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Insanely Powered Cars From Chrysler (Number Three Will Leave You Speechless)

Cameron Eittreim July 12, 2023

The Chrysler Corporation is one of the big three automakers, even if it doesn’t go by that name anymore. The automaker has built some of the fastest cars that ever hit the road. Without these cars from Chrysler, we wouldn’t have cars like the Plymouth Superbird, the Dodge Demon, or the Charger. The company was also responsible for bringing us vehicles like the Roadrunner and even the Dodge Viper. Many cars came out of Chrysler that were insanely powerful and became instant classics.

MOPAR has left an indelible mark on the automotive industry, and there aren’t a lot of as iconic automakers. Some cars from the Chrysler Corporation broke the mold in terms of power and handling. These were true legends that redefined what a modern sports car was. Then other offerings were less than satisfactory. We looked at the most insanely powered cars that ever came from Chrysler and Dodge, and true car fans will remember them fondly. Let’s get started.

Plymouth GTX

The Plymouth GTX isn’t the first nameplate that comes to mind when you think of horsepower, but it still offered quite a bit. It was a performance car sold during the ’60s. The GTX had a lot to offer and under the hood, it packed a punch. Even though the car only weighed 4000lbs it felt a whole lot sturdier than it was, and the affordable price tag of $3,800.00 made it attainable for the average gearhead. Plymouth was the value-oriented brand in the Chrysler portfolio so a car like the GTX made perfect sense for the brand (via Hagerty).

The 383 CU V8 was one of the most powerful engines to come out of Chrysler. The performance of the engine was revered by even the most discerning hot rod enthusiasts of the period. The groundbreaking performance of the car was enough to catapult it to popularity. Again, this is not the first car that comes to mind when you think about performance, but with the bulletproof engineering and stylish exterior, it was a pleasant mix.

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First-Generation Dodge Viper

The first generation of the Dodge Viper was a car that was unlike anything else on the market. Everything about the Viper screamed supercar, and that’s what Chrysler was going for. It competed against the Chevrolet Corvette but it was more powerful in every way. For a short period, the Viper was the fastest production car in the world with a staggering top speed of 170 mph. The Viper was an unapologetic performance car with an attitude. With its bare-bones design, it targeted traditional Porsche buyers who wanted performance and didn’t care about sacrificing comfort for it (via Hagerty).

The Viper had a bare-bones design as there wasn’t a lot to it. There were no door locks, no working windows, and the interior was fairly basic. There wasn’t any working air conditioning and the sound system was pretty much barebones. But the Viper wasn’t a show car, it was a straight-laced street-legal race car. The 8.0-liter naturally aspirated V10 was one of the most powerful engines that Chrysler ever crammed into a sports car until that point.

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Dodge Magnum R/T

The Magnum was a retro-inspired station wagon that was sold in the 2000s. The car was based on the new Charger platform and offered a Hemi V8 engine. But what was even more awe-inspiring was the SRT version of the car that offered some of the fastest performance of the period. The Magnum was meant to stand out from the crowd, and it started Dodge’s transition into being the niche brand that it is today. Some people hated the Magnum and others loved it, which is why the car has such a diverse enthusiast community to this day (via Hagerty).

Dodge was quick to let you know in advertising that this wasn’t your father’s station wagon. Likewise, the Magnum offered a plethora of styles and luxury as well. The leather interior and the one-of-a-kind paint job made the Magnum a popular choice with V8 enthusiasts. The final generation of the car was the rarest and was released during a turbulent time in the economy. But if you can get your hands on one, it was a legitimate piece of modern MOPAR history and muscle.

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1957 Chrysler Imperial

The big, bold Chrysler Imperial wasn’t the performance car of the decade, but it did pack a punch with horsepower. The elongated styling was targeted at people who wanted a luxurious, fun-to-drive vehicle. Think Cadillac without the overbearing price tag because the Imperial was pure class. The 1950s were a time when things were changing and the Chrysler brand was at the forefront. With the Imperial by your side, you were able to glide through traffic and the style of the car was simply out of this world (via Hagerty).

The Imperial was one of the most popular Chrysler models of the decade, and thousands of them sold. Nowadays the Imperial is just a memory but the few of them that are still around pack a punch. Even Jay Leno is the proud owner of a Chrysler Imperial that still has the unique paint job. The 331 cu in (5.4 L) Hemihead V8 was one of the most iconic engines that Chrysler crammed into a car up to this point, and it was one of the engines that introduced the world to the Hemi brand.

