The idea of installing a powerful engine in a post WWII mid-size car was introduced in 1957. The American Motors (AMC) Rebel showcased AMC?s new 327 in³ V8 255 hp with a 4 barrel carburetor (fuel injection was to be optional), thus making it the first American factory hot-rod hardtop sedan. The Rambler Rebel came with a manual or automatic transmission, and dual exhaust. The Rebel was promoted as the fastest four-door car in America from 0-60 mph and ran the quarter mile in 17.0 seconds. It was one of the quickest production automobiles at that time.

The popularity of the muscle car grew in the 1960s. Among these was the Pontiac Tempest. For 1964 and 1965, the GTO was an option package that included Pontiac's 389 in³ (6.5 L) V8 engine, floor-shifted transmission with Hurst shift linkage, and special trim. In 1966, the Pontiac GTO was no longer an option, and became its own model. The project, spearheaded by Pontiac division president John De Lorean, was technically a violation of General Motors policy limiting its smaller cars to 330 in³ (5.4 L) displacement, but it proved far more popular than expected, and inspired a host of imitations, both at GM and its competitors.

This marked a general trend towards factory performance, which reflected the importance of the youth market. A key appeal of the muscle cars was that they offered the burgeoning American car culture an array of relatively affordable vehicles with strong street performance that could also be used for racing. The affordability aspect was quickly compromised by increases in size, optional equipment, and plushness, forcing the addition of more and more powerful engines just to keep pace with performance. A backlash against this cost and weight growth led in 1967 and 1968 to a secondary trend of "budget muscle" in the form of the Plymouth Road Runner, Dodge Super Bee, and other stripped, lower-cost variants.

Although the sales of true muscle cars were relatively modest by total Detroit standards, they had considerable value in publicity and bragging rights, serving to bring young buyers into showrooms. Automakers saw these as halo models and some, such as the AMC Rebel Machine, were factory upgraded to be turn-key drag racers. The 1970 Machine even came with flamboyant and patriotic red, white, and blue reflective body graphics for maximum street and racetrack visibility. The fierce competition led to an escalation in power that peaked in 1970, with some models offering as much as 450 hp (and others likely producing as much actual power, whatever their rating).

The Dodge Charger, known for its appearance as the villan's vehicle in the movie BullittAnother related type of car is the car-based pickup. Examples of these are the Ford Ranchero, GMC Sprint, GMC Caballero, and one of the most famous examples, the Chevrolet El Camino.

Performance Parts 101
Chris Casarez
In the automotive industry, the term ‘performance parts’ is used for a variety of car and truck parts or accessories, that are designed to enhance a vehicle’s performance. The term is generally tied to the aftermarket industry which makes sense considering that car or truck enhancement parts or accessories are typically purchased after the original purchase. This is not to say that O.E.M. manufacturers won’t create performance parts, because they often do.

Products such as Borla Exhausts, K&N Air Intake filters, ReadyLift Suspension Kits, or Bilstein shocks are considered performance parts because they are created to enhance car or truck performance. On the other hand, the O.E.M. exhaust, intake filter, suspension kit, or shocks that come with the newly purchased vehicles are generally stock parts designed to meet standards at a reasonable price. Someone looking to boost their car or truck’s performance will then purchase an aftermarket part designed to boost performance.

Strictly being aftermarket however, does not categorize a car or truck part or accessory as a performance part. Aftermarket products may include seat covers, car covers, bumpers, sun visors, make-specific paraphernalia (such as TRD’s line of Toyota® accessories), and steering wheel covers. These products are based on aesthetics, comfort, or brand loyalty, not performance. This would make them a car or truck accessory, but not a performance part.

Performance Parts may also play slightly different but overlapping roles from one car or truck to another. For example, K&N’s quality oil and air filtration products are available for virtually every modern vehicle under the sun. However, while lift kits tend to be popular among Ford®, Chevy®, Dodge® and Toyota® truck owners, you are unlikely to see a demand from Mercedes-Benz® or Porsche® owners. This isn’t to say that popular Porsche® and Mercedes® parts (aftermarket at least) are always different from the more popular truck performance parts. Manufacturers are starting to notice and react to new consumer demands. For example, Borla, known for its quality SUV and Truck exhausts, made the cross over and began to offer exhaust systems for Porsche® and Corvette® a few years ago.

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