Take me back in time by building what I consider to be three great American performance cars: the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger, and the Chevrolet Camaro.
Currently only the Mustang is in production, with the Challenger returning by 2009. GM has not yet committed to building a Camaro, but the company will likely make a decision in favor of the car and its sister, the Pontiac Firebird , by this summer. .
So what sets American performance cars apart from the rest? In a word: muscle. Continue reading as I compare these three vehicles and attempt to describe the cultural significance they hold, albeit with my limited expertise.
Do you think I'm forgetting the Chevrolet Corvette and the Dodge Viper when I talk about performance cars? no I didn't. Both models are performance cars as well as racing cars. On the other hand, the Mustang, Challenger and Camaro are mass-produced performance cars with muscle. There is a difference in the way a typical muscle car handles, drives and handles.
Typically, the muscle car was a coupe version of some of the larger cars that traveled the highways of the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. However, the Mustang and the Camaro were designed separately [although they had borrowed elements a lot from other models] and these "pony" cars were a class apart.
For comparison, they joined the Dodge Challenger, a performance version of Mopar's cars at the time. All three were compared by critics at the time and all three will be compared again in a few years when production increases.
Ford-Mustang
Step back in time with me to April 1964 to a time when America was heavily into the space race, Lyndon B. Johnson was president and General Motors ruled motor cars. Ford, for its part, had been lurching on the heels of General Motors for years, but the failed Edsels of the late 1950s cost the company dearly.
However, it was time for the New York World's Fair and Ford used show and television technology to promote its latest offering, the Mustang. A 2+2 coupe that borrowed parts from the Fairlane and Falcon, the 1964 model was the first to be sold and is widely recognized as the best introduction to a new car ever.
With the standard V6 engine and optional V8, the all-new Mustang quickly broke sales records and has since sold very well. Certainly, the unveiling of the nostalgic Mustang in 2005 reignited enthusiasm for the muscle car category, prompting Daimler Chrysler and General Motors to develop their own rival models in response.
Dodge challenger
Following the success of earlier muscle cars including the Dodge Charger and Cuda Plymouth, the Dodge Challenger was released as a 1970 model. The car borrowed heavily from the "Cuda", although the sheetmetal was somewhat different and that the wheelbase has been extended by two inches.
Because the era of muscle cars was in decline at the time of its introduction, the Challenger only lasted five years before being cancelled.
The Challenger concept currently displayed at many auto shows is based on the 1970 design and is the talk of message boards and blogs across the country. Look for Hemi powered motors as they are preferred by many owners; The car will likely share some technology with the current Magnum wagon and Charger sedan.
Chevy Camaro
GM was sleeping behind the wheel when the Mustang came out. It took nearly three years before the company could respond and when it did, the Camaro and Pontiac Firebird were the result. Although both cars have sold well over the years, neither can match the sales levels of the Mustang and by the time the last cars were sold in 2002, production was virtually down.
However, the end of the Camaro after 35 years sparked renewed interest in the name and thanks to the retro Mustang, the whole class of muscle cars is growing again. Look for the 2010 Camaro as the first Camaro since 2002; A ragtop version is also being considered.
So who can expect to buy a powerful car these days? People like me: middle-aged men who grew up with the original models. Plus, a whole new generation of young drivers are tired of the “me too” look of so many compact cars.
Today's muscle cars are as different from cars of the past era as they are Incorporating the look of the originals while taking advantage of today's technology. So fuel economy will be decent without sacrificing performance: it's a win-win situation.
No, I can't wait to see the Mustang, Challenger and Camaro line up at a red light waiting for the light to turn green. We're at the dawn of a new era of supercars, which is why I'm really excited.
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