What makes a muscle car? Merriam-Webster suggests it is "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving". We'd add that it's got to have a V8 and rear-wheel drive, too. There are other exceptions to the rule, but generally, it has to have two doors, right? Well, if we imagine a car that embodies the essence of a muscle car but with an extra set of doors, it would probably still be considered as such.Although they weren't considered muscle cars at the time, many four-doors from the classic muscle car period were available with the same big engines and running gear that came with the two-door performance coupes. This formula of adding the muscle car formula to a more practical, longer, four-door is an appealing one for those who need a little extra practicality. Following the first golden age of muscle cars, the muscle phenomenon returned for a second showing in the 21st century and created a boom in both two- and four-door muscle. Let's look at the modern-day equivalent of a four-door muscle car.Specifications and pricing are courtesy of the manufacturer or trusted sources, including J.D. Power, Edmunds, and Kelley Blue Book. Average values quoted are courtesy of Classic.com unless otherwise noted. Sedans That Offer Muscle Car Power And Performance Today 2025 blue Cadillac CT5-V BlackwingBroadly speaking, there were a handful of what we could call 'four-door muscle cars' produced over the last couple of decades, sedans that were essentially muscle cars underneath. They utilized V8 engines, sent their power to the rear, and were charismatic. More about them later. The models above are all 2025 models, all four-door sedans rocking V8 engines - they offer the combination of practicality that comes with a sedan while also packing serious heat under the hood. This is the muscle car, way; power, and speed in a muscular body. Below are the specs for most of the V8-powered sedans on sale today. Specs: Various Four-Door V8-Powered 2025 Sedans As we can see, if we were to benchmark these machines against the 2023 Dodge Charger - the closest we'll arguably get to a four-door muscle car - we would likely see some glaring differences. First of all, most of the models are all-wheel drive. This is an issue, since most traditional muscle cars send their power to the rear wheels, which enables easy burnouts and fun handling. Secondly, most of the cars use turbocharged V8s, which is also not a traditional muscle car method of propulsion. All of these models will prove fast, but will they provide charisma and that all-important muscle car character? The answer is just one: it's built like a muscle car, and it's the American: The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. The Real Deal: A Surviving American Four-Door Muscle Car 2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing in green parked on racetrackThe Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance offers a naturally-aspirated V8 and rear-wheel drive, so it might conceivably get a little closer to the muscle car recipe. But muscle cars are about charisma and thrills, about character and noise. A modern Lexus, even the F Sport Performance, is set up for refinement and comfort. Cadillac offers the next best thing to a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat: the CT5-V Blackwing.With a monstrous power output courtesy of a supercharged V8, rear-wheel drive, and an available manual transmission, it offers all the components of a muscle car, albeit in a longer, four-door format. This model is still available today despite all other muscle cars having disappeared in 2025, except for the Ford Mustang GT (see later). Specs Benefits Of A Four-Door Muscle Car Dodge Space A muscle car coupe with two doors may provide less interior space than a four-door, especially if the latter has a stretched wheelbase, like the Ford Thunderbird Landau four-door. This is perfect for those seeking to quench the thirst for a muscle car but need more practicality. Increased Practicality Four-door models like the Dodge Coronet offered muscular styling and the same available big block power as the Dodge Charger, but with two additional doors to make it suitable for families or moving multiple passengers. Affordability Since the market is usually hotter for the iconic muscle car coupes, four-door models that share the engines and running gear of more valuable coupes could provide a good share of the performance, at a much more accessible price. Four-Door Muscle Cars From Recent History 2005 Chrysler 300C SRT8, front 3/4The automobile market and sedan enthusiasts were treated to various four-door muscle cars over the last two decades. These models, mostly represented by the images above, offered something different to the European sports sedan, even those equipped with V8 power. They offered charisma, character, and a rebellious attitude even when cloaked in various shades of luxury.General Motors and Chrysler were at the forefront of the modern four-door muscle movement - Chrysler with its 300 and Cadillac with the CTS sedan. Both received V8, power and both managed to last through most of the 2010s, with the CTS-V running until 2019 while the final Chrysler 300C was released in 2023.Throughout that time, there were three other core models. Firstly, the Dodge Charger, the performance-focused cousin to the Chrysler 300, with the same platform. There were also two more models from the General Motors stable - the Pontiac G8 and the Chevy SS, both sports sedans that offered the traditional and simple muscle car recipe - rear-wheel drive, naturally-aspirated V8 power, and a focus on fun. Values - Used Muscle Sedans Muscle Sedans Today And Their Legacy FordToday, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is the final surviving four-door muscle car. While it is based on a luxury sedan, its unwavering focus on providing power and thrills at the wheel suggests that it is worthy of being called a muscle car, albeit one with two extra doors up back. Its mid-level sibling, the CT5-V, has a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 and, since it doesn't have the charismatic V8 under the hood, we might hesitate to call it the same thing.So, does any sedan with a V8, rear-wheel drive, and American origins count as a four-door muscle car? Not necessarily. But those factors are usually qualifiers if the intention is for performance and enjoyment at the wheel - for example, the Ford Crow Victoria was not a muscle sedan despite it carrying a V8 and a rear-drive setup.Americans will likely not be able to experience a new muscle sedan much longer, since the CT5-V Blackwing could suffer the same fate as many other models - sedans are in decline in favor of crossovers and SUVs. In addition, the LT4 V8 is also likely on borrowed time, with smaller V6 engines becoming the go-to option. A final option for muscle car fans is the Ford Mustang GT and Mustang Dark Horse, models which are the sole flagbearers for the real muscle car in 2025.
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