I have always been enamored by cars, especially powerful ones. Upon graduation from university, my dad promised to buy me a new vehicle if the cost did not exceed $3k. There was no doubt that it would be a 335 HP GTO with a 3-speed floor shifter. To keep the price in line I could only afford a few options. No power anything (steering, windows, etc.). I opted for Wide Oval tires and a basic radio. Turning corners took muscle power. This photo could have been my car’s 1963 twin. The 400 cubic inch engine (equivalent to 6.5 liters). It produced an amazing 52 hp per liter.

Later in life, I purchased a Mitsubishi FTO while living in New Zealand. Not considered a muscle car; nevertheless, the 2-liter V6 5-speed manual transmission produced 200 HP. At 100 HP per liter, it was almost double that of the GTO. BTW it had a top speed of 155 MPH about 25 MPH faster than the GTO.

Engine efficiency has come a long way thanks to auto racing. Consider the 2.2-liter Indy Cars that produce 800 HP, almost 400 HP per liter or the even more amazing 1.6-liter Formula 1 cars that produce 1,000 HP (over 600 HP per liter)

Indy Car

F-1 car