3 American performance cars

Going back in time, we come up with three great American performance cars: the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger and the Chevrolet Camaro. Currently only Mustangs are in production and Challenger will be back by 2009. GM hasn’t promised to make a Camaro yet, but the company could make a decision in favor of the car and its brother Pontiac Firebird. By this summer. So what about American performance cars that set them apart? In a nutshell: muscle. Read on when I compare and contrast these three cars and share with you my weak attempt to explain the culture behind the cars.

So do you think I forgot the Chevrolet Corvette and Dodge Viper when I talk about performance cars? No, I didn’t. Both models are performance cars and race cars. On the other hand, the Mustang, Challenger and Camaro are mass-produced cars that use muscles. There are differences in how to handle, ride and perform typical race cars and muscle cars.

Muscle cars were typically coupe versions of some of the larger cars that were popular on US highways in the 1960s and 1970s.However, the Mustang and Camaro were designed separately [although they both heavily borrowed parts from other models] And these “pony” cars were in their own right in all categories. For comparison, they join the Dodge Challenger, a performance version of the Mopar car of the time. All three are compared by critics of the time, and all three are compared again a few years after production increased.

Ford Mustang -Go back in April 1964 with me when the United States was deeply involved in the Space Race, Lyndon Johnson was president, and General Motors ruled autonomy. Ford, as part of it, followed GM for years, but the failed Edsel in the late 1950s caused a great deal of damage to the company. Still, it was the time of the New York World’s Fair, and Ford used fair and television technology to promote its latest product, the Mustang. The 2 + 2 coupe, 1964½ model, which borrowed parts from Fairlane and Falcon, was the first model to be sold and is widely recognized as the best new car introduction ever. With the V6 engine standard and the optional V8, the all-new Mustang quickly broke the sales record and has been a hot seller ever since. Indeed, with the introduction of the “retro” -looking Mustang in 2005, the car once again aroused interest in the muscle car segment as both DaimlerChrysler and General Motors created their own competing models. It was.

Dodge Challenger –After the success of early muscle cars such as the Dodge Charger and Plymouth’Cuda, the Dodge Challenger was launched as a 1970 model. The sheet metal was a little different, the wheelbase was stretched a few inches, but the car borrowed a lot from Cuda. The muscle car era had declined at the time of its introduction, so the Challenger lasted only five model years before being canceled. The Concept Challenger, which is currently on display at many car shows, is based on the 1970 design and has become a hot topic on bulletin boards and blogs nationwide. Look for a Hemi-powered engine that is favored by many owners. The car may share some technology with current Magnum wagons and charger sedans.

Chevrolet Camaro -When the Mustang came out, GM was sleeping with a handle. It took almost three years for the company to be ready, and when that happened, the Camaro and Pontiac Firebird were the result. Both cars have been selling well for many years, but neither is comparable to the Mustang’s sales level, with production declining slightly by the time the last car was sold in 2002. Still, the end of the Camaro 35 years later aroused a new interest in the name, and thanks to the retro Mustang, the entire muscle car category is growing again. Look for the 2010 Camaro, the first Camaro since 2002. A rug top version is also being considered.

So who can expect to buy a muscle car these days? People like me: Middle-aged men who grew up on the original model. In addition, a whole new generation of young drivers was fed up with the “me too” look of so many compact cars out there. Today’s muscle cars are very different from previous era cars because they use today’s technology and incorporate an original look. Therefore, fuel savings are decent without sacrificing performance. It’s a situation that benefits both sides.

No, I can’t wait to see the Mustang, Challenger and Camaro lined up at the traffic light waiting for the signal to turn green. The era of new muscle cars has arrived and I am very excited about it.