The early 1970s represented the pinnacle of pure American high-displacement V8 thrust before stricter emissions restrictions, soaring insurance premiums, and the energy crisis of 1973 ended the original muscle car era abruptly.
Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda
Few pony cars were more powerful than the 1970–1971 Plymouth ‘Cuda. Sharing Chrysler’s E-body platform with sibling coupe the Dodge Challenger, the ‘Cuda came with a wide, muscular stance and featured the iconic 426 street Hemi V8 engine rated at 425 horsepower.
Today it ranks as one of the most desirable muscle cars of all time. Since Chrysler discontinued Plymouth in 2001, a factory return is out of the question without Dodge reintroducing the name again.
Pontiac GTO
The car widely considered to have kickstarted the entire muscle car movement back in 1964 saw its most iconic styling in the early seventies. It featured a split front grille, hood air scoops, and gigantic high-performance engines. Fans eventually dubbed their powerful machine “The Goat”. Pontiac, a division of General Motors, was officially discontinued in 2010.
Oldsmobile 442
The Oldsmobile 442 drove like a blend of luxury and straight-up speed. Performance variants like the top-of-the-line 19 70 had huge engines that absolutely flew off the line. GM shut down Oldsmobile in 2004, taking this sophisticated performer with them.
Buick GSX
Buick traditionally focused on quiet, comfortable cruisers, but they dropped the hammer with the 1970 GSX. Usually found in Apollo White or Saturn Yellow with aggressive black body stripes, the GSX Stage 1 produced 510 lb-ft of torque, which stood as an American production car record for 21 years. Buick still exists today but offers nothing but crossovers and SUVs.
AMC Rebel “The Machine”
AMC tossed diplomacy aside in 1970 with The Machine, a factory-built street racer with a patriotic paint scheme (red, white, and blue) and a big hood-mounted tach facing the driver. Under the hood was a 390 cubic- inch V8 with 340 horsepower, AMC’s most powerful street-offered engine at the time. Chrysler purchased AMC in 1987 mainly for the rights to Jeep, allowing the core AMC brand to slowly disappear.
Plymouth Road Runner
Created simply to go quarter mile in under 14 seconds for under $3,000, the Road Runner left luxury features behind in search of speed. Chrysler even paid Warner Bros. to use the image of the cartoon mascot as well as the Road Runner’s trademark “beep-beep” horn. Like the ‘Cuda, the Road Runner met its demise when Plymouth was terminated.
Mercury Cougar Eliminator
The Mercury Cougar was a longer, more luxurious alternative to the Ford Mustang in the early 1970s. The performance-oriented Eliminator trim included front and rear spoilers, flashy bright paint choices, and available Ford’s powerful 429 Cobra Jet V8. Mercury was discontinued by Ford in 2011.
AMC Javelin AMX
Second-generation AMC Javelin (1971–1974)cars had flared wheel arches and styling that ruled Trans- Am road racing with legendary manager Roger Penske.
AMC’s performance AMX package provided real muscle car power in a nimble lightweight package. It disappeared when AMC began pruning its line to smaller compacts in the mid-1970s.
Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454
Although Chevrolet continues to manufacture performance vehicles, the Chevelle nameplate hasn’t been produced since 1977. Packing a very underrated 450 horsepower, the 1970 Chevelle SS featuring the LS6 454 V8 is still one of the more iconic muscle cars of all time. Chevrolet still makes sports cars, but the mid-sized, 2-door muscle car body style has never returned.
Pontiac Firebird Formula / Trans Am
The original 1970.5 Firebird featured European-inspired streamlined styling which would continue throughout its production years. Sports option packages such as the Formula 400 and Trans Am combined high-output V8 engines with improved handling suspension components. GM closed Pontiac in 2010 after 40 years of Firebird production, leaving the Camaro without a platform twin.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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15 cars that made a mark on America
American life has been greatly influenced by cars and the top 15 most influential cars range from muscle cars to family sedans. We will never ever forget their glory age.
