is that a muscle car is just a regular family car until certain options or trim levels are aquired.
C63 6.2 AMG (WITH a installed LSD, factory or third party, Quaife), simply one of THE greatest sports / muscle car ever, and of the best German cars to drive and have actual fun everyday too.
I agree with most but not all. Mainly agree that the C63 AMG, E92, V8 Vantage, Holden Monaro GTS and Vauxhall Monaro VXR are definitely muscle cars, the others are debatable. Good video and I enjoyed this.
This is where most people start to add or confuse this genre of cars. First is has to be a midsize model, either 4 or 5 passengers. Next is has to be a 2 door model of that car. 3 is it can come standard with a V6 but to be considered as a muscle car it has to have been ordered with a V8 , either small block or big block (a larger displacement, Higher hp motor) as a factory installed option. 4 is that it has to be a mass produced model with an average starting price before options are ticked off. There are 2 that really don't belong in this vid. #1 is the Ford Capri. It is a compact car where as All muscle cars were midsize coupes and convertibles. #2 is the Gordon. It wasn't a mass produced car by any stretch of the imagination and it was too pricey.
TVR had a few like the V8S which looks amazing. In terms of fundamental american muscle, it would be the chevelle, charger, torino among very few others. I really enjoy your videos man, thank you!!
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports cars with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving."
Trident Clipper: 289/4.2L Ford V8 (mustang engine) built with help from TVR and BL from 67' to 76'. A GT coupé to rival other sports and muscle cars of the time, less than 30 were made.
I'd say that what defines the muscle car, is not where it was made, but how it sounds, and that it is a car, not a truck or van. MANY things fit into muscle car that you might not consider, for instance, the 1993-1997 Cadillac Fleetwood/buic roadmaster(sedan/wagon), due to its 4100LBS/1900kg weight, it wasnt extremely fast in a stright line, and its soft suspenssion meant that it really leans in the corners, but if you lay into the throttle, you will certainly hear, and feel, the 300HP 330lb-ft of the corvette sourced LT1 5.7L V8, came with an optional G80 differential
Great video as usual but personally I'd have removed the BMW and Mercedes, and added: Iso Grifo, Facel Vega II and Ford Falcon XB. Proper old-school muscle cars from outside the US :)
That's again a very nice selection of cars! They surely must be defined as Muscle Cars; especially the M3 and the AM. Never heard if the Gordon-Keeble though. The term Muscle Car doesn't neccesarily mean, that the cars must handle like shit from my point of view. Keep up the good work, mate.
Good list. There are a few more Aussie ones you missed. The Holden Torana - they did awesome 6s as well as a V8. Ford Falcon Coupe - the XA through XC were stunners. The Valiant Charger - the 265 Hemi 6 pack was the fastest and most powerful but they did them with a 318 and 360 V8 as well. An awesome looking car. Also Valiant Pacer Hardtop was pretty sweet. They never made a production coupe version of the Leyland P76 but the pre prodiction Force 7s fitted the bill too.
VileScarMind Chrysler let their engine designers do some fun things with Australian models. Although every US car mfg. built V8 Police Interceptor engines and cars that got them.I think early Chrysler ones were called Police Specials.
Actually, the 2004 Pontiac GTO over here in the states had the same LS1 as the Monaro. It was the only year for the LS1 in the GTO. It was changed to the LS2 for the 2005-06 model years.
"A muscle car is defined as 'any group of American made 2 door sports cars with powerful engines designed for high performance driving." NOPE. Not even close. The definition of a muscle car is a two door intermediate sedan with a powerful engine which allows it to accelerate quickly and run at high speeds. Muscle car are most emphatically NOT SPORTS CARS. They generally handle poorly, brake poorly and are only capable of straight line performance. Their little brother, the pony car, has a similar definition expect they're constructed on compact sedan platforms and can get away with slightly smaller engines because they weight less. They have slightly better handling. None of the cars shown are muscle cars. They're GTs, Grand Touring cars. A big thumbs down for this misleading video.
So many of you say that these are not muscle cars whatsoever. So is it that the American ones cannot turn and these potential non-US ones can and that's basically why you write them off? I am open for a discussion. Tell me, what else defines a muscle car (other than affordable price, but markets and financial situations are different amongst various parts of the world which is why I sort of skipped that).
