Muscle cars are a primarily American/Australian tradition of placing a large engine (usually a V8) into an able-bodied two-door street car, allowing them to move quickly in a straight line. European industries opted for sports coupes for their winding mountain passes in place of the burley V8-powered monsters lurking across North America. However, some of Europe’s finest have attempted models within this appealing industry over the decades.
British, German, and even Italian manufacturers have multiple examples. Even the likes of Carroll Shelby have assisted in the European muscle scene, creating vehicles some would have over the Challenger Hellcat. Here are ten cars capable of matching their American counterparts in the V8-loving, boxy muscle scene.
10 De Tomaso Mangusta
Via Silodrome
The second production vehicle from De-Tomaso, the Mangusta, was the predecessor to the Pantera, sporting a 4.7-liter Ford Hipo V8. Later models came with a Ford 302 V8, both naturally aspirated and very American.
This 320hp shoebox found control via a 5spd ZF manual gearbox, but most importantly, it was worked on by Carroll Shelby himself! We told you it was a muscle car. Unfortunately, Shelby abandoned the P70 project in which he collaborated with Alejandro De-Tomaso, leaving an angry Alejandro to finish the vehicle himself and name it Mangusta, which translates to ‘Mongoose’ in Italian. The only animal with the confidence to face a Cobra.
9 C63 AMG W204
A V8 performance line based on its bland road-going brothers? The W204 platformed C-class topped out with the legendary 6.2-liter V8, aptly named the C63. This European RWD muscle car was the first generation to sport the C63 moniker. However, the 2008-2014 model was the last to feature the legendary 6.2-liter block, as Daimler opted for a 4.0-liter bi-turbo for the following W205 platform.
Producing 451hp and 442lb-ft of torque, the original C63 was a burley 3,814lb compact sedan with 37hp over the 5.0-liter Mustang of the same era. Mercedes cemented their place in muscle car history with their immensely European approach to raw, untamed power.
8th BMW 850Csi
The 8-series lineup of the 90s ticked all the ‘muscle’ car boxes, enormous engines, crazy power, and many squared edges. However, only 1,510 models sold of this top-of-the-range 8-series coupe contained the 5.6-liter S70B56 V12 power plant producing 375hp, alongside 405lb-ft of torques (4,000rpm). All in 1992!
BMW’s 8-series received its marching orders due to poor sales, which is ironic as The 850csi can cost enthusiasts an average of $98,000 today! The dramatic increase in value is due to the low number of units and lust for a 90s coupe capable of 0-62 in 6 seconds!
7 Aston Martin V600
Produced over two years starting in 1998, the Ford-owned Aston Martin began offering a ‘Dynamic Driving Package’ for the failing Virage model, now rebranded ‘Vantage.’ A 5.3-liter V8 capable of 600hp and 600lb-ft of torque made this monster Aston Martin’s most potent road car to date. To put it in perspective, a V600 was 27hp away from the era-appropriate McLaren F1.
A V600 could achieve 0-62 in 4.2 seconds thanks to the M90 Eaton Superchargers and improved cooling systems adopted to the base 550 platforms. However, a quintessentially 2-door V8-powered British muscle car funded by the blue oval can cost punters $547,000 today. Moreover, they report approximately 90 vehicles received the V600 upgrade package making it a scarce find.
6 Jaguar F Type SVR
Another Brit for the list, the F-Type SVR, a production run from 2017-2020, saw the F-Type in ultimate form, producing 567hp from its supercharged 5.0-liter V8. The 25hp bump in power alongside an AWD system in place of the tail-wagging RWD found on the Jaguar F-Type R differentiates the SVR from its R counterpart.
The F-Type SVR is a chunky GT/roadster weighing 3,759 lbs, just as a muscle car should. The big Brit inherits this weight from its trick AWD system partnered with that thunderous V8; the SVR can cross 0-62 in 3.7s seconds, and thanks to its top speed of 200mph, it was the fastest production Jaguar since the XJ220 on release!
5 Aston Martin V12 Vantage 2023
Aston Martin has been cramming their best-selling model with the biggest engine they can find since 2010, with astounding results. But, somehow, we still have another V12 in the pipeline. 2023 will see the final V12 Vantage sporting the Mercedes-Benz 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 taking this sub-4,000 lb coupe from 0-62 in 3.2 seconds. Moreover, the hench Brit will reach 100mph in just 7 seconds!
Cramming an oversized engine into a two-door coupe will soon be a thing of the past. Instead, Aston Martin will create 333 V12 models as we wave goodbye to this British muscle icon.
4 Mercedes Benz SLS AMG
“The world’s most powerful naturally-aspirated production engine,” AMG claimed when revealing the SLS in 2009. The M159 6.2-liter powered SLS was Mercedes using another variation of the M156 engine to establish Germany in the muscle car scene. Of course, the SLS is a supercar, but a 2-door production coupe with a V8 allows enthusiasts to argue the narrative.
A vehicle with gull-wing doors capable of 563hp to the rear wheels is worth an average of $200,000 today as the market years for such liberal displays of power. The E-drive variant was also an essential step for Mercedes when testing the capabilities of electronically powered vehicles. Daimler’s SLS, produced between 2010-2015, was replaced by the GT range leaving behind a quirky legend for enthusiasts of the muscle persuasion.
3 Jaguar XKR-S
Jaguar took their standard XKR and transformed it into the 5.0-liter Roots-type supercharged monster. As a result, XKR-S was the most potent mass-produced Jaguar during its 2012-2014 production run. A hefty V8 sends 549hp to the rear wheels alongside 502lb-ft of torque at a low 2,500rpm.
The XKR-S is quickly appreciating, with prices averaging $50,000 today for a rare piece of British muscle. For that price, punters will arrive at 62mph in 4.4 seconds in their 4,000lb British tourer. Sadly, the Jag is exclusively automatic, assisted by a ZF six-speed when consumers take the XKR-S to its 186mph top speed.
2 Jensen Interceptor
The Jensen Healy company equipped their Interceptor revival with an incredibly American Chrysler V8 when looking to craft a muscle car of their own. However, design and initial construction fell to Carrozzeria Touring in Italy, meaning the seventies saw a British flagship with American power prepared by the Italians. As a result, the fastest interceptors sported the 6.3-liter Chrysler V8 producing 329hp and 425lb-ft of torque.
The interceptor saw the end of Jensen-Healy motors, not before providing the UK with a 0-62 time of seven seconds, the same as bonds then Lotus Esprit. All while weighing a lardy 3,5000lbs! A production coupe with an oversized engine producing incredible power was a fantastic way to leave the established sports cars red-faced.
1 Mercedes AMG 300E Hammer
The most notorious muscle car from Europe was the W124-E-class-based AMG Hammer. This exclusively black-colored range of 30 vehicles saw AMG reach international acclaim for its efforts. AMG had transformed a dull E-class into a 375hp sedan capable of beating the Testarossa to 100mph from a 60mph start!
These feats were all thanks to the three engine options, starting with the 350hp 5.0-liter, a 5.6-liter variant, and the latter 6.0-liter. Only 12 of these autobahn bashers of suspected to be armed with the 6.0-liter engine. However, the rarest of the bunch is the one-of-one wagon. AMG’s Hammer was the tuner’s first of many groundbreaking muscle cars commanding the attention of North-American markets. Unfortunately, the Hammer was out of reach for many with an MSRP of $130,000+. Today you will need over half a million to get your hands on this automotive legend.
Source: Classic.com
