The names of muscle cars hadn't changed by 1971, but the personalities had. For instance, there was still a Buick GS 455, but instead of high-lift cams and tall numeric axles, there were low-compression engines and low-octane appetites. The 1971 Buick GS 455 wasn't alone.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Horsepower tumbled in the 1971 Buick GS 455, the result of a GM edict for low-lead fuel and stricter emissions standards. See more muscle car pictures. |
These were gross horsepower ratings. For '72, all the automakers would begin publishing net ratings that reflected engine output with all accessories in place. Though a given engine's actual output didn't change from '71 to '72, net figures made for some startling numbers. The '72 GS 455, for example, had a 250-bhp rating, the Stage 1, a 270.
While the light had dimmed for muscle cars, all was not darkness. The 1971 Buick GS 455 still came with a four-barrel carb, dual exhausts, and functional hood scoops that fed the standard ram-air induction system. Heavy duty springs and shocks, wide-oval tires, and a front stabilizer bar were included in the base price, which rose nominally, to $3,285 for the Sport Coupe and $3,476 for the convertible. Styling was as aggressive as ever, and even the GSX returned, if only as an appearance option.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. The 1971 Buick GS 455 still had functional hood scoops, wide-oval tires, and heavy-duty springs and shocks, in a nod to classic-era muscle car performance. |
Wheelbase, inches: 112.0 Weight, lbs: 3,461 Number built: 9,170 Base price: $3,285 Standard Engine Type: ohv V-8 Displacement, cid: 455 Fuel system: 1 x 4bbl. Compression ratio: 8.5:1 Horsepower @ rpm: 315 @ 4400 Torque @ rpm: 450 @ 2800 Representative Performance 0-60 mph, sec: 6.9 1/4 mile, sec. @ mph: 15.3 @ 96 |
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For more cool information on muscle cars, go to:- Buick, GM's "gentleman's car" division, was an unlikely source of some of the finest muscle cars. See profiles, photos, and specifications of Buick muscle cars.
- Muscle cars came in many shapes and sizes. Here are features on more than 100 muscle cars, including photos and specifications for each model.
- Muscle cars created their own culture. To learn about it, read How Muscle Cars Work.
- Celebrated in story and song, the 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS 409 was an instant legend.
- The 1964 Pontiac Tempest GTO lit the fuse on the muscle car boom by giving the small-car, big-engine ethic a cool identity.
- Renamed in honor of its new engine, the 1967 Buick GS 400 was a well-kept muscle car secret.
- No muscle car promised more performance, or had more trouble delivering it, than the star-crossed 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429.
- The engine is what gives a muscle car its flamboyant personality. To learn everything you need to know about car engines, see How Car Engines Work.
- Muscle cars wouldn't have much muscle without horsepower -- but what exactly is horsepower? How Horsepower Works answers that question.
- NASCAR race cars embody the muscle car philosophy of power. Read How NASCAR Race Cars Work to find out what makes these charged-up racers go.
- Are you thinking of buying a 2007 muscle car, or any other car? See Consumer Guide Automotive's New-Car Reviews, Prices, and Information.
