Do You Recognize the Fastest Cars From the 1960s?

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Do You Recognize the Fastest Cars From the 1960s?
Image: CC BY 2.0 via WikiCommons

About This Quiz

It was very early in the 1900s when Ford started making the Model T, and the auto industry as a whole really began to take off. When the First World War began, resources were diverted from endeavors like making cars to the war effort. It happened again with the Second World War and so cars were never produced with the aim of being high-performance, high-powered machines until well into the 1950s. And it wasn't until the 1960s that many carmakers were finally able to develop the kind of technology that set them apart from the much more leisurely and slow-paced vehicles of the past.

The 1960s gave rise to powerhouse automakers like Ferrari and Lamborghini, Porsche and De Tomaso. It allowed the old standbys like Ford and Dodge and Chevy to go beyond typical luxury cars or family vehicles that they had been known for and produce performance vehicles like the Corvette, the Charger and the Mustang. Some of the best cars ever made came out of the 1960s and some of the fastest ones did, as well. If you feel like you know speed, then it's time to put the pedal to the metal and show your stuff in this quiz.

Porsche 911
CC BY-SA 4.0 via WikiCommons
Do you know which of these cars has been in production since 1963 until today?
Pontiac Firebird 400
Porsche 911
De Tomaso Mangusta
Lotus Elite
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Porsche has produced over 1 million 911s since its first one rolled off the line in 1963. In 1967, a Porsche 911 S could hit a top speed of 137 mph. According to a 1999 "Car of the Century" poll, the 911 is the fifth greatest car of the century.

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1964 Pontiac Tempest
John Lloyd via WikiCommons
John DeLorean once said which car rattled like it was carrying rocks?
Pontiac Tempest
AMC AMX
Dodge Coronet
Monteverde High Speed
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Pontac Tempest was made from 1960 until 1970 and was actually the forerunner to the famous Pontiac GTO muscle car. In 1966, the LeMans Sprint version of the Tempest could reach 113 mph and hit 60 mph in about 10 seconds.

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Chevrolet Chevy II Nova
Greg Gjerdingen via WikiCommons
This car is a classic. What's it called?
Chevy II Nova
Ford XL Fastback
Dodge Challenger
Cadillac Eldorado
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1966, you could get a Chevy II Nova with a 327 V8 Turbo-Fire engine. It had a top speed of 139 mph and a 5.5-second acceleration speed to 60 mph. Despite advertising it as a Chevy Nova, Chevy chose not to use the word "Nova" anywhere on the car and instead just branded it as a Chevy II SS.

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Dodge Coronet
Sfoskett~commonswiki via WikiCommons
Which of these cars was first produced in 1949?
Buick Regal
Plymouth Road Runner
Pontiac Sunfire
Dodge Coronet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Dodge Coronet had two production runs, one from 1949 to 1959 and the other from 1965 to 1976. The Hardtop R/T produced in 1968 was able to hit a top speed of 131 mph and a blazing fast acceleration of 0 to 60 in just 4.8 seconds.

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Jaguar E-Type
CC BY-SA 3.0 via WikiCommons
Austin Powers drove which of these cars?
Lamborghini Miura
Jaguar E-Type
Ferrari 288 GTO
Iso Grifo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jaguar's E-type was in production from 1961 until 1975. Sports Cr International magazine named it the number one sports car of the 1960s and for good reason. The E-type had a top speed of 150 mph.

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AC Cobra 427
CC BY-SA 3.0 via WikiCommons
Do you know which of these was designed by Carroll Shelby?
AC Cobra 427
Alfa Romeo Giulia
Jaguar E-type
Porsche 911
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The AC Cobra was sold in the United States as the Shelby Cobra. The 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 had a top speed of 165 mph and could blaze from 0 to 60 mph in only 4.2 seconds. It was very likely the fastest car produced in the entire decade.

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Buick GS 455
dave_7 via WikiCommons
In many ways, this car was a luxury muscle car. What was it?
Chrysler LeBaron
Pontiac Fiero
Buick GS 455
Shelby Cobra
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Buick GS 455 was a variant of the GS released in 1969. Tha year it had a top speed of 145 mph and could accelerate to 60 in just 5.5 seconds. The 1968 cars came with a hood scoop that was actually fake unless you went out of your way to order the kit to make it work.

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Aston Martin DB5
CC0 via WikiCommons
James Bond famously drove which of these cars?
Jaguar E-Type
Iso Fidia
Monteverde High Speed
Aston Martin DB5
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Aston Martin DB5 is the iconic James Bond car first seen in the movie "Goldfinger." The company still makes them for the movies even though in real life they're already up to the DB11. The DB5, for its part, had a top speed of 142 mph back in 1963.

