American muscle cars have always been defined by their ferocious performance, and nothing captures that spirit quite like a gargantuan V8 under the hood. From the mid-1960s to the modern era, automakers kept pushing displacement to the limit, packing cities’ worth of cubic inches into sleek, aggressive machines.
This listicle spotlights ten muscle cars—produced between 1964 and 2024—that boasted some of the largest engines ever fitted into production models. Each selection represents an apex of displacement for its time, delivering seismic torque and audacious swagger. Whether you’re a classic enthusiast or a modern supermotorhead, prepare to marvel at these behemoths and the legends they forged.
1. 1970 Buick GSX
When Buick unveiled the GSX as a performance-oriented variant of the Gran Sport, it stunned the industry by dropping a 455-ci Big Block V8 into a midsize coupe. Rated conservatively at around 360 hp but rumored to make closer to 450 hp in “Stage 1” trim, this iron-block monster churned out a cavernous 510 lb-ft of torque.
Buick reinforced the chassis, added heavy-duty brakes, and installed a functional hood tachometer to help wrangle that torque. The GSX’s bulging hood air scoops, aggressive rear spoiler, and optional MAGnum 500 wheels signaled its prowess. In period testing, a properly equipped GSX would rocket to 60 mph in under 6 seconds—blistering in 1970.