1968 Muscle Cars: The Complete List (A-Z)

1968 muscle cars were front and center in the feature-length film Bullitt—starring Steve McQueen—that auspiciously debuted the 1968 Mustang GT and a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T.

However, while that helped bring attention to 1968 muscle cars, the introduction of the Plymouth Road Runner was the biggest news to come out of the muscle car industry that year.

The 1968 Plymouth Roadrunner was part of an effort to offer speed at a reasonable cost to help capture as much of the muscle car market as possible.

Car and Driver proclaimed the Roadrunner was “the first car since the GTO to be aimed directly at American youth and it very probably is dead on target.”

Meanwhile, the Dodge Charger received an overhaul that turned more heads than the original while the newly contoured Pontiac GTO received Motor Trend’s “Car of the Year” award.

While some prefer 1967 muscle cars, 1968 was certainly a good year to be alive if you were a muscle car aficionado.

The 1968 Plymouth Roadrunner Bursts Onto the Scene

In an effort to bring the public a muscle car that could go “100 miles per hour in the quarter for less than three G’s,” Plymouth designers began peeling back the extras.

Starting with a bare-bones Belvedere sedan, designers added a stiffened suspension, swing-out rear windows, and low-buck “dog-dish” hubcaps.

After reaching an agreement with Warner Brothers to use the Road Runner name, a special “beep-beep” horn was added to the car to match the cartoon character.

The connection was further established in advertisements, where the 1968 Plymouth Roadrunner was referred to by its “Latin” name of “aceleratii rapidus maximus”.

Available standard with 383 CID V8 shared cylinder heads, intake manifold, crankcase windage tray ad cam with Chrysler’s big-bully 375-horsepower 440.

The Road Runner came in under budget with an asking price of $2,900. 

For those who wanted even more power, the car was also available with a street and strip potent 426 CID V8 Hemi with 425 Horsepower.

Hemi versions of the car featured an extra-heavy-duty suspension, bigger 15-inch wheels/tires, and an improved cooling system.

Demand for the Road Runner, whether with a Hemi or not, quickly skyrocketed, with more than 44,300 sold in 1968.

The 1968 Dodge Charger Gets a New Look

Sales for the original Dodge Charger were dismal, with consumers being less-than-impressed by the look of the car. In 1968, however, Dodge got it right with a redesign.

In fact, many believe the 1968 Dodge Charger R/T was its best design, with some believing it to be one of the overall best designs from the muscle car era. In terms of performance, the Hemi-equipped version was the second-fastest muscle car of 1968.

It was also 1968 when the R/T package became available, which included adding stripes to the back of the car.

These stripes were in such a way that one observer was said to say, “Those cars must really be fast — they almost made it past the striper!”

While the 440 Magnum was standard with the Dodge Charger R/T, the Hemi was an available option.

The High-Performance Axle Package, which added a high-capacity radiator, a 3.55:1 Sure-Grip axle, and a seven-blade Slip Drive fan also became available for the 383 Magnum models.

The 1968 Pontiac GTO Brings Innovation to the Muscle Car Game

Always a game-changer, the Pontiac GTO brought new ideas to the muscle car industry in 1968.

In addition to a newly-contoured body, the car also featured trendsetting hideaway windshield wipers, an energy-absorbing Endura front bumper, and optional hideaway headlights.

It was definitely time for all of the car manufacturers to look for ways to bring their designs to a new level to their 1968 muscle cars.

Among the rarest and most powerful was the 1968 Pontiac GTO Ram Air II.

Only 199 were produced consisting of special round-port cylinder heads, exhaust manifolds and hi-lift camshaft, close-ratio 4-Speed, and heavy-duty Safe-T-Track 4.33:1 rear axle.

The Complete List of 1968 Muscle Cars

Well, there you have the complete list of muscle cars from 1968. If you liked this article, be sure to check out our list of 1969 muscle cars and subscribe!

Ryan

Ryan has owned muscle cars since 1986 and currently owns a 1972 Dodge Charger Rallye. He combines passion and experience to create engaging content for fellow muscle car enthusiasts. In 2018, he founded Muscle Cars Illustrated, authoring hundreds of articles on tips, history, and trends in the muscle car industry. He attends national car shows, auctions, and museums to stay current with the latest developments in the muscle car industry.

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