Muscle cars have been a staple of American automotive culture since the 1960s, with such hardware as the Chevrolet Chevelle, Oldsmobile 442, Pontiac GTO, Plymouth Barracuda, Ford Mustang GT, Dodge Charger, and many more capturing the hearts and minds of anyone wanting a deep V8 rumble and thrilling straight-line performance in their everyday ride.
To this day, despite society becoming more and more tech-forward every year with advanced driver assistance, intuitive electric vehicles, and vehicle autonomy, plenty of people still love the idea of a big, rowdy V8 in an inexpensive package.
You can’t buy a brand-new V8 muscle car for less than $45,000. Or, rather, the brand-new muscle car: The Ford Mustang—which is technically also a pony car. All of its competition is currently phased out or, in the case of the redesigned Dodge Charger, returning sans V8. And, since the classics' values are out-of-reach for many enthusiasts, we're left to look at muscular late-model used cars.
Thankfully, there are ample cheap muscle car options out there, especially if you aren’t too rigid about what you consider a “muscle car” and you're willing to shop around. In this guide, we’ve identified a handful of American muscle car options—plus one European wild card—for pricing under $20,000, as well as some that fetch less than $10,000. You can still buy something from the ‘60s and ‘70s for this kind of money, too, but be prepared for a project car. Let’s run through them.
The Best Muscle Cars You Can Get for Cheap in 2025
- 1993 to 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
- 2009 to 2017 Chevrolet Camaro
- 1994 to 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS
- 2009 to 2017 Dodge Challenger
- 2006 to 2015 Dodge Charger
- 2005 to 2017 Ford Mustang
- 2008 to 2015 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
- 2003 to 2004 Mercury Marauder
- 1993 to 2002 Pontiac Firebird
- 2003 to 2006 Pontiac GTO
- 2008 to 2009 Pontiac G8
The Cheapest Seats: Muscle Cars Under $10,000
- 2006 to 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
- 1967 to 1976 Dodge Dart
- 2005 to 2008 Dodge Magnum
- 1998 to 2012 Ford Crown Victoria
- 1994 to 2004 Ford Mustang
1993 to 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
The svelte, wedge-shaped fourth-generation Camaro looked radical when it was new in 1993, and it still looks good today. A mid-cycle refresh in 1998 made it faster, but arguably less dramatic-looking with its new fish-eyed front end. Nowadays, these Camaros can credibly claim to be genuine classic cars, but they’re still modern enough to be used as daily drivers so long as you’re not in a regularly snowbound area. In addition to the looks, these Camaros offered improved driving dynamics, more power, and a softer ride than predecessors.
Two V6s were offered in these years, displacing 3.4 and a 3.8 liters. The 3.4 isn’t worth bothering with, but the famously durable 3.8 made 200 horsepower and could clip 60 mph in about 7.5 seconds. Of course, it’s the V8s people want, and there are three Chevy small blocks on offer: the LT1, LT4, and LS1 (from 1998). They produced roughly 275-285, 330, and 310 hp, though the LS1 was purposefully underrated. Buyers opting for a V8 Camaro could choose from a four-speed automatic or a six-speed manual, which was an upgrade from the more common five-speed stick-shift of the day.
Today, the fourth-gen Camaro’s cabin feels like a sea of black plastic, and its zero-to-60 times aren’t as impressive as they were 30 years ago, but there’s still much to like. These cars, particularly the pre-1998 models, have the analog feel of older muscle cars but with more performance, more robust crash structures than anything built before 1980, and excellent durability. The hatchback coupe models are less expensive, but there are also convertibles, and you may even be able to find some special editions like the Indy 500 pace car models for less than $20,000.
2009 to 2017 Chevrolet Camaro
The 2009 to 2017 model years encompass both the fifth-generation (introduced in 2009) and sixth-generation (new in 2016) Camaros, both of which feature retro styling inspired by the 1960s original.
After the fourth-generation model was canceled in 2003 due to slow sales, Chevrolet revived it for 2009, giving the public a preview in the 2007 film Transformers. The reimagined fifth-gen Camaro was a much better handler and faster than any previous model. To put things in perspective, the 2009 Camaro’s base V6 made 312 hp, more than the original LT1 V8 in the previous model, and it offered a pair of 6.2-liter V8s with 400 and 426 hp to start, eventually joined by 5.3- and 7.0-liter versions with up to 580 horses driving the rear wheels through six-speed automatics or manuals (there were several variations).
