Verified answer

The muscle car era was started by Pontiac when they came out with the GTO. There are no records as to who actually came up with the idea of putting a powerful engine into a light weight production car.

Since Delorean was working for GM at the time, and he was an avid hot rodder, I'm sure he had a hand in it, but there's no way to actually give him the credit for starting the muscle car era.

John Delorean was involved in General Motors design and production of several automobiles..hopped up musclecars as well as some sport coupes..He worked there along with Lee Iacoca and several other big names Zora Duntov the Corvette 's champion within GM.

that could be possible, he was a car designer known for that(muscle cars) for years before he started his own co.