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Plymouth Volare Roadrunner

The Roadrunner was one of the most iconic cars that were ever built, but there was another variation of the Roadrunner as well. The Volare was the budget-oriented car that Plymouth sold during this era. Yet in the Roadrunner trim, it was a whole different beast. The Volare Roadrunner was a performance powerhouse at a time when automakers were cutting back with more fuel-efficient designs. The 1980s were a rough time for Plymouth and there were only 496 cars with the A57 option, also known as the Roadrunner (via Hagerty).

The styling and the horsepower made the car stand out from the crowd, which was a good thing. The Plymouth cars from this era were some of the most powerful examples of automotive engineering and the cars are still very fun to drive to this day. Although the sales numbers were disappointing, the Volare Roadrunner wasn’t a bad car by any means.

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Dodge Aspen R/T

Much like the Volare, there was also a Dodge variant of the compact car platform as well. In the Aspen R/T trim it boasted a massive amount of horsepower crammed into a compact package. Most consumers who still wanted a fun-to-drive car even when fuel prices were high were quick to go for the Aspen R/T. As was the case with the Plymouth Volare Roadrunner, there wasn’t a whole lot of these built. All in all, there were only 872 Aspen R/Ts ever put into production, and good luck finding one in decent shape nowadays (via Hagerty).

The interesting thing about the Aspen nameplate was that it was recycled during the 2008 recession in the form of a Chrysler SUV. Nevertheless, it was the original Aspen R/T that broke the mold for compact performance and horsepower. The car redefined what a compact MOPAR offered in terms of performance and price.

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1963 Dodge 330 Ramcharger

When you think of a Ramcharger, you probably think of the two-door SUV that was sold in the 1980s, but there was also a muscle car with the same nameplate. The Dodge 330 Ramcharger was a beast of a muscle car that was slammed into a compact package. It was released before muscle cars were a thing and also before performance was a major selling point (via Hagerty).

It can be said that this was one of the original hot rod enthusiast cars that hit the market. The 330 V8 was one of the best and most underrated engines that Dodge offered at the time. There weren’t a lot of performance offerings in the early 1960s and this was a car that provided a lot of fun for a cheap price.

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1965 Dodge Coronet

The Coronet was another well-known performance car from the bygone era. It had all of the looks and performance of a fun car and it was released the same year that the Mustang hit the market. The Coronet had some serious performance under the hood, which is what made it a popular drag racer (via Hagerty).

The lightweight front and rear gave the Coronet excellent of-the-line performance, and the interior was comfortable enough to accommodate passengers. All in all, the Coronet was one of the most fun Dodge cars from this era and had a lot to offer in terms of fashion and performance.

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Plymouth Belvedere

The Plymouth brand had a lot of fun driving cars throughout automotive history and the Belvedere was one of them. The interesting styling of the car and the major amount of performance under the hood made it stand out. Its exterior styling was bold and a lot more than you’d expect (via Hagerty).

The Belvedere had other positive attributes as well as its exterior styling had a distinct look to it. Compared to the Chevy Chevelle and other muscle cars from the era it looked pretty bold. While it wasn’t distinctly outlandish or anything, it did a good job of standing out and its performance was more than satisfactory.

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1968 Plymouth Barracuda Hemi

This car is one of the most well-known muscle cars in the world. The Barracuda was synonymous with performance and the muscle car era, and it was one of the cars that put Plymouth on the map. During this era, Chrysler was more than willing to cram a Hemi V8 in just about anything that had wheels (via Autowise).

The Barracuda was one of those cars that had the perfect platform for a Hemi V8 under the hood. The performance of the engine was downright awesome and the styling of the car was unlike anything else on the road. When hot rod enthusiasts think of Plymouth, the first car that often comes to mind is the ‘Cuda.

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Chrysler New Yorker

Take one look at the Chrysler New Yorker and you can tell that it was a big and even oversized ride. To power such a big ride it took a lot of horsepower and a powerful V8 engine. Although the New Yorker wasn’t a performance car, it was one of the most powerful Chryslers from the era (via Autowise).

This car was from a time when cars were downright huge and it took power to move them. Chrysler utilized a lot of the same engines across various platforms, which made the New Yorker stand out. In recent years the New Yorker has become a favorite of hot rod enthusiasts and lowrider builders alike.

