Encyclopedia of American Supercars book by Robert Ackerson

The years between 1948 and 1970 encompassed the golden era of the American supercar. Not before that era - and probably never again - will we see beautiful brutes of that genre. This book relates the detailed histories from general Motors, Ford, Chrysler, American Motors and Studebaker. It is a book that has long been needed by enthusiasts and is skillfully and engrossingly related by this noted automotive writer. The Encyclopedia of American Supercars belongs in the library of every automotive enthusiast. - Back cover.

So what exactly is a supercar, muscle car, and pony car? It all depends on who you ask. Muscle cars were initially referred to as "supercars" in the United States, such as the 1957 Rambler Rebel, which was described as a "potent mill turned the lightweight Rambler into a veritable supercar." From the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, "dragstrip bred" mid-size cars equipped with large V8 engines and rear-wheel drive were also referred to as supercars, more often than muscle cars. They were marketing terms more than anything else.