Unfortunately the classic muscle car is a dying breed - but there are still some out there fighting the good fight.
Despite the incoming flood of hybrids and electric vehicles, there are still some great examples of good, old-fashioned, V8-powered muscle cars to be found. While Australia has built many great ones over the decade, the USA is now home to the remaining options.
We’ve picked five of the best muscle cars still available in 2022.
1. Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
It was only sold in Australia for a short-time but the range-topping, track-ready Camaro left quite the impression. Intimidating to look at, with its low slung stance and flared fenders, the Camaro ZL1 represents everything a great muscle car should.
Thankfully it’s still available in the US, where it’s powered by GM’s LT4 engine, a 6.2-litre supercharged V8 that makes an awesome 474kW of power and 815Nm of torque.
It also comes with track-tuned Magnetic Ride Control suspension, six-piston Brembo brakes and an electronic limited-slip differential to make sure it handles and stops just as well as it powers down a drag strip.
It’s a shame HSV couldn’t find more buyers for the Camaro down under because for muscle car fans it really did tick all the right boxes.
2. Ford Mustang Mach 1
While the Camaro was short-lived in Australia, it seems the Mustang has staying power. A new model is just around the corner and will likely arrive in 2023, but that didn’t stop the blue oval introducing new variants to keep interest in the pony car high until the end.
Read our Ford Mustang Mach 1 review
Introduced in the middle of 2021, the Mach 1 was meant to appeal to those who wanted a Mustang that handled itself with more poise and precision on the track.
It was powered by the same 5.0-litre V8 from the GT model, with 345kW and 556Nm, but the exciting changes were made to the chassis not under the engine bay.
The Ford Performance engineers added a longer undertray, MagneRide dampers and raided the Shelby parts department for suspension components to give it the best-handling package this generation of Mustang enjoyed.
On the surface level there were some cosmetic changes, including the wheels and racing stripes, that give it a throwback look to the golden era of muscle cars in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
3. Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
There’s no ambiguity in the name. Dodge means business with its final petrol-powered muscle car.
The Hellcat is the brand’s name for its 6.2-litre supercharged V8 that makes a whopping 535kW of power - that’s 717hp! And if that’s not enough for you Dodge has produced a special edition, the SRT Jailbreak, that packs an even bigger punch - 594kW/797hp.
Dodge has never officially imported the Challenger into Australia but there have been some private companies doing local conversions. So if the Hellcat sounds like your kind of muscle car they can be found with some looking.
4. Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
It’s arguably a sports sedan from America’s answer to BMW, but thanks to what’s under the bonnet we believe it deserves a place on our list. That’s because this latest Cadillac isn’t like the ‘land yachts’ the company made in the 1970s and ‘80s, it’s a full-blown, muscled-up, track-ready monster.
It’s powered by GM’s LT4 engine (the same one from the Camaro ZL1) but it’s been turned up to 11. It makes a massive 498kW and 893Nm - or 669hp if you prefer the old ways.
Being a modern performance car it’s loaded with technology to make it handle, including Magnetic Ride Control suspension and a limited slip diff, that has won it rave reviews in the US (where it’s sold). In many respects this is a Camaro in a four-door body - which sounds like a great idea to us.
5. Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray
The eighth-generation ‘Vette is unlike any that came before it, blurring the lines between old-fashioned muscle car and modern supercar.
Read our 2022 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray review
In reality, it’s a bit of both. The mid-mounted engine gives it the look and handling of something closer to a European exotic, but the GM LT2 V8 in the back is pure muscle car power. It may not have the likes of Porsche and Ferrari running scared, but with 369kW and 637Nm it’s perfectly capable of holding its own as a serious performance car.
But the best fact about the new C8 Stingray (and the eighth-gen ‘Vette in general) is that GM builds it with the steering wheel on the right side for the first time in the brand’s history. That means that it can be sold in Australia to keep fans of GM (and maybe a few Holden fans) happy that there’s still a muscle car for them.
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