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Sep 17, 2023

10 Best Manual Transmission Muscle Cars

Muscle cars are well-known for their aggression and power, and these manually

Muscle cars are well-known for their aggression and power, and these manually operated models allow an even more engaging driver experience.

The most powerful manually operated car you can buy today is the Koenigsegg CC850, slated for a limited 70-unit production run. The CC850 celebrates 20 years since the company debuted its first-ever production car, the Koenigsegg CC8S. Today's offering develops a whopping 1,366 hp when matched with a healthy dose of E85 fuel. However, what's more impressive is the Engage Shifter System found onboard. The Engage Shifter allows drivers to switch between a retro six-speed manual mode or a nine-speed automatic option—a stunning feature concerning the hypercar's past and the company's incredibly innovative future.

However, what if we ask the same question about America's favorite? The most powerful manually operated muscle car you can purchase today is the 717 hp Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, featuring a Tremec six-speed manual gearbox. The legendary Challenger is the only muscle car pumping out 700+ hp while allowing its owners to manipulate their own way through the Challenger's iconic Hemi-induced power band. Dodge's incredible exploits got us thinking, what are the best muscle cars you can buy that still provides an authentic manual experience?

Designed and built by Shelby American, the 1967 Shelby GT500 is one of the finest muscle cars of all time, drawing power from Ford's very own 7.0-liter "Police Interceptor" V8 engine. The fiberglass-clad GT500 produced 355 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. The first of many classic muscle cars to wear the Shelby GT500 name could achieve 0-60 mph in just 6.2 seconds.

To add further credit to the GT500 is the four-speed manual gearbox topped off with a Hurst shifter. The Shelby GT500 arrived with a three-speed auto and four-speed manual transmission option. Of the 2,048 Shelby GT500s built in 1967, the majority came with the four-speed TopLoader gearbox from Ford.

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The final roar for the Trans Am name arrived in the form of the WS6 performance package. The Trans Am WS6 drew power from GM's legendary LS1 V8. The 5.7-liter engine launched a hefty 325 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque to the rear axle of Pontiac's most legendary nameplate, and gained support from a slew of performance upgrades strapped to the classic muscle car.

All 3,940 WS6 performance cars launched in 2000 received a limited-slip differential, performance exhaust, and a high-flow air intake system. Furthermore, it had a large set of sway bars to keep it in check through the bends. However, best of all is the Borg-Warner six-speed manual transmission. The T56 made its debut aboard the 1992 Dodge Viper. Examples found on the Trans Am WS6 feature a "Dual-Mass Flywheel," allowing for smoother power delivery from the gearbox when dealing with that bulbous LS1 V8 engine. The WS6 remains one of the best muscle cars on the used market, with examples selling for around $24,000. Not bad for a muscle car capable of hitting the quarter mile in 13.5 seconds.

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Armed with GM's 7.5-liter V8 engine, the 1970 Buick GSX is one of the best muscle cars to exist, thanks to its underrated reputation among its peers during the early '70s. The GSX develops 350 hp and a whopping 510 lb-ft of torque, although its widely accepted power figures were underrated to assist owners with hefty insurance premiums of the era.

Buick built 678 GSX muscle cars for the 1970 model year, featuring both automatic and manual options. Sadly for purists, just 199 cars arrived with the Muncie M21 four-speed manual gearbox, as most consumers opted for the automatic transmission for their luxurious classic muscle car.

The original Hellcat engine made the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat the most powerful muscle car globally, thanks to its 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. The 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 has gone on to multiple guises, ultimately continuing its reign as one of the world's most powerful V8 engines.

The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is one of the best muscle cars of all time, based on pure theater. Dodge armed their classic muscle car with Brembo brakes, launch control, and a well-sorted SRT-tuned adaptive suspension system. However, the six-speed manual gearbox option allows the SRT Hellcat to remain one of the best Dodge cars on the market, allowing consumers to botch their launch all by themselves!

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One of the most collectible muscle cars of all time, Chevrolet built just 4,475 Chevelle 454 SS muscle cars for the 1970 model year. Chevy's rare classic combines their iconic "Super Sport" moniker with its 454 V8 engine, developing an astonishing 450 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque from its 7.4-liter bulk.

