My Professor said that they don't make muscle cars anymore, do you agree?

[AZCamaroFan]

bottom line is the current Camaro , mustang and challenger will blow the doors off their 60s counterparts. and anythinge else from then

[motorhead]

Originally Posted by Tessa

That's why I said if you believe it.

[SSRSLY]

Originally Posted by GMfan454

Mustang Camaro and Challenger are not muscle cars at all. Your prof is correct. They are pony cars biiiiig difference. Not going to get into what a muscle car is but the closest thing to one now would be the Chrysler 300C/SRT8. Last real muscle car was the 94-96 chevy impala ss.

I would almost consider the Charger, CTS-V, and maybe even the Taurus SHO to be closer to a true muscle car definition as well. In the 60's, they were the more expensive, better optioned big-bodied cars that the manufacturer threw some big power in, i.e. GTO, Chevelle, Torino etc. Camaros, Mustangs and Challengers have always been pony cars.

Originally Posted by irocnroll

Muscle Cars died in the 70's todays so called "muscle cars" are nothing more than Sports Cars.

I don't agree with this. Sports cars are known for handling as much as power; think M3. America really doesn't have much in the way of a true sports car.

[brandotron]

Originally Posted by SSRSLY

I would almost consider the Charger, CTS-V, and maybe even the Taurus SHO to be closer to a true muscle car definition as well. In the 60's, they were the more expensive, better optioned big-bodied cars that the manufacturer threw some big power in, i.e. GTO, Chevelle, Torino etc. Camaros, Mustangs and Challengers have always been pony cars.

This. I'd also throw the G8 in that list.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by SSRSLY

I would almost consider the Charger, CTS-V, and maybe even the Taurus SHO to be closer to a true muscle car definition as well. In the 60's, they were the more expensive, better optioned big-bodied cars that the manufacturer threw some big power in, i.e. GTO, Chevelle, Torino etc. Camaros, Mustangs and Challengers have always been pony cars.



I don't agree with this. Sports cars are known for handling as much as power; think M3. America really doesn't have much in the way of a true sports car.

Corvette comes to mind

[Moriartii]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Corvette comes to mind

Also the Solstice GTX and the Saturn Sky possibly?

[irocnroll]

Originally Posted by AZCamaroFan

bottom line is the current Camaro , mustang and challenger will blow the doors off their 60s counterparts. and anythinge else from then

So would a few Imports. Does that make them Muscle cars also?

[MikeSVX]

Use this as a reference: http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclec...finition.shtml

A quote from the site: A muscle car, by the strictest definition, is an intermediate sized, performance oriented model, powered by a large V8 engine, at an affordable price. Most of these models were based on "regular" production vehicles. These vehicles are generally not considered muscle cars, even when equipped with large V8s. If there was a high performance version available, it gets the credit, and not the vehicle that it was based on.

Examples: Buick GS, Chevrolete Chevelle SS, Dodge Charger R/T, Ford Torino/Cobra, Plymouth GTX, Plymouth Road Runner, Oldsmobile 442, Pontiac GTO


Therefore:
Camaro SS = Muscle car
Camaro LT/LS = Pony Car
Mustang GT = Muscle Car
Mustang V6 = Pony Car
Challenger SRT = Muscle Car
Challenger RT = Pony Car

[irocnroll]

Originally Posted by MikeSVX

Use this as a reference: http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclec...finition.shtml

A quote from the site: A muscle car, by the strictest definition, is an intermediate sized, performance oriented model, powered by a large V8 engine, at an affordable price. Most of these models were based on "regular" production vehicles. These vehicles are generally not considered muscle cars, even when equipped with large V8s. If there was a high performance version available, it gets the credit, and not the vehicle that it was based on.

Examples: Buick GS, Chevrolete Chevelle SS, Dodge Charger R/T, Ford Torino/Cobra, Plymouth GTX, Plymouth Road Runner, Oldsmobile 442, Pontiac GTO


Therefore:
Camaro SS = Muscle car
Camaro LT/LS = Pony Car
Mustang GT = Muscle Car
Mustang V6 = Pony Car
Challenger SRT = Muscle Car
Challenger RT = Pony Car

The site you listed is about 1960's and 1970's cars. This does not relate to current model cars.

[MikeSVX]

Originally Posted by irocnroll

The site you listed is about 1960's and 1970's cars. This does not relate to current model cars.

I used the site for the specific definition of a muscle car which I quoted. The site is dedicated to 60's and 70's muscle.

[King Sun]

Originally Posted by GMfan454

Mustang Camaro and Challenger are not muscle cars at all. Your prof is correct. They are pony cars biiiiig difference. Not going to get into what a muscle car is but the closest thing to one now would be the Chrysler 300C/SRT8. Last real muscle car was the 94-96 chevy impala ss.

huh?

[PQ]

Originally Posted by motorhead

According to this if you agree with it. There hasn't been any muscle cars for a long time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_car

To clarify the Wikipedia...................

If you're in the group that says the Camaro, Mustang and Challenger is not a muscle car, you are OLD.....................like, in your 30sand 40s DURING the 60's and 70's.

OR, you are excentric......

I was only 5 years old in 1975 and all throuhg my youth my dad had the cars. Nova, Cutlass, yada yada, he always refered to the Camaro AND Mustang as muscle cars. So did all his freinds. And so I have ever since. Ya, I was only a small kid and I'm only 40 now, but I remember the tail end of a good age. And for someone to argue this point is arguing to just appear to know something.

It isn't any more of a valid argument than who was the better football team. Eveyones opinion would differ.

It's laughable to me that anyone would try to difine it to this level....... Dude wrote a book.....???..... must make him the expert and rule maker.

Originally Posted by Iroczlover

the muscle cars were the charger, GTO, GSX, Chevelles, Novas, lemays, skylarks.

camaros/Mustangs & Challengers are PONY cars.

Right, because the Nova was soooooo much bigger than the Camaro........

The 5th Gen Camaro is WAYYYY bigger than any Nova.....

So the criteria seems to change to fit an individuals argument.

[fielderLS3]

Depends on your definition. I like the term pony car.

"Muscle car" suggests something with a lot of torque and fast in a straight line. That describes the Camaro/Mustang, but also describes a lot of cars that wouldn't fit in the Camaro/Mustang category. (Taurus SHO, Mercury Maurauder, or the 90's Impala SS come to mind).

"Sports car" suggests something that's a blast to drive and really handles. However, that doesn't necessarily imply power (Think NA Solstice, Miata, or S2000.), or it could be something really fast (even powerful), but not necessarily that muscular (Think Solstice GXP, Lotus, Nissan 370Z, Porche, etc.).

"Pony car" is the perfect combination of the two. Power/Torque at any RPM and enough mass to have a commanding presence on the road, but still athletic enough to stick in the corners.