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Chrysler C-300

The Chrysler 300 is one of the most popular automotive lines of all time and dates back decades. The C-300 was one of the first models to utilize the nameplate and it was also quite powerful. The sleek two-door styling with the rear fins gave the car a nice smooth look, which was the style back then (via Autowise).

There are very few cars from the era that were like the C-300 because it had a unique look and feel to it. The car had a nice blend of luxury and performance, without leaning too far either way. When it comes to classic MOPAR cars, the C-300 was one of the most unique offerings on the road.

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Plymouth Fury

The Plymouth Fury was another well-known car that came out of Chrysler during decades of innovation. Not only did the car have beautiful styling, but it also had one of the most powerful engines the company offered. The name wasn’t just furious for no reason, because this can handle business when it came to speed as well (via On All Cylinders).

The Plymouth Fury was a viable hot rod from the moment it hit the market and it appeared in quite a few well-known movies. The car had a unique look to it that made it stand out from other coupes that were on the market at that time. Chrysler was a bit over-the-top with their styling around this time and the Fury was at the forefront.

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Dodge Dart 413 Max Wedge

The Dodge Dart has always been a performance-oriented nameplate and managed to attract a lot of buyers early on. There were quite a few models and the 413 Max Wedge was one of the most popular offerings for gearheads. The tight gear ratio and the 413 Hemi V8 were both options that appealed to performance enthusiasts (via Autowise).

The Dart Max Wedge was everything that hot rod enthusiasts wanted at the right time. It had sleek styling that was unlike anything else on the market and was unique enough that you’d never see anything else like it. Taking a look at the front fascia is a glance into what performance looked like back then.

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Dodge Charger

The original Dodge Charger is one of the most iconic muscle cars on the road and was also one of the most insanely fast Dodges on the road. The styling was in line with other muscle cars from the same period like the GTO and the Chevelle. But the Charger also had its own unique personality that helped it stand out (via Autowise).

The Hemi V8 was a legendary performance engine and the rest of the car was built for speed. But it was also built for comfort and the interior was incredibly up-market with high-quality leather and grain. There aren’t a lot of cars from this era that did everything as well as the Charger did.

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Dodge Hemi Dart LO23 Super Stock

If you thought the Max Wedge wasn’t fast enough, there was another performance-oriented Dart as well. The Dart LO23 Super Stock was another performance model designed to appeal to gearheads. The styling had the same straight-edged look of the Wedge but with a new modern twist to it (via Autowise).

The performance that was under the hood offered some of the best numbers of the decade. The Dart Super Stock was basically a street-legal race car, and that’s why consumers went for it. The aggressive styling and the bulletproof performance under the hood made for an excellent muscle car.

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Dodge Coronet Super Bee

One model that doesn’t get enough credit is the Dodge Coronet Super Bee. Yes, the Coronet had a high-performance Super Bee option that most enthusiasts forgot about. The car had every bit of the legendary Super Bee styling coupled with a large interior and a heap of horsepower under the hood (via Autowise).

Dodge Coronet - Dodge Super Bee — Photo Credit: Hot Rod

Even though it came off like a barebones muscle car, it offered a lot more. The Coronet was a popular model that offered a fair amount of luxury for the price. These cars were also commonly used as police interceptors, so the line was already known for great performance.

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Dodge Charger Daytona

In this life, there are a few muscle cars that are more notable than others. The Charger Daytona is definitely one of those. This is the car that put Dodge on the map in the NASCAR world. Its aerodynamic styling of the nose gave the car an impressive edge on the racetrack which helped it to cement a reputation (via Autowise).

The Charger Daytona was one of the most popular Dodge Charger models ever built. The sheer blend of performance and aerodynamics made the car a beastly combination. Today, the Dodge Charger Daytona is one of the most well-known classic Dodge models on the road.

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Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird

1970 Plymouth Superbird — Photo Credit: Hot Rod

Like the Charger Daytona, the Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird was a very popular muscle car. It had everything that the Dodge Charger had but with a bit more style. The Superbird was made famous by Richard Petty and it won quite a few different race championships and awards (via Autowise).

When you bought this car new you were essentially getting a street-legal NASCAR. Because of the car’s notoriety on the track the initial sales numbers were great. The marketing campaign for the car utilized the road runner character that was featured in the Looney Toons cartoons.