VisioRacer it's not that, it's the fact that the muscle car is an American concept. Really most of the non-American cars that could potentially fit into this category are Australian Holdens and Ford's (Because they are still American companies.) There are only a few on this list that have the potential to fit into the muscle car category and that is because they either are made by American companies or have American engines
Gary Rehak Aussie muscle holds its own weight
Gary Rehak no
A muscle car is a sedan or coupe with an engine too powerful for the chassis and suspension to handle. If the chassis and suspension are designed to handle the power of the engine, it isn't a muscle car. Muscle cars exist because American car companies wanted to make sports cars, but they didn't want to spend the time and effort to build proper chassis and suspensions, so they put huge engines into their normal cars. That is why people say "muscle cars can't corner" -- because they were never designed to go so fast.
The problem is not that the cars you selected are bad, the problem is they *are too good* to be muscle cars.
It's simple: more power than the chassis can handle = muscle car.
Not the case for an M3.
To be a "muscle-car" in the American definition, all that's needed are three things:
1. More horsepower then sense.
2. The road manners akin to a riding three legged cow on a frozen lake.
3. Just enough brakes to see what is about to kill you as you smash into it.
So true.
lol, until pretty recently that was true, but the later renditions of corvette, mustang, charger and camaro, are all pretty road worthy vehicles, and they`re basically the quintessential examples of muscle cars, both history-wise and today ;)
More hp than sense
Foxbody mustang had 5.0 l V8
Only had under 250 hp
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa
you forgot about terrible specific output
If it looks good as hell, sounds good as hell, and is ass in every driving aspect except in a straight line, it's a muscle car.
Driving an oval course is also definitely a requirement
Always liked that Aston, looked like a Euro Mustang!
I always thought it was like a Mustang 2 that didn't suck
I don't know about using Mustang II and Aston Martin in the same sentence, LOL.
Look up 74-78 Mustang 2
Yeah, headlight buckets, no doubt.
If the Mustang 2 wasn't such a pitiful car you would probably see them more often
Personally I'd never call a m3 a muscle car. No sir. I couldn't do it. Well any BMW for that matter.
Mel's 12valve e39 m5 is definitely German muscle
FELiPES101 German muscle. Not even near the same as a American muscle. I don't qualify these new cars to be muscle cars by any means.
FELiPES101 It isn't muscle car if it isn't marketed towards blue collar people, period. Many people pull M3 V6's and put LS3's in them. Blu
An M5, Audi RS7 or Merc E63 AMG will eat any U.S. muscle car for breakfast.
And please dont come with Nurenburg ring times, its totally up to the driver, U.S. car companies hire the best drivers with race slick tires, while the rest of the cars go usually with serial production tires and mediocore drivers, in a real life scenario german cars always win.
Mel's 12valve the video is literally called muscle cars not from the United States
7:18 damn didn't know they made that version over 2000 years ago too
Oops
you mean 70 years in the future right?
Hannes Troedson since 2086-2015 would be either the wrong way around or 2086 BC which would actually be 4000 years.
It's not BC anymore man get with the CE.... Fucking christ.
shel bot what
that Jensen interceptor sounds so good 👌👌
Zac Gobshite Chrysler V8s always sound badass
RavenPrecept cool
I kinda want one after seeing it but I don't think I could drive from the right side of the car.
The "Jensen Interceptor FF" was the first performance car in the world to have permanent four wheel drive.
Zac Gobshite you said that the jenson sounded good if you payed atening that's because it came with a cheysler v8 and as we all know how great a hotroded American iron sounds like no other believe or not there have been other car company's indifferent country's even Japan that have tried copy the American v8 sound and no i'm not making that up I all ways thought that was funny because us American just did it are way😂
Good start, but you missed all the Aussie muscle cars, ford GT HO phase 3 falcon, Holden torana GTR XUI, Torana A9X, valiant charger, valiant pacer.............. Let's see this in the next edition. Cheers
can't forget the VK
Mark Lederer can't forget the kingswood or the falcon and commodore utes either
100% agree, these shitheaps have nothing on a GTHO Falcon or even the old VB VC Commodore rubbish is better than this offering
HOLDEN HQ 😏👍
That top model Valiant Charger was bad ass.
