The most powerful and iconic muscle cars were the product of the golden age of the American automotive industry. The 1960s gave us some of the best muscle cars.

The appeal of muscle cars at the time was the incredible speed, power, and performance offered. These cars typically ran hard in a straight line. Most models used massive V8 engines with serious horsepower and torque to rocket them to the end of a quarter mile in a hurry.

This golden age was filled with some amazing cars; here are seven that should pique your interest.

1964 Pontiac GTO

The GTO was a street racing legend that took on all challengers while delivering incredible muscle on the track. This car brought an incredible engine which measured 389 cubic inches, making it a 6.4-liter V8 engine. This car produced 325 horsepower in its standard form. Some drivers opted for more power from the “Tri-Power” carburetor, that increased this power to 348 ponies. The GTO could hit 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and finish a quarter mile in 14.8 seconds at 99 mph, which was pretty fast for the time.

1967 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake

Most wouldn’t look at this car and think that it was one of the most iconic muscle cars of the time, but it certainly was. Although streamlined, the Shelby Cobra brought all the qualities of an American muscle car to the track for some serious fun. This was the rarest car at the time, with only two models offered. Those two models were tuned to 800 horsepower thanks to the Paxton superchargers that were part of the mix.

1968 Dodge Charger R/T

Although the Charger eventually became a sedan, it was originally a high-powered muscle car offered in coupe form to be a serious performance machine. This Charger R/T was in a class of its own at the time. This amazing Dodge featured a 440 cubic-inch four-barrel Magnum V8 engine that produced 375 horsepower. Some drivers opted for the 426 Hemi engine that produced 425 horsepower to be one of the most powerful classic muscle cars of the decade. At the time, very few other cars could challenge this Dodge Charger R/T for all-out straight-line speed.

1968 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi

The Plymouth Road Runner was an incredible machine with excellent power offering 335 horsepower at the base level with a Hemi upgrade that delivers 425 horsepower. If this sounds like the Dodge Charger, that makes sense, these two cars were corporate cousins. The Road Runner was easily one of the most iconic muscle cars of the era, offering amazing power and speed on the track and on the dragstrip. Plymouth actually paid Warner Brothers to use the name and likeness of the Road Runner cartoon character with this car, making it even more fun.

1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

The Camaro almost missed the 1960s, but the 1960 ZL1 was one of the fastest and most powerful American muscle cars of the time. This car brought an amazing 427 cubic-inch big block V8 engine to the mix, delivering 500 horsepower to the wheels. This Chevy muscle car offered amazing speeds and could hit 60 mph in 5.3 seconds. Only 69 of the ZL1 models were ever made for the 1969 model year, making it one of the rarest Camaros ever built.

1969 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet

The Ford muscle car from the 1960s was the Mustang. By the end of the decade, this 428 Cobra Jet mode was offered to give Ford enthusiasts a car that could fight the big-block Camaro and Firebird cars of the time. This iconic muscle car hit the right notes with power and performance. This car was listed at 335 horsepower, but the actual output was closer to 410 horsepower when it was put out on the road.

1965 Shelby GT350

Sometimes there’s no substitute for the OG, and the Shelby GT350 was the original GT car with amazing power and muscle to deliver the speed and fun desired on any road or track. The small-block 289 cubic-inch V8 engine produced 306 horsepower and 329 lb-ft of torque, which allowed this Mustang-based car to hit 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. This muscle car could leave the competition in the dust, and it created an incredible legacy of speed, performance, and driving dynamics.

These are only seven of the iconic muscle cars of the 1960s, giving you a taste of how impressive the golden age of the automotive world could be.