What makes modern muscle cars, muscle cars? (vehicles, 2014, fuel)
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Do they still stand for the things they stood for back then, or is it more about the brand image now? I don't really understand the appeal of today's muscle cars, though I must say I prefer the Challenger the most out of the choice between the Mustang, the Camaro, and the Challenger.
Not meaning to start a fire here, but in my opinion There are NO modern cars which can wear the badge of a MUSCLE car. Unless you can show me a modern car with a steel body, full frame and naturally aspirated carb without electronic ignition, and fuel delivery systems. It's just simply gotta be OLD school to truly be a muscle car!
Do they still stand for the things they stood for back then, or is it more about the brand image now? I don't really understand the appeal of today's muscle cars, though I must say I prefer the Challenger the most out of the choice between the Mustang, the Camaro, and the Challenger.
The cars you mentioned are not Muscle cars by definition as the term came about in the sixties with big cube performance engines in mid size cars. The first muscle car was the Pontiac Lemans which in turn became the GTO. Olds, Buick, Ford, Dodge, Plymouth all made muscle cars.
The Challenger, Camaro, Mustang are all pony cars by definition which got it's name from the Mustang being the first pony car.
All of today's pony cars are quicker than the muscle cars from the sixties if they are all in factory stock configuration.
BB Camaros,Cobra Jet Mustangs, Hemi Challengers/Cudas were never technically muscle cars, they were just pony cars with bigger engines and more muscle. Some people incorrectly refer to these cars as Muscle cars but they are not.
I'll let others argue which was or is the better car.
BTW I was in my 20's when those muscle and pony cars hit the market and running 13's in the quarter was only done by the Pros back then. To fuel had yet to hit 5 sec or 200 mph (1964 Garlits)
Eh, pony cars and muscle cars have been used interchangeably for decades now, no matter what the original "definition" was.
It used to be fairly easy to classify, the Mustang, Camaro/Firebird, Challenger were all two door with big engines, and were only good for going in a straight line. A Corvette for example, was a sportscar. It could out handle and out brake the rest of them because it was designed to be an all around car.
Now though, with modern day Mustangs and Camaros getting OHV engines, IRS, large brake and rotor packages... They are sports cars themselves in most performance metrics you can think of.
Eh, pony cars and muscle cars have been used interchangeably for decades now, no matter what the original "definition" was.
It used to be fairly easy to classify, the Mustang, Camaro/Firebird, Challenger were all two door with big engines, and were only good for going in a straight line. A Corvette for example, was a sportscar. It could out handle and out brake the rest of them because it was designed to be an all around car.
Now though, with modern day Mustangs and Camaros getting OHV engines, IRS, large brake and rotor packages... They are sports cars themselves in most performance metrics you can think of.
EH only by those who were not there and never owned a real Muscle car. Just because you came late to the game does not mean you get to change the rules.
BTW the early Mustangs, Camaros,Challengers were successfully turned into road racers a few year before they became drag cars all with small blocks.
The modern Mustang, Camaro, GTO, and Challenger out handle, out brake and have just as much power as their senior citizen family members of yesteryear.
IMO a number of people get wildly excited trying to compare the two, but the build quality, materials etc were not all that great when compared to a modern car.
I still remember driving my friends restored big block 1968 Chevelle and not being very impressed. It was a panty dropper for sure, but the driving dynamics just plain sucked.
Would I own an old muscle car? Sure, but I can tell you most of the suspension and brakes would be in the trash in favor of better replacements.
EH only by those who were not there and never owned a real Muscle car. Just because you came late to the game does not mean you get to change the rules.
Disagree. It's the manufacturers themselves who have changed what they call the cars.
They made them, they can call them what they want. It's no different than the size changes we've seen over time... A mid-sized car in the 60's and 70's would be considered a land yacht today, while the smallest cars back then would now be called mid-size.
Most muscle cars/sports cars today whoop the snot out of anything in the past if you do a side by side. Comfort, power, economy, build quality, performance etcetera. Older cars are great, have nostalgia and look cool.
Drives me crazy when people say they don't build them like they used to. Yup they're better now. Old cars are great as a Sunday show off driver but as a daily I'll take a new modern car. In 30 years people will consider today's cars muscle car sand ohh and ahh over them.
As far as I am concerned it is a good thing we do not manufacture any more "muscle cars". Stock they were evil handling under braked speed machines. When modified they were inspiring race cars. Modern "sporting", if you do not want to call them muscle cars, are faster, handle and brake better and are better vehicles.
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