Muscle cars in India are something which never got the attention they deserved. While options were definitely sparse, even the ones that have graced the Indian roads, had a very short life. Besides performance, muscle cars provide the road presence which even brawny SUVs can’t match.
In short, muscle cars are the perfect combination of a sports car and a muscular, rugged SUV. Let us check out five such modern muscle cars in the global automotive market which deserve to be sold in India but are unlikely to make it here anytime soon.
1. Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
Whenever someone thinks of a muscle car, the name ‘Mustang’ inadvertently comes out on top of the mind. The Mustang is a wide range of muscle cars now comprising electric vehicles as well. However, the creme de layer has to be the Mustang Shelby GT500. Powering this Mustang is a 5.2L V-8 engine that delivers 760 horsepower and 515 Nm of peak torque. For reference, the standard naturally aspirated Mustang Shelby gets 460 bhp.
2. Chevrolet Camaro SS
If it’s not a Mustang, it has to be a Chevy Camaro. Another iconic American muscle car which has gained fame in the pop culture due to continuous presence in movies, the most notable being Bumblebee’s alter ego in the ‘Transformers’ movies. The top of the Camaro range is Camaro SS which is powered by a 6.2-litre V8 engine. In its sixth-generation, the Camaro SS pushes out 650 bhp and 881 Nm of peak torque.
3. Dodge Challenger SRT
Dodge may not be a familiar name to Indian car buyers, but performance enthusiasts surely know a thing or two about this American brand. Recently, Dodge pulled the plug on the Challenger and its sibling the Charger. The last unit of the Challenger SRT was a special edition called Demon 170 powered by a 6.2-litre supercharged Hemi V8 which dished out a mammoth 1025 horses.
4. Pontiac Trans Am
Pontiac had a wide range of muscle cars in its portfolio in the latter half of the 20th century. The most sporty of them was the Trans Am which was inconspicuously introduced in March 1969 with no marketing campaign. Only available in Polar White with blue racing stripes, the Trans Am featured a series of exclusive exterior components like a redesigned hood with functional scoops, fibreglass air inlets mounted on the front fenders, and a rear spoiler.
5. Chevrolet Cheville
Chevrolet Cheville was another iconic muscle car which had a short life but found many buyers in North America in the 1960s and 70s. It can be considered as a spiritual predecessor to the Camaro. Like all the above-mentioned models, the Cheville range had multiple models during its course, including several engine, seating and body layouts. The muscle car range was named Cheville SS which looked iconic in every sense.
