Muscle Cars That Handle Like Bricks
While most muscle cars look undeniably cool, not all of them actually offer such an impressive ride. In fact, during the muscle car era, there were plenty of cars released that failed to meet public standards when it came to handling. Let’s take a closer look at some of the worst-handling muscle cars from the muscle era.
1974 Ford Mustang II
There were a lot of problems with the 1974 Ford Mustang II. From being completely underpowered to soft suspension, this model was a far cry from its iconic Mustang predecessors. However, arguably the biggest drawback had to be its poor handling ability and vague steering.
1978 Dodge Challenger
The 1978 Dodge Challenger was incredibly heavy, which made for a sluggish and surprisingly slow ride. It also had very vague steering, which left buyers both frustrated and disappointed.
1976 Plymouth Volare Road Runner
The 1976 Plymouth Volare Road Runner is one of those cars that looks as though it should offer the drive of your life. Unfortunately, the reality is far from it. The car is rust-prone, underpowered, overweight, and offers very bad handling abilities.
1974 Ford Gran Torino
Despite its good looks, the 1974 Ford Gran Torino is big, sluggish, and features outdated suspension geometry. Its steering is also incredibly vague, offering a not-so-pleasant ride that many buyers would label ‘forgettable’.
1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra
The 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra is yet another miss in a long range of iconic Mustang models. With a laughable power supply and poor handling abilities, there was little to like about this muscle car.
1980 Mercury Capri
Despite its undeniably great looks, the 1980 Mercury Capri had a number of issues that could not be ignored. For example, it featured a weak engine and poor weight distribution, making it rather difficult and downright unpleasant to drive.
1980 Pontiac Grand Prix
The 1980 Pontiac Grand Prix may have looked fast, but it was surprisingly sluggish and slow. This came down to its poor weight distribution, which made handling incredibly difficult.
1982 Chevrolet Camaro
Although the original Chevrolet Camaro is one of the most iconic muscle cars of all time, the model released in 1982 missed the mark by a long shot. It was slow, offered dismal acceleration, and its poor weight distribution made handling a bit of a nightmare.
1982 Ford Thunderbird
The 1982 Ford Thunderbird had its fair share of issues, one of which was its handling. The car was oversized and underpowered, making for an undeniably slow ride. Its cornering ability was also pretty dismal, which ultimately took the fun out of the driving experience.
1983 Dodge Charger
The 1983 Dodge Charger is a far cry from what we are used to with this iconic muscle brand. It offered incredibly awkward handling dynamics, making for an uncomfortable ride that left most buyers disappointed in their purchase.
1980 Chevrolet Corvette California 305
There is only one word to describe the 1980 Chevrolet Corvette California 305: disappointing. Its emissions-choked engine and soft suspension ultimately ruined its performance. Add in some awkward handling dynamics, and you have yourself a failed muscle car that went down on the wrong side of history.
1981 DeLorean DMC-12
Despite its iconic reputation, the 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 was actually a pretty terrible car. It was sluggish and unresponsive on the roads, making for a disappointing ride in every aspect. It was also underpowered and offered nothing special in terms of acceleration.
1974 Pontiac GTO
The 1974 Pontiac GTO was essentially a rebadged version of the Chevrolet Ventura. It offered a weak performance and uninspired styling, not to mention its incredibly poor handling ability.
1978 Oldsmobile 4-4-2
The 1978 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 has to be one of the most underpowered muscle cars in history. Despite its V8 engine, it produced just 160 hp, which left buyers more than disappointed. To top it all off, it had incredibly poor handling dynamics and was just a bit of a nightmare to drive.
1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo
Where to start with the 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo? It featured turbo lag, reliability issues, and an incredibly disappointing acceleration ability. Its handling was also pretty terrible, leading to plenty of disappointment amongst buyers.
1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2
The 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 looked NASCAR-inspired, but its performance told a different story. Featuring an underpowered engine and poor gearing, it really was difficult to find any positives. All we can say is that these cars belong in a car museum where people can enjoy looking at them rather than driving them.
1980 Chevrolet Citation X-11
This car had such poor handling dynamics that it went through a multitude of recalls, leaving buyers both disappointed and frustrated. It also had a severely underpowered engine, especially for a muscle car, and it really didn't have to, with the Chevy brand behind it.
1997 Plymouth Prowler
There is no denying that the 1997 Plymouth Prowler had the looks of a hot rod, but that’s about it. Featuring an underpowered V6 engine and no manual transmission, it was definitely a bit of a flop for Plymouth. What a disappointment.
2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
The 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS can only be described as a poser. While it looked great, it offered a bland performance and very poor handling dynamics, making for a not-so-pleasant ride. Why would they make such a handsome car and then give it nothing under the hood?!
1975 Chevrolet Monza
After its initial release, the 1975 Chevrolet Monza seemed to have plenty of potential. However, buyers quickly started to realize that it didn’t quite offer the performance that one would expect from a muscle car. To be more specific, the poor suspension tuning and twitchy steering left drivers wanting more, especially for what they paid.
1971 Ford Maverick Grabber
The 1971 Ford Maverick Grabber was severely underpowered. In fact, with only 129 hp, it has to be one of the most underpowered muscle cars in history. To top it all off, it offered vague steering, soft suspension, and very poor handling dynamics, making for a more than disappointing ride.
