Top 3 Muscle Car Companies (+List of Popular Models)
Even as the industry inevitably shifts towards electric vehicles, muscle cars maintain a unique place in the hearts of American driving enthusiasts, symbolizing power and freedom.
These three muscle car manufacturers produce the most recognizable models on the road and in the movies.
#1 Ford
Ford is one of the big three North American automakers and has been in the business for over a century.
While Ford’s pickup trucks are hot segment favorites, its iconic muscle car, the Mustang, has remained the king of muscle cars, leading competitors with overall desirability.
The Mustang is a top pick among current muscle cars, with several models, body styles, and trim levels to suit various budgets and needs for speed:
- Ford Mustang EcoBoost – coupe & convertible; 300-plus hp.
- Ford Mustang GT – coupe & convertible; 400-plus hp.
- Ford Mustang Mach 1 – coupe; 400-plus hp.
- Ford Shelby GT350 – coupe; 500-plus hp.
- Ford Shelby GT500 – coupe; 700-plus hp.
Despite its muscle-car status, the Ford Mustang is one of the most livable daily drivers, with a surprisingly compliant ride and reasonably good visibility.
#2 Dodge
After spinning off its (successful) line of pickup trucks under the Ram brand, Dodge continues to produce high-performance cars and SUVs.
However, none is more well-known than a couple of hot entries in this muscle-car company’s lineup.
The available models and trims are:
- Dodge Charger – full-size sedan; 300 hp.
- Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat – full-size sedan; 700-plus hp.
- Dodge Challenger – coupe; 300-hp.
- Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat – coupe; 700-plus hp.
Both Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger aren’t particularly suitable for daily grind – the latter, however, has notably more room in the back seats and a four-door configuration for improved practicality.
#3 Chevrolet
Although Chevrolet is one of the most popular muscle car brands, it also produces a broad range of vehicles like Ford, covering passenger cars, EVs, SUVs, trucks, and vans (rpd).
They include the smallest, fuel-efficient runabouts to the largest family vehicles, like the Chevy Tahoe and Chevy Suburban SUVs.
However, none has garnered more worldwide fame than the yellow Chevy Camaro of the Transformer franchise.
Like its famous muscle car rivals, the Camaro coupe or convertible has undergone many generations of redesigns and cycles of tweaks.
Available trim levels include:
- Standard trim – 200-plus hp.
- SS – 400-plus hp.
- ZL1 – 600-plus hp.
Despite some drawbacks, it’s a strong all-around performer and has a supple-enough ride to make the Camaro usable for daily duties.
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