While opinions on the exact origins of the muscle car vary widely, the car most often cited as the very first such vehicle is the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88, which was created as a response to an increased interest in speed and power from the general public. The Rocket 88 was the first car powered by the American built high-compression overhead valve V8 engine, but it also retained a lighter Oldsmobile body, thus setting a sort of "breed standard."