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Just as with cinema, food and literature, every country has its own unique take on car manufacture. Historically, the Europeans and Japanese have highlighted handling, while the traditional American approach was to go for power. And they don’t get much more powerful than the American muscle cars of the 60s and early 70s.

By squeezing a massive V8 engine under the bonnet of relatively small cars, companies like Ford, General Motors and Chrysler created a range of stunning and brutal beasts that are highly collectable today.

While more suited to the US’s vast straight roads than those winding through the UK, if you invest in one of these powerful machines today you’ll need specialist car insurance.

Here is a rundown of some of the best examples of American muscle cars from this unique era of car manufacture.

Ford Mustang 390 GT

If you ask someone to name a movie car chase scene, most people will think of the Steve McQueen movie Bullitt.

A highland green 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT was driven by McQueen to immortality in a 9 minute 42 second chase through the streets of San Francisco.

Approaching speeds of 110mph and taking weeks to film, the sequence was the perfect advert for this Ford behemoth. It also cemented the car chase as an action film staple for years to come.

Of the 1960’s classic muscle cars, the Ford Mustang is the only model to remain in continuous production since its introduction.

Recently sold for $3.4m at auction in Florida, the Mustang used in the film will be in need of classic car insurance, particularly if the owner decides to recreate the classic scene!

Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt

Almost certainly the fastest production drag racer ever built, the Thunderbolt could reach speeds of 124mph.

Produced during the 1964 model year only, this 7-litre monster was found almost exclusively on the race track. With no sun visors, heater, passenger windscreen wiper, mirrors or even carpeting, to save on weight, this car was entirely unsuitable for the road.

Indeed, Ford even took the precaution of welding a metal plate inside the glove box which stated ‘normal quality standards of the Ford Motor Company… are not met on this vehicle.’

Plymouth Road Runner Superbird

One of the most eye-catching yet short-lived of the muscle cars, the Superbird was distinguished by its sky-high rear spoiler and its futuristic pointed nose. Apart from its amazing aerodynamics, its horn tone was also unique having been copied from the Looney Tunes cartoon character Roadrunner (who also featured as a decal on the vehicle).

Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454

With a 0-60mph time of just over 5 seconds the 1970 Chevelle SS 454 was in many ways the quintessential muscle car. With a massive 454-cubic inch (7.2-litre) engine, a short-tapered body and long bulging bonnet, the SS 454 blew away virtually all the competition at the time.

Oldsmobile Rocket 88

But the muscle car concept wasn’t just confined to the 1960s and 1970s. As early as 1949 the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 hit the showrooms and became the first “King of NASCAR” winning 36 out of 69 races between 1949 and 1952. Thereby satisfying the appetite for powerful machinery among young men coming out of the army following WWII.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray L88

Inspired by the fast-swimming mako shark’s body shape, the Corvette Stingray L88 hit the market in 1968 at the peak of muscle car mania in the US. Hitting 171mph at Le Mans, the 427-cubic inch (7.0 litre) V8 engine was so powerful that Chevrolet even discouraged dealers from selling it for the road. Hence less than 200 examples ever made it onto customer’s driveways.

Chevrolet Camaro Z28

Built for Trans Am racing series where it came up against the Ford Mustang Boss and the Dodge Challenger, the original Camaro Z28 won the championship in 1968 and 1969. The 1967 Z28 came with a heavy-duty four-speed manual transmission, styled rally road wheels and racing stripes on the hood and trunk.

There have been five distinct generations of the Camaro over the years, selling over 5 million units in total.

Pontiac GTO

Arguably the original muscle car for purists, the GTO was the first to bring together an oversized engine, affordable pricing and marketing that focused on performance. The introduction of the GTO in 1964 kicked off the muscle cars arms race that led to so many of the cars in this list. The second generation of the car in 1969 featured bolder styling and a massive 7.5 litre engine capacity.

Dodge Challenger

Aimed at rich young things the 1970 Dodge Challenger was a massive hit with the public. Available in a bewildering number of trim and option levels and with virtually every engine in Chrysler’s inventory, its first generation shifted over 165,000 units.

Recent years have seen a revival in muscle car production with lots of heavy-duty V8 models back in the showrooms. Racing from 0-60mph in just 3.6 second the Dodge Challenger Hellcat from 2015 is really taking things to the next level.

While some authorities define a car as a classic when it reaches 15 years old, in practice, many younger cars (such as the Hellcat) can be insured as a classic car if they are used in the true classic sense.

If you own one of these modern classics call today for a classic car insurance quote.

Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

With its distinctive firebird bonnet motif, the Trans Am is probably best known as the car Burt Reynolds drove in Smokey & The Bandit. Named after the race series, the Trans Am was sold as a high-performance version of the popular Pontiac Firebird series.

Having arranged insurance for classic cars for the past 35 years, our team at Lancaster Insurance has exceptional expertise. Offering both comprehensive and bespoke insurance solutions we are able to quote for virtually every classic car available.

Some of the benefits of choosing Lancaster to insure your pride and joy include static show and historic rally cover, car club member discounts, salvage retention and a 24-hour claims helpline.

Get an instant quote today.