Top 10 Fastest Muscle Cars of 1968

The fastest muscle cars of 1968 have gone down in history as some of the most iconic and impressive vehicles ever produced in the United States.

American auto manufacturers continued to stuff high horsepower engines into lightweight body styles, offering them for buyers to purchase from their dealerships.

This proven formula produced some unexpected contenders from Mercury, Ford, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Dodge, and Plymouth, all competing to capture a spot on the top ten list of fastest muscle cars of 1968.

To attract youthful buyers who craved affordable high-performance vehicles, auto manufacturers like Plymouth paired low-budget stripped-down muscle cars with high horsepower engines for around $3,000, resulting in the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner.

Although the Road Runner was the 15th fastest muscle car in 1968, it became the second fastest muscle car in 1969 .. This concept of offering a low-budget, high-performance muscle car continued long after 1968.

So, which ’68 muscle cars were the fastest? Let’s take a look at the top ten fastest muscle cars of 1968 in rank order.

Introducing the Fastest Muscle Cars of 1968

The three fastest muscle cars of 1968 were the Mercury Cougar XR7-GT 428 CJ, the Dodge Charger R/T Hemi, and the Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet.

These iconic muscle cars, including the other seven on this list, ruled the streets and drag strips of 1968 and left their mark on the muscle car era.

In this section, let’s explore their specifications, performance, and the stories behind them, giving you a glimpse of the sheer power and excitement they brought to the roads of 1968.

Mercury Cougar XR7-GT 428 CJ

First place goes to the rare and mighty 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7-GT 428 Cobra Jet.

The 428 Cobra Jet engine produced 335-HP with 445 lb-ft of torque and was available for an additional $420.95.

According to the August 1968 issue of Super Stock & Drag Illustrated magazine, the XR7-GT 428 Cobra Jet ran a best of 13.23 seconds at 103.4 miles per hour in the quarter-mile.

Total production figures on the ’68 Mercury Cougar XR7 were 32,709 units. While production figures aren’t available on the 428 CJ XR7-GT, I’m sure they were a rare sight even back in the day.

Dodge Charger R/T Hemi

Second place goes to the 1968 Dodge Charger R/T Hemi.

The 426 Hemi engine produced 425-HP with 490 lb-ft of torque. In the November 1967 issue of Car and Driver magazine, one ran 13.50 seconds at 105 miles per hour in the quarter-mile.

Production figures on the ’68 Charger R/T totaled 17,584 vehicles.

• 475 w/ Dual Quad 426 Hemi engines
• 211 w/ 4-speed manual transmissions
• 264 w/ automatic transmissions

Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet

Third place goes to the 1968 Mustang 428 Cobra Jet.

The 428 cu. in. engine produced 335-HP with 445 lb-ft of torque. In the March 1968 issue of Hot Rod magazine, one ran 13.56 seconds at 106.6 miles per hour in the quarter-mile.

Production figures for the ’68 428 Cobra Jet Mustangs totaled 1,299 units according to Marti Auto Works. These statistics are copyrighted by Ford Motor Company and Marti Auto Works.

• 221 Coupes
• 1,044 Fastbacks
• 34 Convertibles

Chevrolet Malibu SS 396 (L78)

Fourth place goes to the 1968 Chevrolet Malibu SS 396.

The L78 396 cu. in. engine generated 375-HP with 415 lb-ft of torque. According to Popular Hot Rodding in its June 1968, the Malibu SS 396 ran 13.60 seconds at 105 miles per hour in the quarter-mile.

Production figures on the ’68 Malibu SS totaled 62,765 units.

• 55,309 Hardtops
• 2,286 Convertibles
• 5,190 El Caminos

Hurst/Olds 455

Fifth place goes to the silver and black 1968 Hurst/Olds.

The 455 cu. in. engine generated 390-HP with a whopping 500 lb-ft of torque. In the August 1968 issue of Super Sock & Drag Illustrated magazine, they recorded a 13.71-second quarter-mile pass at 102.2 miles per hour.

Production figures on the ’68 Hurst/Olds totaled 515 vehicles.

• 64 Club Coupes
• 451 Hardtops

Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

Sixth place goes to the 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.

The 302 cu. in. engine generated 290-HP with 290 lb-ft of torque. A quarter-mile time of 13.77 seconds at 107.4 miles per hour was recorded in the July 1968 issue of Car and Driver magazine.

Production figures for the ’68 Camaro Z/28 totaled 7,199 units.

Oldsmobile Cutlass W31

Seventh place goes to the 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass W31. What’s surprising about this entry is that it came in seventh place while the 400 CID V-8 W30 engine came in tenth place.

Connected to dual ram air ducts under the front bumper, the 350C ID V-8 engine generated 320-HP with 390 lb-ft of torque. In the August 1968 issue of Car and Driver magazine, they produced a 13.85-second quarter-mile pass traveling at 107.8 miles per hour.

Production figures for the ’68 Oldsmobile 442 W31 totaled 742.

• 38 F-85 Club Coupe
• 674 Cutlass
• 30 Cutlass Supreme

Plymouth GTX Hemi

Eighth place goes to the gentleman’s Mopar 1968 Plymouth GTX Hemi.

The 426 cu. in. Hemi engine generated 425-HP with 490 lb-ft of torque. In the March 1968 issue of Popular Hot Rodding magazine, they recorded a 13.85-second quarter-mile pass traveling at 104 miles per hour.

Production figures for the ’68 Hemi GTX totaled 18,000 units for the United States.

• 446 equipped with the 426 Hemi engine
• 410 Hardtops
• 36 Convertibles

Chevrolet Nova SS 396 (L78)

Ninth place goes to the compact 1968 Chevrolet Nova SS 396.

The 396 cu. in engine generated 375-HP with 415 lb-ft of torque. In the March 1968 issue of Popular Hot Rodding magazine, they recorded a 13.85-second quarter-mile pass traveling at 104 miles per hour.

Production figures for the ’68 Nova SS totaled 5,571 with 667 of them being L78 396s.

Oldsmobile 442 W30

Tenth place goes to the 1968 Oldsmobile 442 W30.

The 400 CID V-8 W30 engine generated 360-HP with 440 lb-ft of torque. In the May 1968 issue of Popular Hot Rodding magazine, they recorded a 14-second quarter-mile pass traveling at 99 miles per hour.

Production figures for the ’68 Oldsmobile 442 W30 totaled 33,607. 1,915 of them were W30s and break down as follows:

• 315 Sports Coupe (246 4-speed manual transmissions and 69 Automatics)
• 1,430 Holiday Coupe (1,111 4-speed manual transmissions and 319 Automatics)
• 170 Convertibles (127 4-speed manual transmissions and 43 Automatics)

Conclusion

The fastest muscle cars of 1968 offered a thrilling combination of speed, power, and style that still captures the hearts of car enthusiasts today.

From the Mercury Cougar XR7-GT 428 CJ to the Dodge Charger R/T Hemi and the Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet, these muscle cars were quick and memorable for their unique designs and powerful engines.

While this year marked the beginning of a new era of muscle cars, it also set a high bar that many have tried, but few have surpassed.

These muscle cars will forever be remembered as some of the fastest and most iconic of their time, leaving an indelible mark on the history of American muscle cars.

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Ryan Wheaton

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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