10 Coolest Limited Edition Muscle Cars Ever Made – CarBuzz

Muscle cars are a fundamental part of America’s automotive history and wider pop culture. Evoking images of unrestrained power and road-trip freedom, the muscle car has been a firm favorite of gearheads in the US and around the world for decades.

There have been several models from this category that have become household names through the years, such as the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro. However, within the history of each muscle car there are plenty of lesser-known variants, special editions and performance packages. From custom paint jobs to Le Mans engines, here are some of the most interesting limited-edition versions of muscle cars ever built.

2024 Ford Mustang Coupe

Base Trim Engine

2.3L Turbo Inline-4 Gas

Base Trim Horsepower

315 hp

0-60 MPH

4.1-5.2 seconds

Top Speed

155-166 mph

1

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Super Snake

Year Introduced: 1967

We start off with one of the very rarest cars on our list: the Super Snake, which technically remained a one-off prototype until 2018. The “true” Super Snake was created when Carroll Shelby decided to fit a GT500 Mustang with the 7.0-liter V8 engine that had carried the GT40 to a Le Mans victory the previous year. A set of rare Goodyear Thunderbolt tires completed the picture. This setup, however, was deemed not viable for even a small production run, and the Super Snake remained the only one of its kind for decades.

2:25

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In 2018, Shelby American decided to finally give the Super Snake its long-awaited production run: 10 “continuation” cars were built, converting an existing 1967 Mustang. The engines were custom built, and all the cosmetic details were carried over to recreate the look of Carroll Shelby’s original prototype.

2

Ford Mustang Golden Nugget Edition

Year Introduced: 1968

The next entry is also a Mustang, but a little less bonkers than the Super Snake. The main characteristics that make the Golden Nugget unique are of a cosmetic nature: Ford’s Seattle District Sales Department wanted to make an eye-catching special edition without inflating the price tag beyond that of a regular entry-level Mustang.

The car is finished in a bespoke Sunlit Gold paint shade, with two large black stripes on the hood and a black pinstripe on each side. A vinyl roof, custom wheel covers, and whitewall tires were also added. Inside the car, a golden plaque included the name of the original owner. A total of 481 Golden Nuggets were built.

3

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Year Introduced: 1969

This variant of the Camaro is one of the rarest in the model’s history, with only 69 units built. The ZL1 was the brainchild of Illinois-based Chevrolet dealer Fred Gibb, who used the COPO (Central Office Production Order) program to create a unique Camaro. The program was normally used for cosmetic features like paint jobs, but Gibb had other ideas.

The result was a drag-strip-ready monster, powered by a 7.0-liter V8 engine already seen on Can-Am race cars. 22 cars were equipped with an automatic transmission, the other 47 with a manual. Although the official power output is 430 hp according to Chevrolet, the true figure is likely to be over the 500-hp mark.

4

AMC Javelin SST Mark Donohue Edition

Year Introduced: 1970

AMC’s Javelin arrived on the market in 1968, as a new player on the muscle car scene built to rival giants such as the Mustang and Camaro. Two years later, as Javelin celebrated a victory in the Trans-Am championship thanks to legendary racing driver Mark Donohue, the company decided to create a special version of the Javelin that paid tribute to him.

Donohue himself designed the rear spoiler, which was also decorated with his signature; power front disc brakes and dual exhausts were added, as well as a unique handling package. Special decals were added to set the Donohue Edition apart from standard Javelins. A total of 2,501 units were built.

5

Plymouth Barracuda Hemi Convertible

Year Introduced: 1970

The Barracuda is one of the most well-known, iconic Plymouth models; with its striking design and impressive performance, it became a staple of the muscle car world for a decade between 1964 and 1974.

The version of the Barracuda equipped with a 7.0-liter Hemi V8 engine was already one of the less common ones, but the convertible variant of the Hemi is a true rarity: only 14 units were built for the 1970 model year, and 12 in 1971. As expected, examples of this car come at a steep premium today: a ‘Cuda Hemi Convertible could set you back north of $2 million today.

6

Buick GSX Stage 1

Year Introduced: 1970

Buick may not be one of the brands immediately associated with muscle cars, having built a (sometimes unjustified) reputation for yawn-inducing A-to-B machines. In the early 70s, however, that was not the case. The GSX Stage 1 was based on a high-performance variant of the Gran Sport (GS), the Gran Sport 455.

The GSX’s optional “Stage 1” performance package boosts the power output of the V8 engine to 390 hp, while in the GS 455 the figure had been 360 hp. The GSX Stage 1 was only available in two paint colors: white and yellow. A total of 678 units were produced, making this sporty Buick a true rarity.

7

Pontiac GTO “The Judge”

Year Introduced: 1969

Designed to be a fun, quirky variant of the legendary GTO, “The Judge” was named after a comedy routine popularized by Flip Wilson in the Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In TV show. The Judge also became known for its unique advertising campaign, featuring slogans such as “The Judge can be bought” and “All rise for The Judge”.

The Judge package included features such as a rear spoiler, wider tires, and a Hurst shifter. Cosmetic touches, such as custom decals, were added as well. When the Judge edition was first launched, the only choice of paint color available was Carousel Red, although this later changed when more options were added to the lineup.

8

Ford Mustang Bullitt

Year Introduced: 2019

The most recent Mustang to bear the iconic Bullitt badge carried forward the legacy of several previous models. The first arrived in 2001, when Ford decided to build a special edition of the Mustang to commemorate the 1968 Steve McQueen movie Bullitt (where a Mustang had featured in a famous car chase scene). The car received a series of both performance and cosmetic upgrades. In 2008 and 2009, the Bullitt name returned with another special edition.

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The 2019 model marked the third appearance of the Bullitt badge in the Mustang lineup. It received a 20-hp power boost over the standard 5.0-liter Coyote V8, as well as a choice of two paint colors (black or the iconic Dark Highland Green) and unique cosmetic touches.

9

Dodge Challenger Black Ghost

Year Introduced: 2023

The next entry is a member of Dodge’s “Last Call” program, which released several special editions as a farewell to the V8-powered Charger and Challenger. The Black Ghost’s origins lie in a curious drag racing tale, which has been suspected of being an urban legend. The story goes, a one-of-a-kind Challenger won several illegal drag races on the streets of Detroit in the 1970s, disappearing for weeks at a time, which earned it the “Black Ghost” nickname. The car really did exist (and sold for over $1 million in 2023), but many believe the details about its supposed undefeatable nature may have been somewhat embellished.

The Black Ghost is Dodge’s tribute to this unique piece of lore, featuring an all-black paint job, a black vinyl roof, and custom badging. The Hellcat V8 also received a slight performance boost. Only 300 units of the Black Ghost were produced.

10

Dodge Charger Super Bee

Year Introduced: 2023

Another Dodge model from the Last Call collection, this time a unique variant of the Charger. The Super Bee revived a badge that had first been used in 1968 on the Dodge Coronet; it was based on the Charger Scat Pack, and fitted with drag radial tires as standard.

The Super Bee was the second car in the Last Call series, unveiled in 2022 for the 2023 model year. A total of 1,000 cars were produced: 500 standard-body units and 500 widebody ones. The standard body cars were finished in blue, while the widebody cars were finished in Plum Crazy, a unique shade of purple. A “Super Bee” graphic completes the look, while a commemorative Last Call plaque is tucked under the hood.

Sources: Ford, Chevrolet, AMC, Plymouth, Buick, Pontiac, Dodge, AgoraModels, FastestLaps, HorsePowerMemories