6 classic muscle cars criticized for being ugly and low performance

The term "muscle car" refers to a segment of mid-size sports cars with large engine displacement that appeared in the mid-1960s of the last century. Typically, early Pontiacs were equipped with powerful V8 engines with hundreds of horsepower.

In the late 1960s, almost every American car company produced muscle cars to compete and gain a foothold in sales. But sadly, the 1970s saw the decline of this type of vehicle due to the energy crisis.

Despite this, the muscle car genre still has its place and continues to evolve to this day. While some have become true classics, there are also many that are criticized for being ugly, underperforming, and not worth reminiscing about.

Here are 6 models on this "forgettable" list.

Dodge Charger 1976

The 1969-1972 Dodge Charger was an iconic American muscle car. However, by the 1976 model year, it was considered a major disappointment for the American automaker.

Dodge Charger 1976.

The car was designed in a new style "half luxury car, half muscle car". Very quickly, the new design of the 1975 Charger was strongly opposed by fans. This model only lasted 4 years and then was discontinued.

1983 Chevrolet Camaro Sport Coupe

The 1982 Chevrolet Camaro was the third generation of the car, but it was criticized for being boring. The Sport Coupe version had a 2.5-liter Iron Duke inline-four engine that was considered one of the worst four-cylinder engines ever made.

1983 Chevrolet Camaro Sport Coupe.

Consumers have criticized the idea of ​​putting a 98-horsepower four-cylinder engine in a traditional muscle car as not just bad, but incredibly bad. The highest-rated version of this Camaro only made 110 horsepower—a far cry from the 325 horsepower the previous Camaro produced.

1980 Plymouth Volare Road Runner

Despite its beautiful design, the 1980 Plymouth Volare Road Runner was criticized for its low performance.

1980 Plymouth Volare Road Runner.

Under the hood was a 3.7-liter, inline-six engine for the base model. The Road Runner version was powered by a 5.9-liter V8, but it only made 170 horsepower and was slow—even by 1980s performance standards.

Oldsmobile 4-4-2 1978

The 4-4-2 name comes from the car's special engineering, which includes a four-throttle carburetor system, a four-speed manual transmission, and dual exhausts. The Oldsmobile 4-4-2 is a giant in the world of classic muscle cars, famous for its beautiful design, impressive engines, and performance.

Oldsmobile 4-4-2 1978.

Sadly, the 1978 4-4-2 moved to the A-Body platform, becoming a liftback coupe (a hatchback variant with a sloping roofline from 45 to 5 degrees) with a much smaller V8 engine.

The car's 5.7-liter engine produces just 185 horsepower sent to the rear wheels through a 3-speed automatic transmission, disappointing those who loved the car in its previous version.

Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 1986

The 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 is considered a not-quite-perfect muscle car.

Pontiac dropped the 6.6-liter and 7.5-liter V8s, instead using a smaller 5.0-liter V8 and a 4.3-liter V6.

Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 1986.

The Grand Prix 2+2 was described as Pontiac's version of the Chevy Monte Carlo Aerocoupe, with the cabin stretched to create more space for rear passengers. This didn't work, as the car was still cramped and the V8 only made around 150 horsepower.

Oldsmobile Cutlass 1973

The 1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass lost its muscle car look, moving toward a luxury car design.

The 1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass had an optional vinyl top, making it a strange mix of rugged muscle and luxury styling. Overall, it was a disappointment compared to the previous model.

Oldsmobile Cutlass 1973.

Not to mention, despite having the same 7.5-liter V8 engine as the previous generation, instead of producing 360 horsepower, this generation only produces 250 horsepower.

Y Nhuy