Mega muscle-car power ebbed as we progressed deeper into what's now commonly referred to as the malaise era, and so boosted European horsepower—from one Stuttgart-based brand in particular—dominates this list of fleetest cars to run from 0 to 60 mph. Still, pre-gas-crisis American muscle is well represented here, and there are a couple of esoteric surprises, as well.
Be sure to also take a spin through the quickest cars we tested in the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s, 1990s, and also from 2000 through mid-2015.
10. 1971 Chevrolet Corvette LS5 — 5.7 seconds
June 1971
On the 140-mph pass through Nevada in the LS5 we discovered that it would only run wide-open throttle for a few miles before it would overheat. When the subject came up later, [Corvette patron saint Zora Arkus] Duntov nodded — he knew it. It's because of the radiator shroud. You have to have it at low speeds so the fan will be effective but at high speeds it sort of corks off the flow of air that would otherwise be rammed through the radiator. Duntov knows about discretion. It comes with age. READ MORE >>
9. 1970 Pontiac Trans Am — 5.7 seconds
June 1970
8. 1978 Porsche 911 SC — 5.5 seconds
March 1978
At this writing, Porsche has sold approximately 190,000 cars in the United States, and roughly 40,000 of these were 911s of one sort or another. Since our test car, the 1978 911 SC, may well be the last new model in the 911 series—the last rear-engined Porsche, for that matter—we begin our examination of the car by asking a question. Have you ever driven a Porsche? READ MORE >>
7. 1972 Jaguar E-type V-12 — 5.5 seconds
October 1972
6. 1971 De Tomaso Pantera — 5.5 seconds
August 1971
As you skim over the pavement in the Pantera you can't help feeling smug. You hear the engine rumbling along from its station back by your shoulder blades—a mechanical arrangement even novitiate automotive visionaries will recognize as a little piece of tomorrow today. And the looks. Oh wow—like something that just rolled out of the Turin Show. In every lane for blocks you leave a wake of typical American motorists—all suckers for a pretty fender—with their necks wound up like rubber band airplane motors. No doubt about it. The Pantera is the very hottest item in this year's automotive haute couture. READ MORE >>
5. 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo — 5.4 seconds (tie)
August 1979
4. 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS454 — 5.4 seconds (tie)
February 1970
The Chevelle was charging around the track, its ears laid back and its hood louver snapped open to battle position. In compliance with California noise laws the exhaust has been restricted to a benevolent rumble, but the air rushing into the carburetor to feed those 454 cubic inches sounded like it was trying to take half the landscape with it. The Chevelle is a big car, enormous on Lime Rock, a tight, twisty, 1.53-mile circuit normally inhabited by Formula Vees and other assorted fruit-cup racers, but it didn't matter. Across the start-finish line at 110 mph, hard on the brakes for the Hook, wheels cocked in for the turn and clipping the infield grass at the apex—it seemed right at home. And it was doing very well, too. With a best lap of 1:08:00 it was the fastest non-race car that Jim Haynes, the track manager, could remember. The cornering speeds were good too 66.0 mph through the Hook and 61.4 mph through the Esses, a section with a left/ right transition that is difficult for softly sprung passenger cars. READ MORE >>
3. 1971 Chevrolet Corvette LS6 — 5.3 seconds
June 1971
Steering gets plenty quick at 140 mph. And the suspension, which felt like flint on Sunset Strip, is supple, almost loose. In this high-velocity never-neverland all your senses need reorientation: A road that looks mirror flat pitches you violently up and down; the air makes tortured noises you hear right through the glass as it scrapes over the top of the windshield; an unseen force slowly twists and tortures the outside mirror until it surrenders and ends up pointing skyward. READ MORE >>
(TIE) 1. 1978 Porsche 911 Turbo — 4.9 seconds (tie)
April 1978
(TIE) 1. 1975 Porsche 911 Turbo — 4.9 seconds (tie)
December 1975
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