01-13-2009, 11:16 AM | #29 |
I used to be Dragoneye...
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These cars, both V6 and V8 share nothing with the traditional Muscle car. IRS v LRA, 6-speeds v 3-speeds, 10mpg v 27mpg, frame + body v. unibody...the only thing similar is the name and the engines. But even those have evolved significantly.
The term "Muscle Car", imho, is just an affectionate name for the new Camaro and friends. It doesn't properly describe them at all. I consider the Camaro a 2+2 Sports Car, true and through. |
01-13-2009, 11:36 AM | #30 |
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The "sports car" or "muscle car" label as applied to the Camaro is arguable. I started driving in 1965 and followed the development of "muscle cars" closely. By the definition we understood then, the Camaro is not a muscle car. In the early 60's manufacturers began producing intermediate size cars with smaller V8 engines. GM, in particular, had a policy that limited V8 engine size to 327 (plus or minus cubic inches), hence the 326 in the Tempest, 330 in the Cutlass, the 327 in the Chevelle, etc. GM did this to keep the intermediate size car sales from cutting into the more expensive full size car sales. If you wanted a 389 or 421 Pontiac, you had to step up to a full size, because before GTO the largest you could get in a Tempest was a 326. It was Pontiac's John DeLorean that first did an end run around the engine size limit policy by installing the 389 from the full size Pontiac into the Tempest, thus creating the GTO. All the other GM divisions soon developed their own intermediates with engine from their full size models. Thus, a "muscle car" was an intermediate size body given additional "muscle" by installation of a large displacement engine previously offered only in full size models. Obviously, much has changed since then, and the Camaro doesn't fit that category, so call it what you will but it ain't a "mucle car" in the classic sense.
Bob |
01-13-2009, 11:40 AM | #31 |
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Dragoneye I agree 100% only name and heritage belong to the musclecar term the rest modern day Sportscar
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01-13-2009, 12:02 PM | #32 |
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Aye needs a new term because these cars use KITT (all the electronics and safety devices etc) just as much as legs. Advanced Sports Coupe.
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01-13-2009, 12:05 PM | #33 | |
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Quote:
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01-13-2009, 12:36 PM | #34 |
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Using your definition, you would have to say the porsche 911 is not a sports car but a muscle car because it is a 2+2 seater?? naaaaaahhh, muscle cars traditionaly means going fast in a straight line and thats about it. Sports cars are about handleing and brakeing just as much as striaghtline speed. If my definition is correct then the camaro is a modern sports car with slightly retroish styling and a historic name.
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01-13-2009, 01:00 PM | #35 |
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+1 again. (Does that = +2?) The Mustang was, for obvious reasons, the first "pony car" and hence the name was often used to refer to it and it's competition as being in the "pony car" category. If Camaro has to be categorized, that's where it fits. Still a competitor to Mustang, but better.
Bob |
01-13-2009, 01:02 PM | #36 |
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it is a modern day muscle car....
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01-13-2009, 03:19 PM | #37 |
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Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Main Entry: muscle car Pronunciation: \-ˌkär\ Function: noun Date: 1969 : any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving ccc
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01-13-2009, 04:14 PM | #38 |
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The internet take on these categories of cars:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_car http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_car http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Turismo_(automobile) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony_car
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01-13-2009, 04:25 PM | #39 |
The new Camaro will be one bad ass Muscle Car!
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01-13-2009, 04:30 PM | #40 |
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Again I believe that definition is flawed, if that is the case then that would mean that america has never made a sports car ever... Corvette, Dodge Viper, Ford GT etc... would all be considered muscle cars not sports/super cars.
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01-13-2009, 04:31 PM | #41 | |
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Quote:
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01-13-2009, 04:33 PM | #42 |
Love's to Detail
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