Today, the fifth-generation Camaro is affordable enough that V8 models are common for less than $20,000, although you won’t be able to find the most extreme ZL1s and Z/28s for this price. Even the V6s are no slouch, though, and they're much quicker than any muscle cars of the 1980s. The only real downsides? The Camaro’s interior is dark and confining, and it's filled with very cheap-feeling plastic. It’s retro like the exterior, and while there are some nice touches, it feels low-rent.
In 2015, the sixth-generation Camaro arrived, looking almost identical to its predecessor but boasting major chassis upgrades that made it one of the sharpest-handling muscle cars ever made. It, too, offers more power, with a standard 275-hp four-cylinder engine, equivalent in power to the V8 of 20 years earlier. There’s also a 335-hp V6, and V8s with 455 or 680 horespower and a host of mechanical options aimed at track day fans. You won’t find too many V8-equipped sixth-gens at this price, but some are available. The same criticisms of the fifth generation’s interior also apply here.
1994 to 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS
It was an unlikely idea. In 1992, Jon Moss, manager of Chevy’s Specialty Vehicles Group skunkworks, channeled AC/DC’s “Back in Black” vibe almost note for note by dressing up a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) Caprice Classic police car into a heavy metal hot rod with an 8.0-liter V8. That year’s Impala SS concept car was so popular that Chevrolet quickly put it into production for the 1994 model year. The recipe was simple: take all the heavy-duty mechanical bits of the police interceptor, slap on some cool rims and dual exhaust, lower it, and set it free with a 260-hp LT1 V8 and four-speed automatic transmission.
This same powertrain was also used in the Camaro, but in a slightly different state of tune, and for the time, the results were exciting. The Caprice Classic was a big barge for old folks (and law enforcement), but the Impala SS looked and felt like a hot rod for a gangster. The classic nameplate, then unused since the mid-1980s, also created plenty of nostalgia. While the Caprice’s popularity faded, the Impala’s steadily grew, but all of GM’s traditional B-body sedans were axed in 1996 to make way for more SUV production.
A collector’s item from the day it rolled off the lot, the Impala SS is not that fast by today's standards, but it’s lots of fun and has an undeniable muscle car vibe. It’s also a huge sedan that can seat five in comfort and has more than 20 cubic feet of trunk space, an amount you just won’t find in modern sedans. Chevrolet’s mechanicals are also simple, reliable, and durable, in part because they were designed for heavy-duty police work. With some searching, a nice example can be found and purchased for less than $20,000.
Chevy again built a V8 Impala SS from 2006 to 2009, but that example was a much less memorable front-wheel-drive (FWD) version.
2009 to 2017 Dodge Challenger
One of the most anticipated new cars of the 2000s, the reinvented Dodge Challenger returned to showrooms in 2008 after a decades-long hiatus. Although there had been a Mitsubishi-based Challenger in the late 1970s and early 1980s, this new version harked back directly to the first 1970 model, one of the fiercest of the first-wave muscle cars, developed right as the genre was peaking. The modern Challenger resembled that original in more ways than one, and it came complete with a 425-hp Hemi V8.
Unfortunately, the revived Challenger and Camaro both crashed right into the maw of the Great Recession, which hurt their sales in the early years. Even so, the Challenger was popular for a relatively expensive muscle car, and Dodge steadily improved it until production ended in late 2023. In the early days, the 5.7-liter Hemi was accompanied by a 250-hp V6, which was later supplanted by the 305-hp 3.6-liter “Pentastar” V6 in 2011. That same year, the SRT8 debuted with a 6.4-liter, 470-hp Hemi.
Challengers fitted with the Pentastar V6 aren’t “slow” by historical standards, with zero-to-60 times in the low six-second range. At this price, though, you should be able to find plenty of older Hemi V8s, most wearing an R/T badge. In 2015, the Challenger got a modest refresh and even more power with the SRT Hellcat, and an all-wheel-drive (AWD) V6-equipped GT variant arrived in 2017. Well-kept, low-mileage GTs can be difficult to find, and getting a decent Hellcat for $20,000 or less is all but impossible.