I've never heard anyone describe a Muscle car as specifically "American"
Wheres the Maloo? or HSV GTS or pretty much any HSV car
well I personally think that the bmw's are not muscle cars but sport cars and I expected some Australian muscle cars like the 1973 ford falcon xb gt or the 1973 holden monaro gts
The best looking in the bunch are the BMW 840 and the Aston Martin V8. I have always described the Aston V8 as a Rolls Royce muscle car. Refined with nice classy touches, but hit the gas and this car shows its power with the right sounds and lots of brute power.
If I ever get the chance to own a British car, it WILL be an Aston Martin V8.
Looks better than almost any American car from the era.
jacob motosicky All AM V8s have a faulty gasket that leaks almost all engine oil. To replace it you are looking at at least $12K. Clutch goes much early too if you buy a manual. You've been warned.
it's been four years, have you bought an aston martin v8 yet?
I think the "affordable" part is very important, that's why American muscle is still dead. Australian muscle existed which had four doors
To be fair you can get old V8 Jags with loads of power for £2000 and that's for a good one, you couldn't get a US muscle car for that now
+MrcabooseVG you can get cheap us muscle for dirt cheap still, you just have to look
The "affordable" part would be rather controversial as market, people and economy are very very different now and back then too in America and other parts of the world.
MrcabooseVG We can get them fairly cheap here too, it doesn't make them true muscle car. The guy down the road put one on a Ford Bronco Frame. Road Kill created Draguar, google that. That's what blue collar does to a UK sports car.
Allen .Berge lol a 18 ft long grand touring 4 dr sedan =/= sports car
I definitely would've added the CLK430 and CLK55 to make it an even 10. Very affordable and very well built V8 2 door coupes. Both feel like muscle cars, but with a touch of class.
Ayyyyy I got one
Don't mind the Americans, they get upset when it's pointed out the rest of the world builds better V8's and cars.
Putting truck engines into ancient, body on frame cars is their specialty.
Sideslip hahahahaha so true
Except other countries DON'T and NEVER have made better V8's.
Haha 🤣🤣 That's how American cars consistently match or beat the performance of other cars around world-renowned race tracks and road courses. By not being as good.
Sideslip Truck engines my ass
Sideslip yeah, like the famous Corvette truck.
I can't believe that the Iso Grifo and Bizzarrini A3C didn't make this group.
Ponycar =\= Musclecar
Jk, who the hell cares
A pony car is any car with a long hood and a short rear deck, most muscle cars follow this format but not all, oh well tho
Muscle cars of the 60's we're considered to be larger than pony cars and with larger engines, like the Chevy Impala or I think Ford Galaxy.
Tru, but the big 3 of the late 60's (Charger, Camaro, Mustang) were all muscle cars that followed the pony car format
The Impala wasn't a muscle car, the Chevelle and Nova were.
the charger wasnt a pony car, the dart was a pony or maybe the challenger could be also considered a pony car
My Aunt used to own a Mercury Capri, and her husband back then installed a 351 Cleveland in it....that little car ate junk camaros daily.....
Slight correction: many “muscle cars also came in 4-door sedans,
ie:Impala S.S. ,Pontiac G-8.
Also Australia has had their own muscle cars.
The Iso Grifo , Bizzarini Strada Gt3500 , De Tomaso Pantera , MG B V8 are also muscle cars
These are all sports cars, grand tourers, or made by a branch of an American company
Can't believe there was only one Holden!!!!!
Australian muscle cars deserve a video of there own!
FINALY someone actually gets it, muscle cars are not all American
but...they are though
americans call them "muscle cars" we just call them power cars or something similar in our respective languages, so yeah, theyre not all american
Made... In.... Mexico.
They are 100% American
The rest of the world now is making more muscle cars than America.Just compare how much Ford has now compared to Mercedes. one mustang vs several 63AMGs.
Two examples of "muscle car" produced in italy could be the iso grifo and alfa romeo montreal
C63 AMG COUPE MADE FROM 2087 TO 2015 😱
Damn those time travelers!
Basilica
I'd add Alfa Romeo Montreal to the list too......and some old Opel's like Manta, Monza and Record Coupe look totally "muscle", although they didn't come with V8's.
Capri Perana - South Africa only. Anywhere else is just a regular Capri with a 302W fitted.
Popular car for massive v8 swap!
You should have split this into a modern and classic video. Many more classic cars such as the Monteverdi High-speed, Bitter CD, Iso Grifo, Maserati Ghibli/Indy, et al. would have been applicable.
