High-performance muscle cars are some of the most sought-after vehicles on the market. There is something about getting behind the wheel of a muscle car and hearing the thunderous roar from the engine that makes us instantly forget about every other type of car that is on the road today. For over half of a century, carmakers have been in competition with each other to see who could build the most powerful and exhilarating muscle car on the market.

Today, there are several different muscle cars to choose from, but some of the most impressive ones come from Ford and Dodge. The Mustang Cobra and the Dodge Challenger are some of the most popular muscle cars that have ever been produced.

So which one of these auto manufacturers make a better muscle car? While this question has been debated many times over the last few decades, we have decided to take an in-depth look at those two automakers in order to see for ourselves if Ford or Dodge made the better muscle car.

Ford muscle cars

Back in 1962, Ford introduced its first muscle car, the Ford Fairlane. When the Fairlane first came out, it had instantly revolutionized the way people had viewed muscle cars. The first generation Fairlane came equipped with a 3.7-liter I-6 engine that was capable of producing 120 hp and came with a single-barrel carburetor. To get a little extra power, you could have chosen the 4.5-liter V8 which produced 162 hp with a Holley two-barrel or a four-barrel carburetor that produced 182 hp.

After that, Ford came out with several other hot-rods including the Galaxy, the Falcon, the Torino, and the Mustang. The Mustang has probably become the most well-known muscle car in Ford’s lineup. There are many different variations of the Mustang, but one of the most impressive versions is the Shelby Mustang GT.

The GT350 comes equipped with a powerful flat-plane-crank 5.2-liter V8 engine that makes an impressive 526 hp. The 2019 Shelby GT350 has been redesigned this year to make it even more aerodynamic. The traction and handling are also better this year thanks to the newly upgraded 19-inch wheels and a new and improved chassis.

For even more power, the all-new 2020 Shelby Mustang GT500 comes with a supercharged V8 engine that will provide an outstanding 720hp and 625 lb-ft of torque and the same superior handling that the GT350 offers.

Dodge muscle cars

In the ’60s, when the popularity of the muscle car was starting to grow, Dodge wanted a piece of the automotive pie so it made the Dodge Challenger. Back then, the Challenger featured a 413 wedge engine that provided 410 hp.

Later, Dodge developed its iconic HEMI engine. In the mid-1960s, Dodge was incorporating its 426 HEMI V8 engines into its new Charger and Coronet, which really made car enthusiasts start looking at Dodge as a worthy competitor. Soon, Dodge’s muscle cars were known as some of the best on the market for drag racing enthusiasts.

Now, Dodge has really beefed up all of its muscle cars, especially its Challenger models. The Demon is equipped with a 6.2-liter HEMI V8 that produces a stunning 840 hp and 770 lb-ft of torque. It has the ability to go from 0 to 60 in just 2.1 seconds, which makes the Challenger SRT Demon the fastest and most powerful car in the world.

According to Digital Trends, in 2018, Dodge decided to stop making the Demon. However, there are a few Challengers on the market that are still just as impressive. The new Hellcat Redeye has a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 engine. With a horsepower of 797, the Hellcat produces slightly less power than the Demon, however, it is still an impressive engine that is capable of going from 0 to 60 mph in about 4 seconds, can travel a quarter of a mile in 11.2 seconds, and can reach speeds of up to 199 mph.

Ford vs Dodge: Which is built better?

When it comes to which automaker made a better muscle car, it would depend on what qualities are more important to you. While Dodge has made some of the fastest cars that have ever been built, its cars typically seem to do better on straight stretches. Thus, Dodge’s are perfect for drag races. 

Although Ford muscle cars do not provide nearly as much torque and horsepower as a Dodge muscle car, Ford has specially designed its cars to have better handling. This means the cars perform quite well when it comes to turning sharp curves at high speeds.

Even though both Ford and Dodge muscle cars have two totally different attributes, there is no denying the fact that both of these automakers have put in a lot of time and research into building impressive muscle cars that are not only nice to look at but also fun to drive.