2006 to 2015 Dodge Charger
After teasing cool four-door Charger concepts for years, Dodge finally built the real thing starting in 2006. Based on the Chrysler 300 with some shared technology that came from the long-ago DaimlerChrysler union, the Charger was a big, bad rear-drive brawler just like the Impala SS had been a decade earlier, only with a more extensive lineup, more technology, and more power. In addition to the 340-hp 5.7-liter Hemi R/T, there were also V6 models with 178 and 250 hp and an SRT8 version with a 425-hp 6.1-liter Hemi.
Those early V8 versions also revived some famous names from the past, like Daytona and Super Bee, both reinterpretations of 1960s originals complete with special graphics. Indeed, there are many special editions of this vehicle, in part because it remained in production until late 2023. During its run, the Charger saw continual improvements, including a comprehensive refresh and style update in 2011 and additional tech upgrades in later years. The 5.7-liter Hemi eventually reached 370 hp, while SRT8 models were putting out 470 or 485. A 707-hp Charger Hellcat later arrived, but examples remain too pricey for this list.
Besides looking intimidating and being fast, the Charger has lots of practical qualities. It’s a huge car by modern standards with an enormous trunk and back seat. It’s primarily a rear-drive design, but AWD models were available from 2007, though not always with the most powerful engines. The Charger also doesn’t look dated, despite its advanced age in car years. It may have two too many doors to be a purist’s muscle car, but the Charger is a very good bargain.
2005 to 2017 Ford Mustang
These years encompass both the fifth-generation (new in 2005) and sixth-generation (introduced in 2015) Mustang. Despite their shared heritage and similar body styles, they’re very different cars in feel. As with the Camaro, the later Mustangs are sharper handlers with very potent non-V8 powerplants.
After a quarter century on the 1970s “Fox” platform, the Mustang was totally redesigned for its 40th anniversary in 2005. The retro looks and modern cabin were a huge improvement over the predecessor, and there was even more power, at least from the V8 models. At first, the fourth-generation “S197” Mustang (nicknamed for its internal development code) offered a 4.0-liter, 210-hp V6 or a 300-hp 4.6-liter V8, but in time there was also a 315-hp “Bullitt” 4.6 and a 500-horse Shelby version. In the 2005 to 2010 range, the 4.6 is the engine to have.
In 2010, Ford gave the S197 a major style and tech update, followed in 2011 by new engines including a 310-hp 3.7-liter V6 and the 412-hp “Coyote” V8 that’s still powering fast Fords today. Both can be found for less than $20,000 now, and the 2011-2014 versions of the S197 are the best and most potent. There were also “Boss 302” and Shelby versions of these later cars, but they still bring high prices. Notably, 2014 Mustangs were often deeply discounted when they were new, which meant lower values later, because the sixth-generation S550 Mustang bowed that spring.
New for 2015, the S550 Mustang was released for the nameplate’s 50th anniversary and was the most sophisticated version yet. In a major philosophical change, it got a fully independent rear suspension and a new, BMW-like front suspension design. The result was genuine sports car handling that makes the S550 a fantastic track car. The “Coyote” V8 continued, but the biggest news for cheap Mustangs was the debut of the 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder. With 310 hp and less weight than the other Mustangs, it’s easily the most fun four-cylinder muscle car ever made, and it could sprint to 60 mph in just five seconds.
2008 to 2015 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
We just had to throw this hopped-up C-Class into the mix. While not American in origin, it certainly captures muscle car lovers’ hearts and minds with its naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8, rear-wheel-drive (RWD) layout, sedan or couple body style, and amazing exhaust note.
Sporting 475 to 500 hp depending on year and trim, these cars are absolute monsters, capable of keeping pace with supercars of the time. They’ll reach 60 mph from a standstill in less than four seconds, rip impressive smoky burnouts and drifts without issue, and even serve as comfortable and accommodating luxury car daily drivers. Beginning in 2012, the sedan was joined by a new coupe version, which we think looks quite good. That same year, the lineup was given a slight refresh, including a few reliability revisions (the later the model you can find, with ample service history, the better). When shopping, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for accelerated suspension bushing wear and issues with the engine's head bolts. Besides those minor annoyances, they’re quite sturdy.