The Capri at 4:43 is not a Perana , it's a 3000GT from Finland that has a 302W V8 in it but it's not a genuine Basil Green motors Perana V8 from South Africa, the one at 4:49 is also just a regular 4 cylinder Capri with a 302 V8, i doubt that the first one is real either.
Blue Oval Forever And the Perana had rectangle headlights
Never knew Ford Capri had a V8 engine as standard. Only large engine variant I knew of in UK was 3.0L V6 and later 2.8L V6
7:20 that's some interesting years of production for that Mercedes... :)
The only muscle car in this list is the Holden Monaro
william anderson What about the Capri Mk1 with the windsor 302? That totally fits the bill
william anderson What about the Capri Mk1 with the windsor 302? That totally fits the bill
You could argue its high price and rarity. Its more of a supercar of its time
I guess thats debatable too. In fact only about 1000 original Cobras were produced including the much rarer 427 variants. In my mind at least, a muscle car is a high performance, with a decent quantity produced (I'll include limited edition model in here), affordable, sports car without too many luxuries, usually built by mainstream companies, sometimes based on existing generic models
Luke Tomney the cobra was built for racing though . purely to beat ferrari on track
Round it up to 10 with the Maserati Ghibli! (Not the new one, the cool one from 67-73.) It has a great rumble at idle, screams when at speed. (And it looks fantastic!) Happy to see the Gordon Keeble here, but I'd swap out the XJR for an ISO. The Rivolta and Grifo both have the muscle car "look", but the Lele is pretty wild looking.
The formula is :
Big displacement v8
2 doors
Mid-size or larger
Low rumbly exhaust note
Loud
Extra points for flashy looks
Also the Holden Monaro is from America and we had a v8 offered in our version as well.
Low rumbly exhaust note = old carburetor v8
A carburetor doesn't affect exhaust note
The only reason that I might exclude some of these cars is their cost, as I would classify them as Grand Tourers (basically upper class performance cars) rather than muscle cars, which I always envisioned as affordable performance vehicles. The '64 Pontiac GTO took the intermediate Tempest and put a larger V8 into it, then named the package GTO after the Ferrari of the same name. It's considered the first muscle car (though there were earlier precedents) and was something the average factory worker with a mortgage could afford. The same just can't be said about the Jenson, the Aston Martin, the BMW or Mercedes. The Holden Monaro most certainly qualifies (heck, the Australians also sold four door muscle cars which are just as cool) and as for the compact Ford Capri, I don't care what it is, I just think it looks like fun. I always enjoy your videos, even if I occasionally disagree here and there. Great work!
If that M3 had a blown big block Chevy, and some fat Hoosiers on the back, only then it might get called a muscle car.
this is quality bait my friend,you almost got me
McKroket maybe if it was lucky
No, that would be a drag car or trailer queen.
If it sreams bald eagles, its a muscle car
That would be a regular Street Racer in Northern Europe ;-)
Aston Martin V8 Vantage: The pinnacle of muscle!!
wtf 6,3 Mercedes, where are you????
6.2*
ThePaint No 6.3 Mercedes amg first one
Apache Helicopter No Mercedes-AMG C63 use 6,2L V8 engine you fucking idiot.
Thorbjørn Madsen No The 1st Generation Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Which Used The M156 V8 Producing 425HP Is A 6.2L N/A, (6,208cc) Although Due To Mercs 1st Production V8 (The M100) Being A 6.3L It Was Named As "A 6.3 Litre" To Honour It, SO YOURE ALL FUCKING IDIOTS!
Although this engine displaces 6.208 liters, it is marketed as the "6.3" to commemorate Mercedes' famed 6.3L M100 engine, its first production V8. - Wikipedia
the 6.9 was pretty muscly
If drifting had existed in the 1970s, the Ford Capri (especially the Mark II) would have been the car of choice - light, powerful, and rear wheel drive that made it easy to throw out the back end around corners.
You're right - there was never an official V8 Capri, they were all 4-pots or V6. This is a custom job.
... a m3??? really? that's not a muscle car
Matias Ibañez should be replaced by the C63
Matias Ibañez or maybe a Jaguar F Type V8
Raden Satrio Wibowo i go for the jaguar
Matias Ibañez M3 is known in many circles as "The German Mustang."
aston martin v8 vantage
I'm missing the Facel Vega HK500 in this list.
