Performance and Muscle Managed To Shine At the Concours

Like most such events, the 44th Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance had a class for American Performance cars. These cars, from 1961 through 1971 are always popular and highlight the muscle era. Among the cars in this year's class was a 1969 Pontiac GTO coupe. This second generation GTO had a 400 cubic inch V8 and punched out 350 horse power.

Plymouth started making the second generation of their muscle bound GTX in 1968. This 1969 version is one of fewer than 15,000 produced that year. This is a California car that has what the owners call a light restoration and has only gone 71,000 miles. It features a 440 cubic inch V8 that pounds out 375 horse power.

The Plymouth Superbird changed the face of NASCAR racing with its oversized rear wing. This 1970 model is completely unrestored and is one of the first five 'Birds produced. It sat in storage from 1989 until 2021. It is one of only 716 with the 440 inch, six barrel carburetor Super Commando V8 engine that produced 390 horse power.

This 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ is not your father's family car. Or maybe it was. This unrestored beauty is a second generation model of the Grand Prix. Only 10% of Grand Prix cars sported the SJ trim. The car has a 428 cubic inch V8 that made for 370 horse power.

Boss. To a music fan it means some guy from Jersey but for car guy, especially fans of the Blue Oval, it means a Mustang Boss 302. This is one of only 7013 that were produced in 1970. They were designed to go head to head with the Camaro in SCCA Trans Am racing. It was powered by a 302 cubic inch V8 that put out 290 horse power. Interestingly, that Shaker Air Scoop was a $65 option in 1970.

This is a 1969 Oldsmobile 442. For those who don't know the car got its unique name for having a 400 cubic inch engine, a four barrel carburetor, and a dual exhaust. That Ram Air V8 engine knocked out 360 horse power.

This 1969 Dodge Coronet Super Bee is one of only 166 produced that year with the 426 cubic inch Hemi V8 engine that growled out horse power. The car had a frame off restoration in 1982 using all new original stock parts.

This 1969 Chevy Camaro RS was made in the last year of the first generation of this pony car. It is quite the show stopper having won over 200 awards across the country. This Rally Sport has a 350 cubic inch V8 that puts out 300 horse power.