The Chevelle 454 SS became a notorious dragster, featuring a top speed of 130 mph and a competitive 0-60 mph sprint of around six seconds. Chevrolet armed their best-in-class muscle car with a heavy-duty suspension setup, front disc brakes, and GM's "Posi-Traction" limited slip differential technology. For lovers of an authentic experience, the Chevelle 454 SS arrived as standard with a Muncie M20 four-speed manual gearbox. GM's go-to wide-ratio transmission also featured on the Camaro and Corvette models of the era.

One of the best muscle cars of all time, the second-generation Dodge Charger arrived in "Road/Track" format in 1969 and shifted around 20,000 units for that model year. While most came with the 440 Magnum V8 engine developing a hefty 375 hp, between 400–500 customers were wise enough to opt for Chrysler's race-ready 426 Hemi V8, producing a whopping 425 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque. Prices for a '69 Charger Hemi R/T are beyond the $200,000 mark today!

Like the iconic Hellcat Hemi V8 engine of today, Dodge allowed customers to opt for a manual transmission for their burly muscle car. In addition, the 1969 Dodge Charger R/T could be optioned with Chrysler's cast-iron A833 four-speed manual gearbox, allowing gearheads to become another component assisting that Helliphant V8 engine.

Pontiac's no frills "Judge" trim level saw a more characterful iteration of their era-defining GTO muscle car. To reinforce the GTO's reputation as the best muscle car you could buy, the GTO Judge drew power from Pontiac's 6.6-liter V8, developing a performance-focused 366 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque.

More importantly, the comical "Judge" packaged GTO arrived with three/four-speed manual gearbox options, enhancing the classic muscle car's bare-bones approach.

Arriving at the tail end of the NASCAR "Aero Wars," Plymouth unleashed the Superbird armed with the latest and greatest V8 engines from Chrysler, more importantly, the 426 Hemi V8. Unfortunately, of the 1,935 Plymouth Superbird muscle cars built, only 135 featured the notorious 425 hp Hemi V8 engine torturing the goofy-looking stock car's rear axle.

Chrysler armed their classic muscle car with a 727 TorqueFlite automatic transmission or an optional heavy-duty four-speed manual gearbox. However, according to various sources, only 788 Superbird muscle cars arrived with the manual option. Today, the average price of a Hemi-powered Plymouth Superbird is around $649,000.

The Boss 429 Mustang arrived in 1969, homologating Ford's ludicrous 7.0-liter V8 engine to take on the dominant Hemi-powered cars of the era. As a result, the Boss 429 was the rarest of the Boss muscle car trilogy. In fact, Ford manufactured just 1,358 Boss 429 models between 1969-1970, featuring forged internals, a functional hood scoop, and heavy-duty racing suspension.

Ford armed the Boss 429 exclusively with their TopLoader four-speed manual gearbox for the avid purists. In addition, the cast iron unit featured a Hurst shifter with a mechanical linkage for rapid and precise gear changes.

However, the 429 garnered its reputation on the racetrack. Ford took the gargantuan 375 hp 429 V8 engine well beyond 500 hp when David Pearson won the 1969 NASCAR championship. Pearson drove a race-ready variant of the Boss 429 Mustang, making it one of the few classic muscle cars from Ford featuring genuine motorsport heritage.

Possibly, the most sought-after Camaro muscle car of all time, the 1969 Camaro ZL1 saw just 69 units produced exclusively for that year, satisfying the NHRA and their picky homologation standards. What makes the ZL1 special is what lies under the hood. Chevrolet armed their classic muscle car with an all-aluminum variant of Chevrolet's legendary L88 427 V8 engine. Initially intended for the Corvette, the engine developed a whopping 430 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, allowing the Camaro ZL1 to reach 60 mph in around five seconds, ousting the Yenko Camaro of the same era.

Of the 69 Camaro ZL1 muscle cars produced, an estimated 30 of them arrived with the Muncie M22 four-speed manual gearbox, more commonly known as the "Rock Crusher." The ZL1's mighty manual transmission featured a close ration setup, allowing for faster acceleration and gear changes when operating in a racing environment. Chevrolet's efforts on the ZL1 made it their most powerful production car on release.

Sources: American Muscle Car Museum, Classic.com

An automotive writer based in the UK, suffering with an unhealthy obsession for cars and Formula One.​​​Providing commanding content that attracts attention and entertains all at the same time is key.At the weekends, you can find him Driving past Williams Racing making high pitch V10 noises with his mouth.... daring to dream...