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1969 AMC AMX
Greg Gjerdingen via WikiCommons
Which car had a top speed of 160 mph in 1969?
Citroen GT
Jensen CV8
AMC AMX
Lancia Beta
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Capable of going from 0 to 60 in just 5.5 seconds, the AMC AMX was one of the fastest cars of the entire decade but was only made for three years. It was repeatedly compared to the Corvette in terms of both looks and performance but was a more affordable option.

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1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
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Do you know which of these cars was first introduced in 1953?
Dodge Charger
Pontiac Satellite
Ford Mustang
Chevy Corvette Stingray
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1966, the Chevy Corvette Stingray came with a 427 cu. in. V8 engine. It was capable of hitting a top speed of 141 mph, which was no doubt impressive but more impressive was its nearly unparallel acceleration at the time. It could hit 60 in only 4.8 seconds, faster than nearly every other car produced in the decade.

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Pontiac GTO 1964
Greg Gjerdingen via WikiCommons
This was the first muscle car ever in 1964. What is it?
Chevy Corvette
Ford Firebird
Plymouth Road Runner
Pontiac GTO
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Pontiac GTO is considered by many to be the first muscle car of the major automakers, though there were less popular V8-powered cars before 1964 that could have qualified for the title. A 1967 Pontiac GTO 6.6 Liter V* HO could get you from 0 to 60 in 6.4 seconds with a top speed of 120 miles per hour.

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Pontiac Firebird 400
AlfvanBeem via WikiCommons
In the '70s, which of these models became famous thanks to the movie "Smokey and the Bandit?"
Ford Galaxie
Chevy Malibu
De Tomaso Pantera
Pontiac Firebird 400
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Pontiac Trans Am Firebird was the car of choice for the Bandit in the "Smokey and the Bandit" movies but before the Trans Am model showed up, the 1967 model was outfitted with a 400 cu. in. V8 engine that gave it an impressive top speed of 120 mph.

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Oldsmobile 4-4-2
Morven via WikiCommons
Every standard version of this car in 1968 came in the same gold/copper color. What is it?
Ford Fairlane
Pontiac Sunfire
Dodge Dart
Oldsmobile 4-4-2
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1968, Oldsmobile made two versions of the 4-4-2. One was just the standard and one was called the Hurst/Olds made in partnership with Hurst Performance. The Hurst was actually the slower of the two, as the standard 4-4-2 could hit 115 mph and accelerate to 60 in 6.0 seconds.

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Chevy Chevelle Malibu SS
Sicnag via WikiCommons
In 1968, the second generation of which car was introduced?
Ford Thunderbird
Chevy Chevelle Malibu SS
Chevy Camaro
Dodge Omni
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Malibu would eventually become its own model, but originally it was a trim package on the Chevelle. In 1968, the Chevelle Malibu came as a Super Sport 396 Sport Coupe which could hit 113 mph and had an acceleration from 0 to 60 of 6.0 seconds.

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Chevy Camaro SS
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Which 1967 model had a top speed of 136 mph?
Pontiac GTO
Ford Mustang
Chevy Camaro SS
Dodge Charger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevy introduced the Camaro to compete with the Ford Mustang. In 1967, the Chevy Camaro SS 396 Coupe could manage 0 to 60 in 5.6 seconds with a top speed of 136 miles per hour. It took 14 seconds to go from 0 to 100 miles per hour.

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Ford XL Fastback
Bull-Doser via WikiCommons
Do you know which of these was also called a Galaxie?
Chevy 96
Ford XL Fastback
Oldsmobile 88
Pontiac 400
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford XL was originally just a trim option of the Ford Galaxie until it became its own model. The Ford XL Fastback from 1968 could hit a top speed of 137 mph and accelerate to 60 in just 6.0 seconds.

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Ferrari 275 GTB
CC BY-SA 3.0 via WikiCommons
Long nose and short nose styles were available for which of these cars?
Buick GS 455
Porsche 944
Iso Fidia
Ferrari 275 GTB
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ferrari 275 GTB had a top speed of 153 mph. Six seconds was all it took to get from 0 to 60 mph. The long-nose and short-nose versions were styled with either long hoods or shorter hoods. About 30 more short-nose than long-nose were made.

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Mercury Cyclone
nakhon100 via WikiCommons
Which of these was originally an option package on a car called the Comet?
Monteverde High Speed
Pontiac Firebird
Mercury Cyclone
Ford Fairlane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mercury Cyclone was made from 1964 to 1971. It didn't become its own distinct nameplate until 1968 and was, alongside the more popular Cougar, one of Mercury's more powerful cars. The 1968 Cyclone with 6.4 V8 engine could reach a top speed of 115 mph and go 0 to 60 in 6.1 seconds.

