There are many things to love about the automotive industry, and muscle cars are definitely up there with some of the top things. Ever since muscle cars appeared in the 1960s, they have garnered unmatched popularity, and you can’t deny that any car enthusiast and non-enthusiast can name a few muscle cars off the top of their heads.
As is the case with any industry, the muscle car industry has navigated some really tough terrains, and continues to do so today. One such terrain was the 1970s, which almost wiped out the industry due to harsh restrictions on emissions and fuel economy.
While lots of manufacturers took the opportunity to learn from it and up their game, a lot weren’t as lucky, and ended up producing cars that were out of touch with the market. These are the cars you want to avoid today, even more so because they are slow as hell. Here are the 15 really slow muscle cars we don’t want to drive.
15. 1974 Pontiac GTO
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If you didn’t think automakers put out some cars purely for marketing purposes, you are wrong. The 1974 Pontiac GTO is a good example, as it had absolutely nothing to offer Pontiac’s fans. It seems that Pontiac was depending on the legendary GTO name to sweep the 1947 version off the ground.
14. 1979 Oldsmobile 442
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Oldsmobile made the same mistake as Pontiac once did and produced a car that only depended on the nostalgia of fans who know and love the original Oldsmobile 442. The 1979 Oldsmobile 442, however, was an OK muscle car, but it was super slow with a 0-to-60 acceleration of 9 seconds.
13. 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra
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You can’t help but fall in love with the fierce look of the 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra. This 3-door hatchback coupe looks like a powerhouse on wheels, although that is far from the truth. Its looks sadly don’t make up for its 5-liter V8 with an output of just 133 horsepower.
12. 1977 Dodge Charger Daytona
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Dodge only made 250 of the 1977 Dodge Charger Daytona, and it’s no surprise, given the fans’ angry reaction. Carrying the precious Daytona nameplate, this car should have had much better numbers than 135 horsepower and a 0 to 60 acceleration of 13.5 seconds. Fans had much higher expectations and were understandably disappointed.
11. 1974 AMC Javelin AMX
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The 1974 AMC Javelin AMX had a great look for a muscle car, however, it didn’t deliver strongly with performance numbers. It had a normally aspirated carburetor V8 engine that produced 150 horsepower and a 0 to 60 acceleration of 9 seconds. The Javelin’s numbers could easily be matched by competition.
10. 1974 AMC Matador X
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Looks like 1974 wasn’t a great year for speed at AMC. Like the Javelin AMX, the Matador X killed in the looks department but failed to deliver on a satisfying performance. It had a naturally aspirated 4-stroke V8 engine with an output of 150 horsepower, and it could only manage a top speed of 150 horsepower.
9. 1979 Dodge Magnum
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Looking at the Magnum for the first time, you probably won’t get the feeling that it is a capable muscle car. Its V8 engine could only produce 135 horsepower, urging the Magnum to go from 0 to 60 mph in a lousy 13 seconds. Additionally, it was bulky with a slow automatic transmission and a high price.
8. 1975 Buick Gran Sport
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In true 1970s fashion, the 1975 Buick Gran Sport had the looks but none of the performance. With a 350 V8 engine packed under its hood, it could produce 175 horsepower which takes the Gran Sport from 0 to 60 mph in 10.6 seconds. It’s no surprise, given that it weighed 2 tons.
7. 1986 Chevrolet El Camino SS
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The Camino SS styling might trick you into thinking it focused on delivering a breezy sports performance, but the truth is this 2-seater Camino was just a slightly different looking Camino. Its V8 engine could only manage 150 horsepower, and its production ended only a year after release in 1987.
6. 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
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The Chevrolet Monte Carlo nameplate is well known for its legendary NASCAR performance, but the 1983 Monte Carlo SS was an entirely different car in its performance. From 1983 to 1987, the Monte Carlo SS disappointed with a V8 engine that only produced 175 horsepower and a top speed of 117 mph.
5. 1970 Ford Torino GT
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Although the 1970 Ford Torino GT is a stylish looker who seems ready to breeze through the road, it failed to deliver on an impressive performance. The Torino GT is loved today for its looks, but its engine couldn’t move it from rest to 60 mph in less than 10 seconds.
4. 1970 Chevelle SS 398
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The 1970 Chevelle SS 398 also sets very high expectations with its looks. Its sleek lines and determined stance gives you the impression that it packs real speed and muscle, but the truth is the SS 396 could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in a slow crawl of 11.7 seconds.
3. 1972 Chevy Camaro
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The Camaro nameplate will always stir high expectations from fans that know what it’s capable of bringing. Although the 1972 Chevy Camaro is still loved widely today, it was a victim to the emission regulations of the 1970s, and could only manage a 0-to-60 acceleration of 9.7 seconds.
2. 1970 Triumph Stag V8
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The 1970 Triumph Stag V8 was not very triumphant. Many people claim its 3-liter V8 engine was the worst engine ever made, but not only because it constantly broke down. The Triumph Stag V8 also had a lousy acceleration from 0 to 60 mph at just 11.5 seconds.
1. 1976 Cadillac Eldorado
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If its unusual boxy design doesn’t put you off, then its performance will definitely do the trick. The 1976 Cadillac Eldorado stood heavy with a weight exceeding 5,000 pounds, and its 8.2-liter V8 engine could only produce 195 horsepower and gave it a 0 to 60 acceleration of 13.5 seconds.