Depending on mileage and condition, this brutish, under-the-radar Mercedes could be an amazing value for anyone after international V8 thrills. Also, if you don’t need an all-American muscle car, then check out the Lexus RCF, the Porsche Panamera GTS, or pretty much any Audi sedan, wagon, or coupe bearing the legendary RS badge.
2003 to 2004 Mercury Marauder
Seeing Chevrolet’s success in the 1990s with the Impala SS (see above), Mercury decided to replicate almost the entire formula with the 2003 Marauder. Here, the platform was the stuffy and traditional Mercury Grand Marquis sedan, with bits of hardware from the Ford Crown Victoria P71 Police Interceptor. With big chrome rims, slightly restyled bumpers, and mechanical upgrades from the Police Interceptor, you had yourself a genuine muscle car.
The name, like the Impala’s, was also taken from a high-speed model of yesteryear, the 1960s Marauder, which had once been a stock car racing superhero. Almost all Marauders were painted black, but there were also a few in silver, blue, and burgundy monochromatic schemes. They came only with a 302-hp version of Ford’s 4.6-liter “Modular” V8, the same engine used in the Mustang. Zero to 60 took about six seconds, which was noteworthy for a huge two-ton sedan 20 years ago. Plus, it certainly looked menacing.
Mercury did not sell anywhere near as many Marauders as it anticipated, so the model only lasted two years. A less conspicuous package with the same basic pieces was offered by Ford as the Crown Victoria LX Sport. In both cases, the front bench was replaced by bucket seats and a console, but the two cars were still huge sedans capable of seating five in comfort and transporting all their stuff. Marauders aren’t so common anymore, but they still don’t command huge prices unless they’re near-mint originals.
1993 to 2002 Pontiac Firebird
Sister to the Chevrolet Camaro of these same years, the fourth-generation Pontiac Firebird looked even wilder than its Chevy counterpart when it was new. The pop-up headlights, when closed, made for an ultra-aerodynamic front end, and the Firebird truly looked like a show car (specifically the 1988 Pontiac Banshee). As with the Camaro, 1998 brought a less happy restyle, but the Firebird wore its updates better.
A beloved name from a make that is now gone, Firebirds are a little rarer than Camaros and tend to sell for slightly higher prices, but mechanically, they’re very similar. As with the Chevy, two V6s were offered, with the 3.8-liter, 200-hp unit coming standard after 1996. All three of the same V8s were available, producing about 285 to 310 hp. Pontiac used the same transmissions but did tweak the suspension tuning and, of course, held claim to the famous Trans Am variant.
As on the Camaro, the Firebird's interior is very plasticky, its driving position is quite close to the floor, and its Trans Am variant rides a little harder than most of the other models. Still, these Firebirds are lots of fun, while also being practical and reliable. They’re also just beginning to appreciate as collectible cars, especially given the demise of the Pontaic brand. Several special edition models can be found, some of which come with meaningful mechanical upgrades, like the Firehawk and the 1994 Trans Am GT. Good ones are plentiful under $20,000.
2004 to 2006 Pontiac GTO
Decades after getting the axe in the early 1970's muscle car die-off, the Pontiac GTO returned for 2004 courtesy of General Motor’s Australian division, Holden. Down under, the classic muscle car era never really ended, and Holden and Ford of Australia kept building traditional muscle cars well into the 2010s. One of those cars, the Holden Monaro, was chosen by Pontiac as an easy way to reintroduce its famous GTO after Firebird sales ended in 2003. The idea stemmed from a highly positive Car & Driver review of the related Holden Commodore in 2000.
Since the Monaro was not sold in North America, the GTO was a truly unique product for Pontiac, and one that lived up to the name’s heritage. In 2004, power came from a 350-hp 5.7-liter LS1 V8, while 2005 and 2006 models used the 400-hp, 6.0-liter LS2. Notably, both engines were shared with the Chevrolet Corvette. With zero-to-60 times of five seconds or less and quarter miles in the high 12-second range, the GTO was genuinely fast. Unfortunately, Pontiac didn’t advertise its talents very well.