4:35 TORILLA TAVATAAN!!!
A very professional video, well done!
i thought e92 m3 was an tuner car :v
abie raffif Tuner car is not a category...
oh i see.. thx for the correction broooo
abie raffif Tuner cars are usually European GT cars or Japanese GT cars.
Mabe it´s to thank need for speed on that one.
"Tuner car"... are you 12
Your English and accent has really improved since you started narrating. Keep up the good work!
HE SAID POTENTIALLY
7:18 damn they produced that car for a long ass time I can't imagine how fast it was back in the days before Christ.
Great video. But what about the R107 mercedes-benz 560sl? 2 door coupe, 5.6L V8. Small car, big engine.
That last clip of the aston v8 was filmed on the road to the mountain village where I live in Switzerland i believe.
You said "Tadek Marek" with really serious polish accent :D Are you from Poland? XD
W sumie niedaleko, Visio jest ze Słowacji :-)
It wasn't a Polish accent, it was a Slovak accent 😉
I'm American and would say you got it right. I think alot of Americans define muscle cars as uniquely 'american' with a certain body style, and thus non-US manufacturers don't fit the bill completely. But I find your definition more valid, given that US manufacturers were never the only ones producing these types of vehicles.
Maybe you could put in the list the Brazilian Muscle Car Ford Maverick V8, it's a simbol of national cars here
Cassiano Faria The Maverick was sold in America too, but the Chevrolet Opala is certainly a candidate
icaro arrigoni Yes, Opala is a great candidate, it's the same to Puma GTB
Cassiano Faria An inline-6 will NEVER be a muscle-car.
The Chevrolet Opala is kind of in the gray area because the only reason it didn't have a v8 is because of the import ban and because Chevy didn't have a v8 in South America at the time...
Bercholr, Mate you've obviously Never been in a Aussie Chrysler Charger E49, Holden Torana GTR XU1, or a Ford Cortina XLE 250, or Falcon XR6... V8 eaters all of em! both on the track and on the street!
I loved this video! Very interesting concept. Maybe a video on American sports cars?
When is it coming out?
i wouldn't day it NEEDS a coupe layout, plenty of 4 door american muscle, and plenty german saloons that can flex just as hard
That's what the definition says.
Did you consider the Porsche 928 for your list?
Great Video.
Most of the US muscle cars from the 1960s-1970s were 5-seaters, most had a 3-person bench seat in the rear. Many also had a front bench seat standard, bucket seats were almost always optional.
The only 4 seaters were the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camero, Pontiac Firebird,, Dodge Challenger, Plymouth Baracuda, and the AMC Javelin.
Also, there were several versions of the Australian Ford Falcon that were definitely musclecars. He Mad Max Interceptor was based on a 1970s Australian Falcon. Had a 351ci V8.
I think there are some good examples of modern day muscle cars that aren't American.
Most AMG and M cars larger than M3. Possibly the Infiniti whatever-the-fuck-the-G37-is-called-now. 400 hp and a whole lot of nothing else. Lexus' RC might qualify too, if its price weren't so high. IS-F?
Good old Holden Commodore. You could have also gone with a Ford Falcon, mostly these cars are 4 door cars though.
In Australia, both the V6 Holden Commodores or Ford Falcons aren't really seen as a performance or muscle car, but rather just a cheap piece of crap you buy for under $5000 usually, newer ones go for around $10,000 second hand. but the're usually still around 10 years old. They're pretty common around Australia still, even though Neither the Falcon or Commodore are made anymore.
The V8 Commodore or Falcon, while popular, still arent really seen as a performance car, and if they are the serious performance models (Commodore SS or Falcon XR8) you can usually find doing burn outs and drifting in shopping center carparks or in someones back yard
Let's not forget the E63 AMG and the SLS AMG. 😍
They have (almost) have the same engine as the C63 AMG, so...
Denis Dolganov But then, they got more power than the C63. ;)
The SLS is not a four-seater and I don't know a E63 AMG Coupé
VisioRacer There's never been an E63 Coupe, which is a shame considering that it could be Merc's closest rival to the BMW M6. :(
Farhan Ahmad Tajuddin There isn't really a place for an e63 coupe when there's already the e550 coupe and the s63 coupe.
1:44 so just saying there's a car in Brazil called "brasinca" and if you take the Jensen interseptor and the brasinca you will see that the both cars are really similar
suomi perkele
the later model Monaro had an ls2 also
BMW m5 e 39 ?
