Battle of American Muscle: The Chevy Camaro vs. Dodge Challenger

Jane Lu
· 3 min read
American muscle cars have made their mark in the automotive world. They convey a sense of strength, endurance, and reliability all wrapped up in some gorgeous body styling. However, there is some debate among car enthusiasts as to which one is the best.
Any discussion about the best American muscle car is almost always going to include the Chevy Camaro and the
Dodge
Challenger as the top contenders. Though both have their merits, one has an edge over the other. 
Let's take a look at the two cars and compare their features with the help of
MarketWatch
.
The Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger are both iconic muscle cars.

What features make for the perfect American muscle car? 

Before we dive into the comparison, we need to answer one question: what makes a muscle car a muscle car?
Muscle cars are an American invention that dates back to the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. The idea of a muscle car was to go fast in a straight line. This differed from sports cars like the Ferrari which considered handling as well. 
Historically, muscle cars were often used primarily for drag racing. Therefore, acceleration is one of the most important aspects when it comes to muscle cars. 
Now let's compare two of the most popular models, the Dodge Challenger and the Chevy Camaro, and look at the pros and cons of both.
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The Chevy Camaro

MORE: GM May Replace the Chevy Camaro With an Electric Sports Vehicle
The Chevy Camaro first began production in 1966. Since then, it has been reinvented a handful of times. The most recent iteration harkens back to the earlier Camaros due to its silhouette. 
As for performance, the Camaro comes with four different engine options ranging from the base model 2.0-liter with 275 horsepower to the 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 that puts out an impressive 650 horsepower. 
The 2022 Camaro is more affordable than the Challenger with a base price of $25,000. If you’re looking for more power, pricing for the Camaro 1SS starts at $37,500. It’s still very reasonably priced for such a high-performance vehicle.

The Dodge Challenger

The Dodge Challenger was launched in 1958. The Challenger has seen a few body style changes over the years, but it still retains the retro look that’s reminiscent of the early ‘70s Challenger. 
The Challenger is bigger than the Camaro. It's 10 inches longer, 1 inch wider, and up to 5 inches taller than the Chevy. However, it’s only available as a coupe, unlike the Camaro which is available as a coupe or convertible.
The performance of the Dodge Charger is superior to the Camaro in terms of power and acceleration. The base model offers a 3.6-liter V-6 making 305 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque, and the SRT Hellcat Redeye offers 797 horsepower and 707 lb-ft of torque. The Challenger beats out the Camaro in sheer power. 
The Challenger offers an eight-speed automatic transmission while the Camaro only offers a six-speed. The Challenger also has an all-wheel-drive option available. 
For the money, and strictly based on power alone, the Challenger is the clear winner in this competition. However, it's also more passenger-friendly due to the wide-body construction, making it a good choice for a daily driver as well.
No matter which muscle car you choose, you’ll need good car insurance to go with it. Let
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