US carmakers muscle up on tech to keep horsepower wars going

American carmakers will lean on technology to keep the horsepower wars going among their electric muscle cars, a tectonic shift from the big, rumbling motors of the past.

Muscle cars, long dominated by models such as Ford Motor Co.’s Mustang, the Stellantis-owned Dodge Charger and General Motors (GM) Co.’s Chevrolet Camaro, have played a crucial role in American culture with movies or TV shows like Bullitt and The Dukes of Hazzard, while also serving as a brand halo that drove other sales.

That was changing, however, with the advent of cars powered by electric powertrains and loaded with computer chips, industry executives and analysts said.