The classic car world is home to many continuous debates. However, perhaps no question has been tossed back and forth more than “What is a Muscle Car?” This is a significantly loaded question, but let’s begin by considering the basic definition of these vehicles. 

Some say that to fit into this category, a car must have a mid-sized body, display better-than-average speed though the use of a V8 engine and specific speed-increasing modifications, and be available at a higher-than-average but still generally affordable price. 

Others think that this definition needs to be more specific, stipulating that muscles also need to be rear-wheel drive, have two doors, and seat four people. Still others complicate the definition further by agreeing with most of the above, but stating that muscle cars can also have V6 engines. It’s not difficult to see how easily this debate can get complicated, but there’s another dimension to this question that doesn’t make finding an answer any easier.

Since muscle cars have been around for decades, they have a long and storied history to consider. This means that those who are passionate about finding what makes a true muscle car each lean into a different aspect of this history. For example, some people think that specific production years make cars more or less eligible to be called muscles. The relatively weak handling and proportionally more extreme horsepower of models in the 60s and 70s are what make a true muscle car for many enthusiasts. However, there’s another camp that thinks the more holistic performance and greater overall track capability of more recent models makes them the truest representation of the concept.

Another similar question, “what was the first muscle car?” also threatens to disqualify people’s best examples of the models. Some think that the proud lineage of these vehicles truly began in 1963 with the 1964 Pontiac GTO, the first car ever referred to as a “muscle car” in print advertisements. This phrase was Pontiac's attempt at classifying a car which represented many parts of the above definitions: V8 engine, rear-wheel drive, and an intermediate-sized, unique body. 

Others believe that this lineage actually began almost 15 years earlier with the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88, which was among the first commercially manufactured cars with a super-powerful V8. Even though the term had not been invented, people in this camp agree that the name would have been fitting.

We at Fraction Motors hold the same position as most Baby Boomer and Gen X muscle enthusiasts. Our background as collectors of 70s cars who went on to present them at car shows in the 80s and 90s means that the phrase "muscle car" brings a specific slice of vehicle history to mind. Muscle car categories from shows back then consisted totally of 1964 to 1972 models that all were two-door, four-person, mid-sized, and powered by the largest, most powerful V8 engines each manufacturer could mass produce. Muscle cars from before or after that timeframe may have been built to the same specifications, but these are the first and most authentic examples of the style.

There’s obviously much more nuance to this question than one might think before discovering the many sub-debates raging beneath the surface. History, model features, and reputation each have a part to play in each person’s particular definition, but there’s something beautiful to be seen in these differences. The reason that this debate exists in the first place is that there were enough muscle car enthusiasts around to start it, and the reason that it rages on is that this community has become simply massive over the years. Every new fan means a new viewpoint in the argument, but it also means that there’s more passion for muscle cars in the world. Far be it from us to suggest that the argument needs to roil on for more and more decades in the future, but if it means that American muscle cars will always have a place in the hearts of gearheads worldwide, then maybe we can keep it going for a good bit longer.

References:

Muscle car - Wikipedia

What is a Muscle Car? | Muscle Car Definition | Muscle Car Club

Muscle Car Definition: What is a Muscle Car? (musclecarsillustrated.com)

What Is A Muscle Car? 50 Answers from Detroit (motortrend.com)



The Evolution Of The Muscle Car | CarBuzz