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Plymouth Cuda AAR

Plymouth had a lot of muscle cars and the Cuda AAR was a handling-focused track car. Take one look at the lean and mean stance and you’ll see that the car was built for performance. The green and red styling of the car coupled with the black interior made it a stand-out muscle car (via Autowise).

The AAR was fairly rare compared to other muscle cars of the period and the sales numbers were low. Chrysler did this intentionally to make the car rarer. You’ll seldom see a Cuda AAR for sale. And if you do, the car going to cost a pretty penny to obtain.

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Chrysler 300 Hurst

Another nameplate that Chrysler built using the 300 names was the 300 Hurst. This time around the car was built to appeal to muscle car buyers who wanted a sense of luxury in their ride. The interior was touted as one of the most luxurious in the segment and the Hurst option gave the car some serious performance (via Road Kill Customs).

Chrysler 300 - Chrysler — Photo Credit: Hot Rod

The Chrysler 300 Hurst is one of the rarest cars from the muscle car era because it wasn’t sold as an actual muscle car. But with the intimidating amount of horsepower and off-the-line performance, consumers couldn’t go wrong. This is one of the rarest Chrysler models to ever hit the road.

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Plymouth Duster 340

The Duster is another historical muscle car from the bygone era, and it had everything drivers wanted. First and foremost were the out-of-this-world paint jobs that featured bright colors and graphics. Under the hood, the Duster was a powerful muscle car (via Road Kill Customs).

Even though Chrysler had to shrink the Duster, it was able to give the car a great sense of speed and style. Most enthusiasts were happy with the Duster from this era and it proved to be a popular ride. The Plymouth brand name had some of the most iconic muscle cars on the road and this was one of them.

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Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 (1,025 Horsepower)

The modern era has been as instrumental in the muscle car world for Chrysler as it was in the 1970s. The modern Dodge Demon is one of the fastest production cars that you could get. With a jaw-dropping 1,025 horsepower at the wheels, this ride scared every Camaro and Mustang in sight (via Road Kill Customs).

It’s been said that Chrysler is going to pump out as many high-performance muscle cars as they can before they discontinued gasoline engines. If that’s the case then we are only at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to amazing muscle cars that break all kinds of rules.

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Dodge Lil’ Red Express Truck

Surpassingly enough the Ford Lightening and Chevy 454 SS get all the credit when it comes to being the first performance trucks. But it was actually Dodge that offered the first performance truck in the way of the Lil’ Red Express. This truck was a performance-oriented Dodge that had double stacks coming out of the bed (via Road Kill Customs).

There was nothing ordinary about this single-cab Dodge, and it showed the world that trucks could do more than just farm work. The truck was relatively fast on the track and it had one of the most unique looks ever for a truck. Its red paint job was also a very nice touch that helped it to stand out from the crowd.

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1962 Plymouth Savoy Super Stock 413

Dodge and Plymouth always shared models. Thus when Dodge got the Dart Wedge. Plymouth got the Savoy Super Stock 413. The car did have differences from the Dart such as a much more powerful drivetrain and a distinct look that was all its own (via Road Kill Customs).

Plymouth products stood the test of time even back then, and the Savoy Super Stock is one of the most iconic cars on the road. Not only did it offer great performance but it was also one of the last authentic Plymouth muscle cars. The mixture of styling and track-ready performance made it a very popular offering.

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Insanely Powered Cars From Chrysler (Number Three Will Leave You Speechless)

Plymouth GTX

First-Generation Dodge Viper

Dodge Magnum R/T

1957 Chrysler Imperial

Plymouth Volare Roadrunner

Dodge Aspen R/T

1963 Dodge 330 Ramcharger

1965 Dodge Coronet

Plymouth Belvedere

1968 Plymouth Barracuda Hemi

Chrysler New Yorker

Chrysler C-300

Plymouth Fury

Dodge Dart 413 Max Wedge

Dodge Charger

Dodge Hemi Dart LO23 Super Stock

Dodge Coronet Super Bee

Dodge Charger Daytona

Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird

Plymouth Cuda AAR

Chrysler 300 Hurst

Plymouth Duster 340

Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 (1,025 Horsepower)

Dodge Lil’ Red Express Truck

1962 Plymouth Savoy Super Stock 413

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