The Monaro’s subtle styling was kept entirely, and many buyers felt that it didn’t feature the distinctive looks Pontiacs were known for. The interior was upscale and clean for its era but also a bit bland. As a result, sales didn’t live up to expectations, and the GTO's life span was cut short. However, as a used muscle car, it has all the makings of a future classic: It’s rare, fast, good-looking, and unusual. Decent examples can be found for less than $20,000.
2008 to 2009 Pontiac G8
Despite the GTO’s failure to excite buyers, Pontiac was not ready to give up on the concept of an Americanized Holden hot rod. In 2008, the idea returned in the form of the G8, a sedan based on the Australian-market Holden Commodore. When it was new, the G8 was Pontiac’s first totally new, traditional, RWD sedan in 30 years, which delighted throngs of muscle-car fans. The G8 looked more Pontiac-like than the GTO, and it drove like a European sports sedan. It also had a more modern interior.
Pontiac offered three powerplants: a standard 256-hp 3.6-liter V6, a 361-hp 6.0-liter V8 in the GT, and a 415-hp 6.2-liter V8 in the GXP. The GXP boasted an optional six-speed manual transmission, massive Brembo brakes, and a Nürburgring-tuned suspension. All versions were good performers, but the G8 was was a victim of the Great Recession. About 38,000 G8s were sold before both the G8 and the Pontiac brand as a whole were discontinued in 2009. Most G8s are V6-powered, and they’ve held their value very well for a short-lived car from a defunct make, but it is possible to find G8 GTs in good condition for under $20,000.
Years later, the G8 is still a hot car, and Pontiac's parent company, General Motors, could not entirely let the idea go. From 2014 to 2017, an updated version of this same car came to the US as the Chevrolet SS, a high-dollar four-door hot rod similar in specification to the G8 GXP.
The Cheapest Seats: Muscle Cars Under $10,000
2006 to 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
You can still find old-school, RWD, V8-powered Monte Carlos (the kind that made the name famous from 1970 to 1988) for less than $10,000, but you’ll have to search long and hard. If you want something a little easier to find, and a whole lot more modern, there’s also the very last Monte Carlo SS. In the 1990s, the Monte reappeared as a V6-powered front-wheel-drive (FWD) car aimed at models like the Chrysler Sebring and the Toyota Camry Solara, but in 2005, Chevy decided to reinvigorate sales by returning to an old recipe, fitting a high-performance SS variant with a 5.3-liter V8.
With 303 hp, two doors, and that trademark V8 rumble, this version of the Monte Carlo checks the boxes of a traditional muscle car. However, this SS was based on an older FWD platform, which wasn't ideal for 303 horses. To compensate, Chevrolet fitted a sophisticated traction control system, but the end result is excessive torque steer. Turn traction control off, and it’s easy to spin the front wheels even in casual driving.
Not surprisingly, these cars have a healthy appetite for eating up their front tires, but they are fun and were fast for their time. Both Pontiac (the Grand Prix GXP) and Buick (the LaCrosse Super) got versions of this same V8 setup, as did the four-door Impala SS. Pontiac’s version has a better suspension and tire setup, but the Monte Carlo is the only one that comes looking like a conventional muscle car, and it’s much easier to find than the Grand Prix GXP. Easier, but not necessarily “easy.” Really nice examples of these cars will fetch more than $10,000.
1967 to 1976 Dodge Dart
The only old-school muscle car on our list, the Dart may surprise younger readers when they learn that it was primarily an economy car when it was new and that it lasted in that role for what seemed like an eternity. This Dart, and its Plymouth Valiant sibling, debuted in the fall of 1966 and remained on sale for a decade. In the 1960s, there were many hot versions, including the GT and GTS models, some with the very potent 340 (5.6-liter) and 383 (6.3-liter) V8s. You won’t find those for under $20,000 anymore, but there are many lesser 1960s and 1970s Darts that offer the look and feel of that era, and later cars have somewhat more modern safety features.