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1965 Ford GT40
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They called which of these the "Ferrari Killer?"
Toyota 2000GT
Pontiac Tempest GTO
Ford GT40
DeTomaso Mangusta
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Henry Ford II commissioned the GT40 after Ferrari had won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race several years in a row, seeking to prove they could make a better, faster car. They did what they sought to do with the GT40 which had a top speed of 164 mph and could hit 60 in 5.3 seconds.

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Dodge Charger Daytona
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Winning NASCAR races was the only reason which of these cars was built?
Pontiac Tempest
Dodge Charger Daytona
Ford XL Fastback
Dodge Super Bee
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With a massive spoiler and an extended, pointed front-end, the Dodge Charger Daytona was a specially modified Charger meant just for racing. With a 7.0 Hemi engine, it could hit 130 mph and accelerated to 60 in 5.6 seconds.

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Lamborghini Miura
CC BY-SA 3.0 via WikiCommons
In 1966, which of these cars debuted at the then very steep price of $20,000?
Porsche 911
Dodge Coronet
Lamborghini Miura
Chevy II Nova
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Lamborghini Miura was an exceptionally fast car. The P400S model, first produced in 1968, had a top speed of 170 mph and could go from 0 to 60 in 6.7 seconds. Only 764 of them were ever built before the Countach took over.

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Ferrari 250 GTO R
Public Domain via WikiCommons
In 2018, which of these cars sold for $70 million?
Chevy Corvette Stingray
Ferrari 250 GTO
De Tomaso Mangusta
Lamborghini Islero
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO is one of the most iconic cars of all time. It has become so popular that people have actually built fraudulent replicas on different Ferrari chassis. Back in 1962 the 250 GTO had a top speed of 158 mph.

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Dodge Super Bee
Greg Gjerdingen via WikiCommons
An internal company contest is where the name for which of these cars came from?
Oldsmobile 4-4-2
Dodge Super Bee
Buick Skylark
Pontiac Tempest
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Dodge Super Bee was named by a member of the senior design team at Dodge back in 1968. Based on the Coronet, it had a top speed of 126 mph and could do a 0 to 60 acceleration in just 6.0 seconds.

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Ford Mustang Boss 429
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John Wick drives the 1970 model of which of these?
Plymouth Satellite 426 Hemi
Chevy Corvette Stingray
Boss 429 Mustang
AMC AMX
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Wick's car is labeled a Boss 429 Mustang in the movie, though he's actually driving a 1969 Mustang Mach 1. He should have been driving a 1969 Boss 429, as it had a top speed of 115 mph but could go from 0 to 60 in only 5.1 seconds.

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Alfa Romeo Guilia
Christof46 via WikiCommons
Several different models of cars all featured which name?
Lancia Stratos
Alfa Romeo Giulia
MG B
Lotus Elan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Alfa Romeo made a number of cars called the Giulia. One was a kind of compact executive car and one is a modern sedan that was manufactured in 2015. But the Giulia TZ from 1963 was built for speed and could get from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds with a top speed of 134 mph.

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Lamborghini Islero
Herranderssvensson via WikiCommons
This car was only made from 1968 to 1969. What is it?
Lamborghini Islero
Ford XT
Mercury Cyclone
Porshe 944
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Lamborghini Islero is a mostly forgotten Lamborghini model thanks to its short production run and the fact only 225 were ever made. In 1968 it could hit a top speed of 165 mph thanks to a 3.9L V12 engine.

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1960 Dodge Dart
CC BY 2.0 via WikiCommons
Do you know which car was made from 1958 to 1976?
Dodge Dart
Pontiac GTO
Ford Thunderbird
Chevy Camaro
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The fourth generation of Dodge Darts were manufactured in 1967 with some serious power upgrades over previous generations. The GTS Hardtop 6.3L V8 had a top speed of only 108 mph, but it could accelerate like a monster up to 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds.

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De Tomaso Mangusta
© Jörgens.mi via WikiCommons
The Pantera replaced which of these cars?
Lancia Beta
De Tomaso Mangusta
Austin Healey 3000
Aston Martin Valhalla
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The De Tomaso Mangusta, which means "mongoose." was made from 1967 to 1971. The 4.7 V8 model from 1967 had a top speed of 155 mph and could accelerate to 60 in 5.5 seconds. Only 401 of them were ever produced before the Pantera took over.

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Bristol 411
CC BY 2.0 via WikiCommons
Do you know which of these was a British sports saloon?
Lancia Stratos
Bristol 411
Bugatti Veyron
AMC AMX
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Bristol 411 was a very refined-looking British car made from 1969 to 1976. Though it may not have looked the part, it was able to hit a top speed of 143 mph and took 7 seconds to get up to 60 mph.