"...coupé..."
Arne Hurnik Original charger was a coupe dingus.
E 60, that has 10 cylinders.
You also completely overlooked De Tomaso : the “Magunsta” and Pantera. (And a couple more)
British and German muscles is the best
Bavaria Driving are you just trying to have people prove you wrong in every way?
He's not wrong, US muscle cars didn't have independent suspension until quite recently, hell they even kept using leaf spring when the entire rest of the world had moved to coils. That and Americans get so few horsepower out of a V8, i didn't think it was possible to have a weak V8
+MrcabooseVG ah yes, we make no power, including the 840hp demon which is a production car
MrcabooseVG hmmm??? Are you kidding me? Let's see. 460, 455, 454, 440, 350, 327,302,351,360, . Ya they have only a few hp, no torque, they don't run worth a shit, yep they aren't as superior. Are you really being serious? All of the motors I just stated make these German cars get put to shame. Not to mention if it essential for our engines yours wouldn't exist.
Bradley Webb
Great thats half the power of the Bugatti Chiron.
Power is not the problewm with U.S. cars, handling, brakes and cooling are, also I have to admit in the past 10years they made fenomenal progress, U.S. high performance cars are now in quality, handling, brakes and reliablity where European high performance were 10years ago, wich sounds arrogant but it isnt since you guys had to bypass 40years of laziness in car development, another 10years and you could beat us.
Man...that Gordon-Keeble is beautiful, gotta love the combination of Italian looks and American power :)
seriously?
Claim to fame: when I worked in southampton docks in the UK, someone had their Gordon Keeble shipped across from the Isle of Wight to have it's servicing done by a specialist. I drove that car about 1.5 miles in the docks, and it was a total event :D
Lexus RC-F?
I thought that too
My uncle had a Jensen interceptor, as a kid it scared the shit outta me... But also taught me how beautiful cars can be.
Now the problem here is that none of these cars are proper muscle cars. Muscle cars are varying degrees of pathetic and shit, these cars are none of that.
You say that, but the new Camaro and Mustang match the M4 and C63 for performance and handling.
Iris Heart personnaly a propulsion car with a big v8 is a muscle for me!
BMW's are varying degrees of pathetic and shit, muscle cars are not.
Iris Heart says the guy who has bmw as there profile picture
I hate BMW, but I agree because I hate American cars even more. BMW are good cars at least and developed properly. They weren't built by apes and drive properly. Muscle cars are just sh!t and made for people who are too stupid ('muricans) to put a 'v8 modor' in a normal car while leaving the suspension and brakes untouched. After having ruined the design of course. Europe and Japan build proper cars, the rest can stay over there.
Quite an interesting list! well done
I love the voiceover for the fact that I can watch it on 1.25 speed (and it still sounds a bit slow) so I have more time for other vids too :D Mabye a pro tip, although can turn out to be a bit awkward: Record your voice as you usually do, speed it up a bit and then insert it under the vid, until you are more comfortable with speaking.
If I had to give any of the 9 cars in this list a musclecar designation, it would be the Jensen Interceptor.
Being built toward the end of the musclecar era helps greatly.
Did I mention the TNT 440 under the hood?
I forgot one thing: The musclecar era is from 1960 to 1971.
Props to Tadeusz Marek for this Aston Martin V8! :)
The important defining characteristic of a muscle car that these cars lack, is that a muscle car is just a regular family car until certain options or trim levels are aquired.
You are literally just show sports cars from other country's. You can not say these are muscle cars, because muscle cars are AMERICAN.
C63 6.2 AMG (WITH a installed LSD, factory or third party, Quaife), simply one of THE greatest sports / muscle car ever, and of the best German cars to drive and have actual fun everyday too.
Your English is getting better, congrats!
I agree with most but not all. Mainly agree that the C63 AMG, E92, V8 Vantage, Holden Monaro GTS and Vauxhall Monaro VXR are definitely muscle cars, the others are debatable. Good video and I enjoyed this.
nice video man
1:01 these cars were phenoms, very little money and tons of time and you've got a beast!!!!!!!
