3 American Performance Vehicles Proving Muscle Cars Don’t Need Two Doors
It seems like automakers have been killing traditional muscle cars left and right. High performance power is being applied to trucks and SUVs while gas powertrains are going electric. For example, the Chevrolet Camaro is simply gone. Also, the Dodge Charger was discontinued and briefly returned as an electric model before regaining a gas engine. At least the Ford Mustang is still kicking, but the Mustang Mach-E is a shocking sibling in the lineup. Some of the fastest American vehicles available are a far cry from classic muscle cars, as high-performance vehicles grow in size for “practical” reasons.
3
2026 Ford F-150 Raptor R
0 to 60 mph: 3.6 seconds
Sport trucks aren’t exactly new. However, they started as compact two-door models instead of enormous full-size pickups that one could comfortably live in. Like the Ford Mustang, the Ford F-150 Raptor R draws inspiration from military fighter jets with immense power and agile performance. This truck weighs in at 6,005 pounds, but it is not too big to fly.
Under the hood, you’ll find a supercharged 5.2-liter Carnivore V8 that’s adapted from the Mustang Shelby GT500 Predator. It cranks out 720 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque. The Raptor R races from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.6 seconds and completes a quarter mile in around 12.0 seconds. It has an electronically limited top speed of 162 mph.
The Mustang Is The Last True Muscle Car
The most powerful 2026 Ford Mustang available is the GTD, but it’s a supercar. However, the Mustang Dark Horse SC model is a high-performance muscle car with its 5.2-liter supercharged Predator V8 engine. This pony car has a serious growl with 795 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque.
It gallops from 0 to 60 mph in about 2.9 seconds and covers a quarter mile in around 10.8 seconds. The Dark Horse SC has a top speed of 180 mph. The gas-powered Mustang leaves the electric Mach-E in the dust, as it takes 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph with an 11.8-second quarter-mile time.
2
2026 Dodge Durango
0 to 60 MPH: 3.5 seconds
Next up, we have the 2026 Dodge Durango, which is pretty much a modern land yacht. It’s a midsize SUV that feels miles away from a classic two-door roadster or coupe. The Durango is about 16.73 feet long and roughly seven feet wide with mirrors. Also, it weighs in at a curb weight of up to 5,575 pounds.
To be fair, the 1966 Dodge Charger was also incredibly long and wide, but it only weighed in at 3,800 to 4,160 pounds. Plus, the Durango excels with plenty of power to send it flying down the road. The available supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 engine in the SRT Hellcat and Jailbreak trims delivers 710 hp and 649 lb-ft of torque.
The Durango can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds and covers a quarter mile in around 11.5 seconds. It features a top speed of roughly 180 mph. That’s faster than the current gas-powered Charger. The Charger Scat Pack has the Hurricane High Output 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six engine with 550 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque.
The Charger Needs The Hellcat To Compare
It helps the Charger accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in around 3.9 seconds with a 12.1-second quarter-mile time and top speed of about 177 mph. Hopefully, the HEMI engine will return to boost the Charger to its former glory. But in the meantime, the electric Charger reaches 60 mph in about 3.3 seconds.
1
2026 Chevy Blazer SS
0 to 60 MPH: 3.4 seconds
The classic Chevrolet Blazer has transformed from a rugged, square-shaped SUV into a sleek and curvy urban commuter. At least it carries the classic Super Sport (SS) designation, which has been used for athletic Chevy trim levels for decades. The 1961 Impala SS was the first muscle car to wear the badge, but it has been used on trucks and SUVs as well.
The 2026 Chevy Blazer SS runs on dual electric motors. The front and rear motors are paired with a 102-kWh Ultimum battery pack and all-wheel drive to generate 515 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. In the Wide Open Watts (WOW) launch control mode, it produces 615 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque.
This electric SUV rockets from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and covers a quarter mile in about 11.5 seconds. It has an electronically governed top speed of 131 mph. But how far can it race with an EPA-estimated range of 303 to 320 miles? The Chevy Corvette is technically a supercar, making it an unfair comparison, so the discontinued Camaro will serve as the benchmark instead.
Chevrolet Has To Revive The Camaro
The 2024 Chevy Camaro packs heat with an available 6.2-liter supercharged LT4 V8 engine with the ZL1 trim. It pumps out 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque and reaches 60 mph in roughly 3.2 seconds. This gas-powered beast covers a quarter mile in about 11.4 seconds and features a top speed of 198 mph.
Source: Automobile Catalog, Top Speed, Fastest Laps
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