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1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 - best muscle cars

The original Chevrolet Chevelle Super Sport wasn’t quite a match for the Pontiac GTO, but by 1970 it was an absolute monster

Chevrolet’s first escapade into the muscle car world was with the Chevelle Super Sport (or SS) introduced in 1964. Early in its life, the Chevelle SS was significantly out-gunned by the Pontiac GTO, but it wasn’t long before Chevy started turning up the wick.

By 1970, General Motors had lifted its internal ban on installing engines larger than 400 cubic inches in certain models, so it wasn’t too long before the Chevelle SS had reached its most outrageous specification. 

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With a huge 454 cubic inch (7.5-litre) big block V8 that could be ordered with an advertised 450bhp and 500lb ft of torque. With a 0-60mph time of a little over 5 seconds, the 1970 Chevrolet Chevrolet SS 454 was one of the fastest accelerating road cars in the world at the time and one of the fastest muscle cars of this era.

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Ryan Birch - content editor, auto express
Content editor

Ryan is responsible for looking after the day-to-day running of the Auto Express website and social media channels. Prior to joining Auto Express in 2023, he worked at a global OEM automotive manufacturer, as well as a specialist automotive PR and marketing agency.

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