1. 1964 Pontiac GTO
The 1964 Pontiac GTO is widely hailed as the original muscle car, but it achieved this status by cleverly breaking internal rules at General Motors. By fitting a potent V8 engine into a midsize Tempest body, Pontiac sidestepped GM’s restrictions on engine size for smaller cars. This rebellious approach sparked a revolution, forever altering the muscle car landscape. Learn more about how the GTO made history at MotorTrend.