The term “muscle car” does not just have one set definition. For instance, there is a handful of criteria it needs to adhere to. This includes having a potent V8 engine that nests underneath its hood, the ability to perform a burnout, a hefty curb weight, and of course, be ridiculously fast in a straight line, especially down the quarter-mile. Sure, there are some excellent four-cylinder engines that also try and make their way into muscle cars, but that attribute alone is enough to disqualify it from having the muscle car title. Not pointing any fingers at the Mustang EcoBoost of course…
See how we didn’t mention anything regarding them having to come from America? Well, that’s mostly due to other foreign markets tapping into this automotive niche. Just keep that in mind.
We’ve decided to set out a list of our favorite 2022 muscle cars. Reminisce with us by looking back at some of the greatest pony cars from the past year.
10/10 Chevrolet Camaro
Since the dawn of time, the Camaro earned its title as one of the most praised muscle cars ever made. Albeit rather small, the sheer girth of the Camaro in combination with its ludicrously powerful V8, and heavy chassis made it earn its title of “muscle car.”
The most exhilarating Chevrolet Camaro we saw this year was the Camaro ZL1. On the one hand, it lost some of its muscle car-esque due to the track-focussed suspension and aerodynamic upgrades, but it still retained its glorious supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that emitted 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. Well, it’s either that or the insane 10.4-liter V8-powered COPO Camaro.
9/10 Ford Mustang
Just like the Chevy Camaro, the Ford Mustang also has a rich reputation surrounding the muscle car world. The Mustang has always been rear-wheel-drive, offered with a manual gearbox, and had a naturally-aspirated V8 engine underneath its hood. That rule excludes any Shelby-built or EcoBoost variants, though.
The most impressive Mustang of the year has to be the Mustang Mach 1. It comes with a naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine that churns out 470 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. And the new 2024 Ford Mustang proves to be just as great!
8/10 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance
We have our very first non-American-built muscle car, as well as our first four-door muscle car, the Lexus IS 500 F Sport. This Japanese-built sports sedan comes with a naturally-aspirated V8 that pumps out 472 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels.
Albeit a more precise tool than some of the aforementioned muscle cars, it still remains as raw and powerful as the rest. 0-60 mph happens in just over 4 seconds, and it dashes past the quarter-mile mark in 12.8 seconds. It’s also worth mentioning that the Lexus IS 500 is one of the very few fast sports sedans that are cheap to own and maintain.
7/10 Dodge Charger
Once upon a time, the Dodge Charger was Dodge’s flagship muscle car coupe. Nowadays though, it’s their four-door pride and joy for someone who wants a Challenger but needs a more practical alternative.
Our award for favorite Charger of 2022 has to go to none other than the SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody. Not only does it have a menacing appearance, but it’s equipped with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 capable of putting out 797 hp and 707 lb-ft of torque.
6/10 BMW M8 Competition
Even Germany had their own go at the muscle car segment with the BMW M8 Competition. Although this Beemer is much more luxurious and refined than some of our entries, it still holds its own on paper and exceeds all our expectations in the real world.
The BMW M8 Competition’s extravagant exterior gets complemented by its twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that makes 617 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The only reason the BMW M8 isn’t higher on our list is because of its not-so-muscle-car-friendly all-wheel-drive system and pair of turbochargers. At least this allows the M8 to do 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and complete the quarter-mile stretch in 10.7 seconds.
5/10 Jaguar F-Type R
Here is another controversial entry on our list, the Jaguar F-Type R. Hear us out for a second, there are a few reasons why the new F-Type R is both a luxury grand tourer and muscle car.
Take for instance the engine that hides beneath its elongated hood; a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that churns out 575 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. And don’t forget, the F-Type R weighs 4,105 lbs, which is nearly 300 lbs heavier than the outgoing Mustang.
4/10 Dodge Challenger
For the last decade or so, the Dodge Challenger was the ultimate muscle car money can buy, especially the drag-bred Demon. While it hasn’t changed too much, its competition surely has.
The most over-the-top Charger we saw throughout 2022 was the SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody model fitted with the Jailbreak Package. Not only did this allow buyers to choose from more color options, but it also bumped the supercharged 6.2-liter V8’s power output to 807 hp.
3/10 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500
If you were wondering why the normal Ford Mustang ranked so low on our list, this is why. It’s all thanks to the Shelby GT 500’s existence.
The normal Mustang and the Shelby both share the same overall ergonomics, only the GT 500 is much more track-focused. Apart from the revitalized exterior, the Shelby GT 500 also occupies a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 that sends 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels.
2/10 Chevrolet Corvette
Back in the day, the Corvette was undoubtedly a muscle car. Nowadays, however, the C8 Corvette blurs the line between ultra-fast muscle car and hypercar, especially when taking the Z06 into consideration. Fun fact, even Chevy took inspiration from the Germans and mislabeled the V8 from the Z06’s power output.
The base model Corvette sports a naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter V8 with 790 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The Corvette Z06 on the other hand features a completely reengineered flat-plane crankshaft 5.5-liter V8.
1/10 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
The best muscle car for 2022 goes to the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. It embodies everything that makes a muscle car unique, and even adds to the magic formula without stripping away its roots.
The four-door CT5-V Blackwing is rear-wheel-drive and comes with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 strapped beneath its hood generating 668 hp and 659 lb-ft of torque, and a very rare 6-speed manual transmission. The CT5-V Blackwing is everything muscle enthusiasts hoped for, and more.
Sources: caranddriver.com, ultimatespecs.com