Opinion: The New Muscle Car Era

[Cerberus]

Maybe its just me but do you guys think 2000 to 2010 is turning out to be the next muscle car era? Here's why I think we're experiencing it now....or it is soon to come back to North America.

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In the early 1960's America was embroiled with the Cold War, the Communist threat in Cuba, civil rights and Vietnam. However the feverish consumerism that followed World War II was still calling for bigger and better vehicles and most of all, more horsepower.

The 1960's is thought of as the Classic Car Era, a time when American automakers responded to the threat of imported cars with vehicles like the all new Corvair, Fords' Falcon, and Chryslers' Valiant. These smaller cars were considerably lighter than their predecessors and in 1964 factory-built cars with large displacement engines took over the market. These were the Muscle Cars and names like Camero, Firebird and Barracuda became common household words.

However, despite its popularity, the Clean Air Act of 1970 called for pollution control devices that hampered performance. And then the oil embargo of 1973 limited the supply of gasoline. And by the time congress passed the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rule in 1978 the Muscle Car was gone forever.

I've always loved the old school muscle cars from the 1960's and am really starting to see similarities to that past. Think about it, just like the 60's, automotive builders are coming out in full force now. We're seeing high hp engines in cars. The Hemi engines are back. Retro cars are in (ie: the charger, gto, etc). Whether you like the imports/domestic, everything is beefy again (unlike any of the past several decades). 350Z, Supra, RX-8, even luxury sedans have muscle car tuner shops (ie: Brabus, AMG, M series BMW's, Rousch, etc). There are so many ways to hop up your car, the gov'ts are going nutz just trying to limit/stop the craze. Turbos, blowers, nos, etc.....the list is endless. Even take a look at the movie industry. The John Travolta's of the past (Grease) have been replaced with the Vin Diesel's of today. Racing their muscle cars in all kinds of action movies (ie: F&F, The Transporter, Ronin, XXX, Gone In 60 Seconds, etc).

However, like the past, gas prices are an ongoing issue. California seems to be the benchmark for future automotive legislation.....but the automotive and perfromance improvement industry seems better than ever. Is this the next muscle car era?

[ledzep09]

Actually, I have noticed the very same thing. Every new car coming out seems to have been hopped up on roids, atleast compared to wat they used to be. You can now get an Eclipse with 265 horses stock. Civics are upping the horsepower...because you see all the old muscle cars coming back to life like the GTO and the Charger and frankly the Mustang. I still dont like Stangs but they made a slightly better effort to make them more powefrul and they look much more old-school. I think what happened was Fast and Furious. You had a small import scene in the 90's and Fast and Furious came out. Kids and people everywhere starting juicing up Hondas and Nissans and Supras and (VERY unfrotunately Neons and Cavaliers). Now these American companys are trying to compete by bringing back their muscle cars. every new car you see coming out has part of their ad pitching about their added horsepower. so yeah, ive noticed it too, and i agree.

[Bryan_M]

i agree mostly and i've been saying it for a few years now. yes muscle cars are back.

[ledzep09]

yeah they are back in name but they suck. i would never buy an "american" car. they are a horrible investment.



recently saw some guy in a suit standing on the side of a road looking down at his corvette, which he had clearly lost control of and slid off the road and over a hill. reason? poor engineering. they can make horsepower...but can they make something to handle it? no

[ledzep09]

not as if any car is really a "good investment" some are wiser than tohers though.

[blkcivic93]

i agree as well. ever sense the release of the PT cruiser i've noticed american manufactorers returning to the "retro" look. Hot Rods and muscle cars are on the return. the release of the chevy SSR and HHR, as well as the new mustang...talk of the return of the camaro, and of course the release of the GTO. and chargers will return soon enough, all to battle the import craze. and the release of the Dukes of Hazard movie should also be a suggestion of that very era returning.

[blkcivic93]

Originally posted by ledzep09@Oct 11 2005, 02:04 PM
recently saw some guy in a suit standing on the side of a road looking down at his corvette, which he had clearly lost control of and slid off the road and over a hill. reason?
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driver error maybe????

[ledzep09]

well yeah ...but you missed the point. ive heard lots of friends and and people i know say similar things about corvettes and handling. people the own corvettes. my neighbor is a corvette fanatic but even he admits that they dont handle as sports cars should.

[Siege911]

Yeah, and I think it's retarded that companies keep coming out with bigger engines when gas prices are skyrocketing and doing nothing to compensate... suv's, v8's, and not many hybrids to help offset the cost... just my opinion, but we need more hybrids!

[Bryan_M]

Originally posted by siege911@Oct 11 2005, 04:22 PM
Yeah, and I think it's retarded that companies keep coming out with bigger engines when gas prices are skyrocketing and doing nothing to compensate... suv's, v8's, and not many hybrids to help offset the cost... just my opinion, but we need more hybrids!
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bottom line though is people don't buy hybrids. if more people bought them then i'm sure more companies would make 'em. americans will always love their big v8's, or at least a good bit will.