No car this old can be considered entirely “safe” by modern standards, but later (post-1971) Darts are guaranteed to have modern three-point seatbelts and front disc brakes, which greatly improves stopping power. Engine outputs fell dramatically in the early 1970s thanks to new emissions regulations, but the 318 (5.2-liter), 340, and 360 (5.9-liter) V8s still had plenty of torque, and over the last 50 years, many have been modified to make more power. Indeed, the Dart’s light weight relative to the larger Mopar muscle cars of its time and its parts commonality to those cars made it very easy to modify for more speed, which is still true today.
Because so many Darts were made, they’re still one of the more common 1970s cars on the road. The non-V8 versions and sedan models are never in much of a hurry, however, even if the standard “slant six” engine is almost indestructible. If you want the muscle car look and feel, you’ll have to seek out V8s and two-door models (there are three styles: a two-door sedan, a two-door hardtop, and a two-door Dart Sport coupe). Buying later (1974-76) cars with impact bumpers will reduce the cost of entry, too.
2005 to 2008 Dodge Magnum
Introduced alongside the Charger in 2005, the Dodge Magnum was a station wagon version of that car. The Magnum’s engines, chassis and capabilities were essentially the same as those of the Charger, including the 5.7 and 6.1-liter Hemi V8s; it just happened to come in a cool wagon body style. Unfortunately, what enthusiasts thought was cool was largely ignored by mainstream consumers, who were much more into SUVs. Ultimately, the Magnum lasted only a few model years while its LX-platform siblings continued into 2023.
Thanks to its relative obscurity and the fact that it’s now nearing the bottom of its depreciation curve, the Magnum is very affordable. You won't find SRT8 versions for $10,000, but 5.7-liter V8 Magnums can be found at this price. They offer everything that comparable Chargers do, only with more practicality.
1998 to 2012 Ford Crown Victoria
It’s a stretch to call the Crown Victoria a “muscle car” in the strictest sense, but as the 1990s Chevrolet Impala SS and 2000s Mercury Marauder proved, the ingredients are there. After all, the Crown Victoria LX Sport of the mid-2000s was essentially the same car as the Marauder but with more subtle visuals. It’s a big, traditional, V8-only, RWD sedan with rock-tough mechanical pieces. Best of all, it’s cheap, but most of examples are former fleet cars, which take even more abuse than performance cars in many cases.
This car’s platform first debuted in late 1978 but was continually updated, so there are many to choose from. Muscle car fans will want 2003 and newer models. That was the year the Crown Vic got rack-and-pinion steering, a variety of chassis updates, and a power bump to 224 hp for standard models and 239 hp for dual-exhaust versions. Police Interceptor models were upped to 250 horses in 2004. While the earlier cars look pretty much the same, they don’t handle as well and came standard with 200 hp. All use some iteration of Ford’s 4.6-liter “modular” V8, for which many performance parts are readily available.
Crown Vic LX Sports don’t command a huge price premium, but they’re quite rare, and it’ll be easier to find a standard version or an Interceptor. This is a two-ton car, and the biggest basic family car of its era, so it doesn't necessarily feel sporty. However, like the Impala and the Marauder, it’s roomy and practical. It’s also exceedingly reliable. Police Interceptors have very basic interiors, as you’d expect, so you’ll have to live with that if you want one.
1994 to 2004 Ford Mustang
Redesigned for the first time in 15 years, the 1994 “SN95” Mustang brought new looks but familiar hardware. Underneath, it was based on the same platform as its predecessor and retained its aging 3.8-liter V6 and 5.0-liter V8 engines. In time, the old V8 gave way to Ford’s modern “modular” single-overhead-cam 4.6-liter unit, though power was at first similar at 215 hp. By 1999, it had grown to 260 hp and stayed there until 2004. There were more powerful Cobra, Cobra R, and Bullitt models of this Mustang with up to 390 hp, but they’re rare enough to command high prices.
Trapped between the previous Fox-body Mustang, which is now a favorite of Gen-X and Millennial collectors, and the later, faster generations described above, the fourth-generation Mustang is very affordable if not as desirable as those others. The styling has aged less gracefully than other Mustangs, too. There are two basic eras: the early “Jellybean” look from 1994-1998 and the “New Edge” design from 1999-2004, but performance and capabilities are roughly similar. Six-cylinder versions aren’t at all fast by modern standards, but the V8 GT is still plenty of fun. These models aren't hard to find at bargain prices, either.
