In 1955 Chrysler introduced the first of its famed 300 "letter series" cars. The company designed a stylish, sporty car, stuffed in one of its potent Hemi engines, and gave birth to the American muscle car. The C-300's combination of style and performance put the Mopar brand ahead of its competitors in the postwar performance race. When the Detroit performance wars began in earnest during the 1960s, Chrysler was well positioned to build the most outrageous, bodacious cars of an outrageous, bodacious era. Cars like the famed Charger, Hemi Cuda, Roadrunner, Superbird, and Challenger T/A dominated the dragstrips as well as the NASCAR ovals. With color combinations guaranteed to burn out the corneas of your eyes if you stared at them directly, they ruled the streets, the drive-ins, and parking lots of America. Nothing was cooler than Mopar muscle. Over the years these legendary Mopar muscle cars were the fastest, baddest, most outrageous machines to rip up American pavement.

About the Author

Robert Genat is an accomplished author and photographer who has written numerous books for Motorbooks International. A self-proclaimed "gearhead," Robert has restored two classic cars in the last 10 years (one of which was featured on a nationally syndicated television show), and is currently working on a chopped deuce coupe. He and his wife, Robin, own and operate Zone Five Photo. Genat lives in Encinitas, California. David Newhardt earned a degree in photography from Southern Illinois University. He has been photographing automobiles since 1986. He spent nearly three years as a staff photographer/writer with Motor Trend magazine in Los Angeles. He is the author of Mustang Milestones; Mustangs 19641/2-1973, and many more. Newhardt lives in Pasadena, California.