The automotive industry has experienced a seismic shift in the last few decades. Americans are now hyper-conscious of fuel efficiency. Hybrid vehicles have become a favorite among environmentally conscious consumers, as well as those who simply want to spend less at the gas pump. Electric vehicles are almost certain to become the dominant player in the industry in the future (although American drivers’ adoption of EVs has been much slower than analysts had predicted). When considering a new vehicle purchase, MPG (miles per gallon) is often one of the main metrics consumers use to make their decision.
However, if we could flip the calendar back 40-60 years or so, we would see a vastly different industry catering to the desires of consumers that deeply contrast with those of today’s drivers. Far from hybrids and EVs, the 1960s-1980s marked the golden age of the muscle car era.
Muscle cars were not economical grocery-getters. They were exactly what the name implies: cars that were built for power and speed. (If you have a real need for speed, here’s a look at the 20 fastest American cars ever made.) These brawny cars guzzled gas like it was going out of style, and they were absolutely idolized, especially by younger generations. Popular music groups such as the Beach Boys promoted the romantic notion of racing muscle cars through their lyrics (“To get the traction I’m ridin’ the clutch, My pressure plate’s burnin’, that machine’s too much”). Nostalgia can lead us to believe that, in the ‘60s and ‘70s, every guy wanted a muscle car and every girl wanted a guy with a muscle car. This kind of reminiscence is, of course, an exaggeration and not an accurate representation of past reality. Still, there is no denying that muscle cars were all the rage in these bygone decades.
The Worst of the Muscle Car Era
Some of the most popular muscle cars ever produced include the 1964 Pontiac GTO, the 1965 Ford Shelby Mustang, the 1968 Chevrolet Corvette, and the 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird. But, along with these icons, some serious duds were also marketed as muscle cars. Here is a look at some of the worst muscle cars ever released.
Determining the worst muscle cars is an inherently subjective exercise. Gearheads can debate this topic ad infinitum. To add a bit more objectivity to the process, 24/7 Wall St. consulted the muscle car reviews on six authoritative automotive websites and blogs. Only cars that were mentioned among the worst on multiple sites were included in this list. This helped eliminate any single reviewer who may have a personal axe to grind against a specific car. Even so, you may still disagree with some of our findings. Or, to put it in car parlance, your mileage may vary. And that’s part of what makes muscle cars so great. They are endlessly interesting and provoke spirited discussion among enthusiasts.
Because the “worst muscle car ever” is an imprecise and opinion-based metric, the cars on our list are not ranked best-to-worst or worst-to-best. Instead, they are simply ordered chronologically based on the year of release.
1. Pontiac Tempest
- Worst Model Years: 1968-1970
2. Ford Maverick Grabber
- Worst Model Years: 1971-1975
3. Ford Pinto
- Worst Model Years: 1971-1980
4. Ford Mustang II
- Worst Model Years: 1974-1978
5. Ford Torino
- Worst Model Years: 1974-1976
6. Pontiac GTO
- Worst Model Year: 1974
7. Chevrolet Monza
- Worst Model Years: 1975-1980
8. Plymouth Volare Road Runner
- Worst Model Years: 1976-1980
9. Pontiac Trans Am
- Worst Model Years: 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982
10. AMC Gremlin
- Worst Model Year: 1978
11. Dodge Challenger
- Worst Model Years: 1978-1983
12. Ford Mustang II King Cobra
- Worst Model Year: 1978
13. Chevrolet Citation X-11
- Worst Model Years: 1980-1985
14. Chevrolet Corvette California 305
- Worst Model Year: 1980
15. DeLorean DMC-12
- Worst Model Years: 1980-1981
16. Mercury Capri Turbo RS
- Worst Model Years: 1980-1981
17. Pontiac Grand Prix
- Worst Model Years: 1980-1981
18. Chevrolet Camaro
- Worst Model Years: 1982-1985
19. Ford Thunderbird
- Worst Model Year: 1982
20. Dodge Charger
- Worst Model Years: 1983-1987
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