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Lotus Super Seven
Public Domain via WikiCommons
Though it looked like a race car, which of these was designed for street driving?
Lamborghini Miura
AC 428 Coupe
Pontiac Tempest
Lotus Super Seven
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Lotus Super Seven was a popular model specifically because of the design. Many buyers bought it because it looked the part of a race car and could be used for clubman racing. The top speed was between 100 and 124 mph depending on how it was outfitted with a decent acceleration to 60 mph in about 7 seconds.

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Toyota2000GT
CC BY-SA 3.0 via WikiCommons
At auction, which of these cars has sold for almost $1.2 million in modern times?
Porsche 927
Toyota 2000GT
Buick GS 455
Dodge Super Bee
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the only Japanese cars made in the '60s with an eye toward performance and seek European design standards, the Toyota 2000GT had a top speed of 137 mph. It's highly collectible these days and the $1.3 million one was sold in 2013.

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De Tomaso Vallelunga
CC BY 2.0 via WikiCommons
This was the first road-going car made by its manufacturer. What is it?
De Tomaso Vallelunga
Porsche 904
Jaguar E-Type
Plymouth Satellite
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The De Tomaso Vallelunga was first made in 1964 and only 58 of them were ever produced. It had a top speed of 114 mph and could accelerate from 0 to 60 in just under 7 seconds flat.

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Plymouth Satellite
CC BY-SA 4.0 via WikiCommons
Which model came with Super Commando, Magnum and Hemi V8 engines?
Pontiac Firebird
Dodge Super Bee
Dodge Coronet
Plymouth Satellite
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Plymouth Satellite could be outfitted with some serious muscle if a driver wanted it that way. The 1966 Satellite with a 426 Hemi could hit 60 mph in about 5.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 148 mph.

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Jensen Interceptor
CC BY-SA 3.0 via WikiCommons
A factory near Birmingham in England is where most of which of these cars were handmade?
Aston Martin DB5
Rolls Royce Wraith
Lancia Stratos
Jensen Interceptor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Jensen Interceptor was made from 1966 to 1976. The 1969 Interceptor MK 2 had a top speed of 137 mph. That's not to be confused with the 1950 Jensen Interceptor which had a top speed of 95 mph.

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Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
CC BY-SA 4.0 via WikiCommons
Only 18 of which of these cars were ever produced?
Porsche 904
Lotus Elise
Citroen GT
Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1967 when the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale was first introduced, it was the fastest car in the world with a top speed of 160 mph. The name "stradale" just means "road-going" to differentiate it from race cars.

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AC Frua
EmmanuelD via WikiCommons
Only 81 of which of these cars were ever made?
Iso Grigo
De Tomaso Mangusta
Lotus Elise
AC Frua
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The AC Frua, also known as the AC 428, was first made in 1965. The 1967 model with a 7.0L V8 engine could hit a top speed of 145 mph and accelerate to 60 in just 5.4 seconds. Unfortunately, AC was suffering from financial issues and couldn't produce more cars than the handful it made.

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Monteverdi High Speed
Matthias v.d. Elbe via WikiCommons
Which of these cars came from Switzerland?
Monteverdi High Speed
Lancia Stratos
Iso Marcia
Austin Healey 3000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Monteverdi was a Swiss automaker in the 1960s and it made the High Speed from 1967 to 1976. With a top speed of 152 mph, it lived up to its name even though it is largely unknown today. Though the company went defunct in 1984, it did come back to produce a concept car in the early 1990s.

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Iso Grifo
Triple-green via WikiCommons
First manufactured in 1963, which car was made to compete with Ferrari and Maserati?
Iso Grifo
Lancia Stradale
Alfa Romeo Arna
Aston Martin DB5
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Iso Grifo is one of the lesser-known sports coupes of the 1960s. In 1965, if you got a model outfitted with a 5.4L Chevy 327 OHV V8 engine you could get it up to 161 mph. Iso stopped making the Grifo in 1974 when the company went bankrupt.

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ISO Fidia
granada_turnier via WikiCommons
John Lennon owned which of these cars?
Aston Martin Lagonda
Iso Fidia
Lancia Beta
Bentley C-Series
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Iso Fidia was advertised as the "fastest four seats in the world" and that assessment wasn't really wrong. The top speed was 155 mph with a 5.6-second acceleration to 60 mph. When the company first unveiled the car it was in Athens, where the fuel was so low octane it caused severe engine knocking during the press test drive.

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Plymouth Road Runner
CC BY 2.0 via WikiCommons
Which of these cars was named for a Warner Brothers cartoon?
Lotus Elan
Pontiac Tempest GTO
DeTomaso Mangusta
Plymouth Road Runner 426 Hemi
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Plymouth had to license the Road Runner name from Warner Brothers and even developed a horn that beeped like the cartoon bird. While the Road Runner could only reach a top speed of 105 mph, it could accelerate to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds.

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