The 1964 Pontiac GTO created the muscle car segment and the story behind it is as good as the car. John DeLorean circumvented General Motors corporate policy against putting large engines in mid-size cars by packaging the 389 cubic inch Bonneville engine as an option on the Tempest LeMans.

GM management didn't know about it until the car was already in dealer showrooms. When they saw the sales numbers, they stopped complaining. The GTO sold 32,450 units in its first year against a projected 5,000.

Every muscle car that followed was a response to those numbers. The GTO created the market, the Chevelle SS responded, the Mustang redirected it, and the segment grew until the market and the government shut it down. The 1964 GTO is the beginning of the whole story.