People wanting more power and more speed led major car manufacturers in the 1960s to "one up" the competition by producing quicker, more advanced cars. With this increase in power came the American muscle cars.

The muscle car is a limited-production version of the "everyday" car, with features like performance suspension for the fastest 0-to-100 speeds and a large, high-output motor squeezed under the hood. At the time, muscle cars were sportier cars with options that appealed to young baby boomers.

Today, muscle cars might be classified as "retro" cars, reminiscent of the Mustang GT/Cobra, Viper, and Camaro. The new high-performance muscle cars may have better suspensions, more exotic motors, and superior tires, but the distinct persona of the classics will never be matched.

Learn more about this author, Michelle Gardner.
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