20 Iconic Muscle Cars

1 - Dodge Charger R/T
Take your average Dodge Charger from, say, 1968 or 1969, and add to that a high-performance package known as the R/T. Road/Track. No “and.” Paired with the 440 “Magnum,” this was a serious car.

2 - Shelby Cobra AC
This little number may look British, but it’s all-American engineering gives it its edge. A lightweight V8 made this car mean enough to take on Ferrari.

3 - ’67 Corvette
Known as the Sting Ray, the ’67 ‘Vette was the last of the second generation of Corvettes, meaning it had five years of fine-tuning under its belt.

4 - Ford Mustang GT 500
This is the car made famous in Gone in 60 Seconds. (The Nicolas Cage one.) “Eleanor,” as it was called, landed Nick Cage in jail a couple of times. This is a car that exudes danger.

5 - ’69 Camaro SS
The SS performance package on this Camaro gave its V8 engine more power, as well as better handling in the chassis to cope. The iconic SS badge—and sometimes the striping—make this a menacing muscle car.

6 - Dodge Charger
If ever there was a more iconic muscle car. You’ve probably seen the Charger (not to be confused with the R/T), from the Dukes of Hazard to Fast and Furious. It exudes power with its mean design.

7 - Chevelle SS
The Chevelle SS got Chevy into the Muscle Car Game. It was also one of their most successful cars. It was a tough car with the ability to be made tougher.

8 - Dodge Daytona
Introduced in the 80s, and ending production in 1993, the Daytona has become a cult favorite due to its powerful turbo engine and ability to be customized.

9 - Dodge Dart Hemi
Debuted in 1968, the Dart Hemi included a non-warranty disclaimer. Because it had a 426 Hemi, it was stripped down and lightweight and it was built for drag racing.

10 - Ford Gran Torino
Starsky and Hutch made the Gran Torino famous, and inspired 16 year old boys to jump into moving cars for generations to come.

11 - Ford Mustang 302
Ford put out the Mustang, and Chevy gave them a run for their money with the Camaro. So Ford answered back with the Boss 302 Mustang. When this Mustang idles, it still roars.

12 - Mercury Cougar
Conceived of as Mercury’s answer to the Mustang, the Cougar went on to be an icon for the Mercury name. With a plethora of performance packages, the Cougar was a vicious muscle car that gave the Mustang a run for its money.

13 - Mustang 429
There’s a lot of Mustangs on this list, but this one is one of the rarest and most valued muscle cars on it. Unlike its predecessor (Boss 302), this Mustang was meant for NASCAR and has a wider body.

14 - Oldsmobile 442
Based on its 4 barrel carburetor, 400 CID engine and 2 exhausts, the 442 was initially a package for the Olds Cutlass. It eventually got its own model, and went on the stand for Oldsmobile’s raw power.

15 - Plymouth Barracuda
A lot of cars on this list compete with the Mustang. They’re really going after the ‘Cuda. Released two weeks before the Mustang, this high performance fastback is one of the most valuable collectibles today.

16 - Plymouth GTX
Take your basic building blocks for a muscle car (Plymouth’s Road Runner) and give them steroids. This is the GTX. With either a 426 cu in. Hemi V8 or a 440 cu in. RB V8, the GTX was, is, and always will be a contender.

17 - Plymouth Roadrunner
Plymouth’s idea behind the Road Runner was to reincarnate the muscle car concept. Not to be confused with the GTX, the Road Runner all balls, no frills: powerful, yet affordable.

18 - Pontiac Firebird
The Trans Am may have been the star of Smokey and the Bandit, but it’s just a high-end model of the Firebird. Nothing is more iconic than the original, plus “Firebird” just sounds cooler.

19 - Buick GSX
Buick’s answer to Pontiac’s GTO and the Olds 442. It’s comparable to the Hemi ‘Cuda, but with a much more luxurious body.

20 - Pontiac GTO Judge
Using slogans such as “Here comes the Judge” and “The Judge can be bought,” this GTO model was stripped to its bare bones.

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I'd say for me the Goat would be on top.

If we're talking icons, the Plymouth Superbird would be a list must...but not my cup of tea.

From the list my choice would be a '68 Plymouth Barracuda notchback...preferably with the 340 4bbl

In general though, my choices tend to come from the alternate rather than the iconic list.  

My ultimate muscle car era choice would be one of the high  R# variants of the the '63-64 Studebaker Avanti.  The may be mythical R5 variant featured fuel injected twin superchargers and produced 575 hp.  One production Avanti (I'm not sure the R variant) was clocked at over 190mph.  The problem is I'd be afraid to drive one over an R2 variant, and I want a car I can drive without fear of parking lots.

My #1 I'd park at Walmart choice would be a '68-70 AMC AMX 390 Go-Package.  One part muscle car + one part sports car.   To me the perfect combination.