6. Chevrolet Camaro Z28
The third generation F-Body was GM’s favorite muscle car. They offered it from the early 1990s to 2003 until they discontinued the Camaro and its twin brother, the Pontiac Firebird. They presented the Z28 Camaro in 1996. It featured a powerful 5.7-liter V8 with 325 HP, which was enough to launch it from 0 to 60 mph in just over five seconds with a 160 mph top speed.
The third generation Camaro was a simple car that was easy to maintain and work on. It featured a live rear axle, a strong gearbox and a tough chassis. Basically, this was the perfect modern muscle car. It was tough, durable and reasonably fast with a big aftermarket offering of spare parts and go-fast components.
In contrast to the more sophisticated cars on this list, the Z28 is a red-blooded American performance machine you can get for under $10,000. You may want to look for stock examples that owners haven’t modified.