5 Best Chevy Muscle Cars

Chevrolet was called the “heartbeat of America,” and the 5 best Chevy muscle cars were at the heart of America’s high-performance classic automobiles. This played to Chevrolet's advantage, with its strength as a maker of attractive and affordable automobiles. Chevy fielded the most popular muscle car lineup of any car manufacturer in the 1960s and early 1970s. Here are five of their best-loved models.

1. 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS 409. Chevrolet introduced the Impala Super Sport in 1961. Celebrated in story and song, this muscle car became an instant legend. Its 409-cid V-8 engine did everything for Chevy’s muscle image. In fact, the 409 was the standard-bearer in full-size Chevy cars until 1965, when the “porcupine head” was introduced.
2. 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396. Chevrolet introduced the Chevelle SS in 1964. With an interior similar to the Chevy Impala, this American muscle car had a more compact design. The 1965 Chevelle SS brought big-cube muscle to one of the best-selling American mid-size cars.
3. 1968 Chevrolet Nova SS 396. The compact Chevy Nova was short on style, but big on speed. Introduced in 1965, the Nova had a lengthy run. It was in production until 1972, near the end of the muscle car era. The 1968 Nova SS 396 could hold its own with almost any American muscle car on the road at the time.
4. 1968 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396. The Camaro rivals the Chevelle as America’s best-loved muscle car. Chevrolet introduced this attractive “pony car” in 1967, in answer to the Ford Mustang, introduced during 1964. While the Mustang was an overall better seller, Americans considered the Camaro the “hotter ride.” A special blend of looks and performance (in SS and Z28 forms) kept the Camaro around for thirty years, with a rebirth for the 21^st century.
5. 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454. Any Chevelle could wear a Super Sport badge. However, they say the 1971 Chevelle earned the right to display its engine size, too. Chevelle SS power peaked with this model, one of the fastest muscle cars ever produced.