John Wick's Classic Muscle Cars Take the Spotlight

The movie John Wick is a neo-noir action thriller film that stars Keanu Reeves as John Wick, an extremely-skilled contract assassin famously known to have killed three men with a pencil. The first sequel, John Wick (or John Wick: Chapter One), starts when his dog gets killed and his beloved '69 Mustang gets stolen. John Wick: Second Chapter, continues where it left off in the first sequel. The movie opens up a series of "car fu" fight scenes followed by breathtaking stunts that will keep you at the edge of your seat (for the entire movie, we might add).

Both films, particularly the first sequel, showcases a lot of visceral action scenes where many vehicles are involved. The most significant ones are his classic muscle cars, which are extremely cool and bad-ass like John Wick himself. Here are the three most noteworthy ones that have their biggest share of the limelight:

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle (SS 454 LS6)

Dubbed as the "King of the Streets", the Chevelle was considered one of Chevrolet's best and most successful vehicles of all time. It's a favorite classic muscle car in the U.S., with the L78 noted as the most powerful engine in the lineup.

It was in 1970 where the 454 SS, considered the most robust Chevelle, was introduced to the public. Running at 450hp, the LS6 was among the fastest vehicles that time, making it one of the most favorite muscle cars that automobile collectors aspired to have in their treasure trove.

The third generation Chevelle was actively used during the 1973-1977 NASCAR competitions. Chevelle Laguna was the most successful, winning in 34 races for Cale Yarborough, and earning the first tow of three consecutive Grand National championships.

This car was in production for 13 years. Despite retiring its nameplate after the 1978 model, many people still continue to clamor for its revival. Yet despite this, it seems that Chevrolet is hell-bent on letting this iconic vehicle rest in peace.

1968 Dodge Charger

Based on Chrysler B platform, Chrysler entered their Dodge model to fit in between a "pony car" Ford Mustang and the "personal luxury" Ford Thunderbird.

Also known as "General Lee", the Dodge Charger is considered one of the famous vehicles of all time. It's famous for appearing in 147 episodes of the Dukes of the Hazzard show, which ran for seven seasons. Interestingly, many Chargers were wrecked during filming, and in the last years of the show, created a shortage of General Lees in the country. Desperate for another one to use for their set, producers were said to place notes on the windshields of 1969 Chargers in parking lots, asking owners if they wanted to sell them for a price.

The year 1974 saw the muscle car era come to a close, with the Dodge Chargers no longer considered performance model cars, but more of a personal luxury vehicle.

1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1

What would muscle cars be without the Ford Mustang?  In the beginning, the Mustang was first categorized in the compact car segment, and evolved into a class of its own. This iconic car actually created a new class of automobiles, and established a new market segment that we all know today as "pony cars".

Interestingly, the name “Mach” actually refers to the speed of sound. Technically, "half the speed of sound" is called a Mach .5, "twice the speed of sound" was referred to as Mach 2, and so on. While the actual speed of sound is really not constant due to variations in temperature and atmospheric pressure, the closest measurement of an actual speed of sound (or a Mach) is an estimated 761 mph at sea level.

The 1969 Ford Mustang Mach I was only available as a 2-door coupé in the "SportsRoof" body style. Its standard equipment was a 351 cu in (5.8 L) Windsor (351W) 2V motor with a 3 speed manual transmission and a 9" 28 spline open rear axle. There were also the optional 351 cu in, 390 cu in, and  428 cu in Cobra Jet 4V.

Mach 1 had upgraded suspensions in varying degrees that depended on their power train. Its signature "Shaker hood" had an air scoop that was placed on top of the motor to help collect fresh air. It was named that way because it tended to "shake" above the rumbling V-8 underneath. Interiors were furnished with tweak wood grain details, high sport bucket seats, and full-sound absorbing materials.

There's a possibility that the Mach 1 nameplate could return in 2018, and will be powered by a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine.