Italian Muscle cars

Based in Europe, Ferrari and Alfa Romeo made automobiles that went on to be popular in the United States as well. However, the Americans had their own vehicles to be proud of. And we're not talking about those big-finned Cadillacs and Buicks conceived in the famous Powerhouse Era, but the power-packing musclecars. The trend became highly popular in the early 1960s and continued into the 1970s, with Ford, Chrysler and General Motors battling for supremacy in several segments. Horsepower was big, displacement was large, and the V8, with its arousing and dramatic sound, was a must. Although very powerful, the musclecar didn't meet everyone's taste. Designed to be affordable as well, some of them were lacking the luxurious features found in the Italian cars. They were no-nonsense muscle-to-the-rear-wheels vehicles and that probably made them a little less popular when compared to rival sportscars such as Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maserati, which were luxurious enough to host mini dinner parties in the cabin.

Sure, the two breeds are differentiated by some other fine points and technicalities as well, but we're not here to discuss that just now. Our focus is set on those that tried and partially succeeded in developing what most consider as being the perfect species: Italian-designed cars fitted with American V8 powerplants. And to do that, we have to remain in the 1960s and 1970s. While most of these aspiring automakers have gone extinct, some of their creations have lived on to become rare and highly collectible, thus winning their place in our automotive hall of fame.