Muscle Cars vs Sports Cars

The phrase "muscle car" and the phrase "sports car" are almost always used interchangeably. However, these two terms shouldn't be confused. Most people who use these phrases on an equal playing field aren't actually aware that there are differences between the two car categories.

Ever wonder what the difference is between muscle cars vs sports cars? Experts claim that this is what makes a muscle car different from a sports car.

Muscle Cars Vs Sports Cars: Power

Muscle cars are, as the name suggests, all about muscle. This is particularly true when it comes to their engine and the potential for power they offer. Muscle cars have large engines and focus on horsepower, while sports cars tend to have smaller engines with better handling.

Most muscle cars also will start at a minimum of eight cylinders. Sports cars might only have six, or even four, cylinders.

So, muscle cars will be able to rev up faster and accelerate faster, but they tend to fare poorer on curvy roads. Sports cars, though, will be more capable of handling curves well but might need to get turbo in order to go as fast as a muscle car.

In terms of torque, muscle cars are definitely the bigger winner. The large, strong engines in muscle cars build up a lot of torque pull. So, while muscle cars definitely have a lot of zip, that's more or less due to the quickness of a sports car engine — not the amount of torque it produces.

Muscle Cars Vs Sports Cars: Appearance

Perhaps the most obvious difference between the two categories of cars are the appearances they have. Muscle cars are known for being big, bulky, and with subtle curves on their exterior. This gives them a "beefy" look, almost as if the muscle in the car will burst out of its own seams.

Sports cars, on the other hand, tend to be much smaller. They also tend to have curvier bodies with rounded edges. This gives them a softer, more aesthetically-pleasing look than a typical muscle car has. (For the record, I think sports cars are cooler that way.)

Muscle Cars Vs Sports Cars: Price

When it comes to price, it's hard to really figure out which is pricier. The truth is that different brands, different mod kits, different upgrades, and other issues can make muscle cars pricier than sports cars — and sports cars pricier than muscle cars. After all, both kinds of car owners like to pimp their rides out.

However, we looked at lists of the cheapest muscle cars and the cheapest sports cars. The cheapest new sports car you can buy has a base that starts at $21,000, assuming you consider a Ford Fiesta a sports car. (I don't, and most others on that list started at $23,000.) Meanwhile, most cheap muscle cars start around $25,000.

So, overall, it seems muscle cars are the pricier bid.