This is where most people start to add or confuse this genre of cars. First is has to be a midsize model, either 4 or 5 passengers. Next is has to be a 2 door model of that car. 3 is it can come standard with a V6 but to be considered as a muscle car it has to have been ordered with a V8 , either small block or big block (a larger displacement, Higher hp motor) as a factory installed option. 4 is that it has to be a mass produced model with an average starting price before options are ticked off. There are 2 that really don't belong in this vid. #1 is the Ford Capri. It is a compact car where as All muscle cars were midsize coupes and convertibles. #2 is the Gordon. It wasn't a mass produced car by any stretch of the imagination and it was too pricey.
The Dacia MC Concept could become one if it's released.Can't wait to see it's specs.
Nice little film, nice selection of cars thank you
TVR had a few like the V8S which looks amazing.
In terms of fundamental american muscle, it would be the chevelle, charger, torino among very few others.
I really enjoy your videos man, thank you!!
The TVR Griffith 500 is another non-American muscle car for sure
That Aston V8 is beautiful. Never seen one or heard of it for that matter. Thanks for the vid
4:47 - 5:00 is my Favorite part. To me, The sound of a nice pull on a Ford is like a symphony. seriously. my eyes well up and I get goosebumps.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports cars with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving."
Trident Clipper: 289/4.2L Ford V8 (mustang engine) built with help from TVR and BL from 67' to 76'. A GT coupé to rival other sports and muscle cars of the time, less than 30 were made.
I'd say that what defines the muscle car, is not where it was made, but how it sounds, and that it is a car, not a truck or van. MANY things fit into muscle car that you might not consider, for instance, the 1993-1997 Cadillac Fleetwood/buic roadmaster(sedan/wagon), due to its 4100LBS/1900kg weight, it wasnt extremely fast in a stright line, and its soft suspenssion meant that it really leans in the corners, but if you lay into the throttle, you will certainly hear, and feel, the 300HP 330lb-ft of the corvette sourced LT1 5.7L V8, came with an optional G80 differential
I always wanted an old Aston Martin V8. Those cars were quite cool to me. I still want an '04- '06 GTO though.
Great video as usual but personally I'd have removed the BMW and Mercedes, and added: Iso Grifo, Facel Vega II and Ford Falcon XB. Proper old-school muscle cars from outside the US :)
That's again a very nice selection of cars! They surely must be defined as Muscle Cars; especially the M3 and the AM. Never heard if the Gordon-Keeble though.
The term Muscle Car doesn't neccesarily mean, that the cars must handle like shit from my point of view. Keep up the good work, mate.
The Monaro was actually offered with just a 5.7L in Australia, USA and UK until 2006 when you could get the 6.0L
@Visioracer Might I suggest a video... "the fastest four door sedans in the world before 1990" ?
Good list. There are a few more Aussie ones you missed.
The Holden Torana - they did awesome 6s as well as a V8.
Ford Falcon Coupe - the XA through XC were stunners.
The Valiant Charger - the 265 Hemi 6 pack was the fastest and most powerful but they did them with a 318 and 360 V8 as well. An awesome looking car.
Also Valiant Pacer Hardtop was pretty sweet.
They never made a production coupe version of the Leyland P76 but the pre prodiction Force 7s fitted the bill too.
VileScarMind
Chrysler let their engine designers do some fun things with Australian models.
Although every US car mfg. built V8 Police Interceptor engines and cars that got them.I think early Chrysler ones were called Police Specials.
the XA -XC sedans look better
Actually, the 2004 Pontiac GTO over here in the states had the same LS1 as the Monaro. It was the only year for the LS1 in the GTO. It was changed to the LS2 for the 2005-06 model years.
yea in australia we just do an engine swap for the ls2 at least my mate did
"A muscle car is defined as 'any group of American made 2 door sports cars with powerful engines designed for high performance driving."
NOPE. Not even close. The definition of a muscle car is a two door intermediate sedan with a powerful engine which allows it to accelerate quickly and run at high speeds. Muscle car are most emphatically NOT SPORTS CARS. They generally handle poorly, brake poorly and are only capable of straight line performance.
Their little brother, the pony car, has a similar definition expect they're constructed on compact sedan platforms and can get away with slightly smaller engines because they weight less. They have slightly better handling.
None of the cars shown are muscle cars. They're GTs, Grand Touring cars. A big thumbs down for this misleading video.
The E31 is one of the most beautiful BMW's ever made
I'd love to spec that Aston Martin V8 with the massive hood scoop, that looks fierce