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1964 Pontiac GTO -

Dubbed the original muscle car, the Pontiac GTO made history and kick-started the whole horsepower race in the automotive industry.

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1965 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 -

Those blue Le Mans stripes are recognizable worldwide. The stock GT350 had plenty of muscle, with a V8 and 271 hp. But the GT350R took it to another level. Fitted with Kobra Kustom upgrades, it made things roar with 306 hp.

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1965 Buick Skylark Gran Sport -

The first Buick muscle car featured a potent V8 engine with 325 hp. It would go from 0-60 mph in 7.8 seconds.

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1968 Dodge Charger R/T -

You probably recall this one from the 1968 movie 'Bullitt,' racing against the '68 Mustang GT.

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1968 Ford Mustang GT -

And then there was Steve McQueen's mean machine: the 1968 Ford Mustang GT. One of the cars used in the movie was sold for US$3.74 million, making it the most expensive Mustang ever sold!

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1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR -

KR stands for "King of the Road," and how cool is that? Only around 1,200 of these were built, making them rare and expensive. This beast featured a 428-cid Cobra Jet engine with 335 hp.

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1968 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi -

Yes, Road Runner, the cartoon! Plymouth paid Warner Bros. so they could use the Road Runner character to market the car. The horn even sounded like the "meep meep" from the cartoon character!

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1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird -

This was based off of the Road Runner Hemi, but clearly had a more futuristic look. Aerodynamics was a big thing, as it was adapted for NASCAR racing.

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1968 AMC AMX -

AMX stands for the "American Motors experimental" code used on concept cars. Its most powerful engine was a V8 that revved 340 hp.

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1968 Oldsmobile 442 -

The "442" is a reference to the car's four-barrel carburetor, four-speed transmission, and dual exhausts. It went from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds and reached a top speed of 109 mph (175 km/h).

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1968 Dodge Dart GTS -

Not as popular as the Charger, the Dart did find its place in muscle car lovers' hearts. This version included a 426 V8 Hemi engine that produced 425 hp.

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1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 -

Some purists might say this is the best Camaro ever built, and they might just have a point. The legendary ZL1 had 435 hp on paper, but in reality it had more power (reportedly over 500 hp). Only 69 of these were produced by GM, making it extremely rare and valuable.

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1970 Chevrolet 454 SS El Camino -

Somewhere between a truck and a coupe, the El Camino combined functionality with muscle. Its 454 engine stopped being produced in 1976 due to its prohibitive price of around US$5,000.

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1970 Ford Torino Cobra -

Elected Motor Trend's 1970 Car of the Year, the Torino Cobra was a mean machine. It featured a roaring V8 delivering 375 hp that would take it from 0-60 mph in 7 seconds.

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1971 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda -

Reportedly only 11 convertible Hemi 'Cudas were ever built. These are worth quite a lot now. In 2013, one was sold for US$1.32 million.

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1968 Dodge Super Bee -

Essentially a stripped-down version of the Dodge Coronet, though the Super Bee V8 engine option would put a smile on any driver's face with its 335 hp.

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1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray -

The design of the Sting Ray was unique, and some might describe it as exotic. The manta ray-looking split rear window in the hardtop models really made it stand out.

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1969 Boss 429 Mustang -

The Boss 429 engine was so big that the chassis had to be adapted. It became famous for winning the 1966 Le Mans.

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1957 Chevrolet Bel Air -

The 1957 Chevy is an indisputable classic. There is no car quite like it. The Bel Air was the more upscale model and included features such as a tissue dispenser!

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1970 545 LS6 Chevy Chevelle -

Only 3,733 LS6 cars were ever made, so these are really sought-after (and expensive) classics. In 1970, Hot Rod Magazine described the Chevelle as "one of the brutes, and all it needs is a way of staying in contact with terra firma."

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1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2 -

2+2 does equal 4: two seats in the front and two seats in the back. It's a cool muscle car, and there's even a site "devoted to preserving the history and lore of the Pontiac 2+2."

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1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Ram Air IV -

These are very rare and expensive classic muscle cars. Not so long ago, one was listed for US$250,000.

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1958 Plymouth Fury -

Some people might recognize the Fury from the early '80s horror movie 'Christine.' But the only thing scary was how much power it had back then: 315 hp.

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1967 Ford Mercury Cougar -

The Mercury Cougar stroke the right balance between muscle and luxury. With its distinct grille, and a softer ride when compared to the Mustang, the V8 version still revved up 320 hp.

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1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am -

The engines might have not been the best in this third generation Firebird (i.e. a 2.5-liter with 90 hp), but the car became a classic with movies and shows such as 'Smokey and the Bandit' and 'Knight Rider' featuring Firebirds. Who wouldn't want to drive KITT, right?

See also: The most iconic cars in cinematic and television history

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