Some time again, we ran a narrative about probably the most neglected and forgotten muscle vehicles. That article itself was impressed by a social media publish from our buddies over at Summit Racing who’d requested for reader contributions on the topic
However after studying by way of the a whole bunch of feedback, we found that even diehard gearheads aren’t precisely positive on the nebulous boundaries of muscle automobile classification—and that uncertainty will increase the newer the vehicles get.
A lot like we did with our “What Makes a Automotive a Traditional?” article, we’re going to dive into the muscle automobile subject.
Earlier than we go any additional, let’s stress that that is principally an opinion piece, and we welcome any dialogue on this subject. Get the dialog began within the feedback part on the backside of this text.
The Origin of the “Muscle Automotive” Time period & What It Meant
Whereas it’s usually used casually by of us outdoors the pastime to outline any automobile with a giant engine, most gearheads agree that the true definition of what’s thought-about a “muscle automobile” has much more nuance.
That mentioned, loads of lovers draw a straight line again to the Olds 88 in the case of the car that first impressed the time period. Wedged between the spartan 76 six-cylinder base mannequin and the heavier, extra posh 98, the Oldsmobile 88 was a Goldilocks trip for spirited drivers.
That’s as a result of the 88 got here with trendy V8 energy in a midsize package deal. With overhead valve structure and hydraulic lifters, the high-tech 303ci V8 engine made round 135 horsepower—which doesn’t sound like a lot these days, however it was higher than a Flathead Ford V8 and, within the Forties, these 135 ponies had been sufficient for the engine to earn the “Rocket” nickname.
In different phrases, the Oldsmobile 88 established the “huge engine in a midsize automobile” strategy that grew to become the muscle automobile template from then on.
That recipe was maybe perfected in 1964 with the Pontiac Gran Turismo Omologato—or GTO, in case your quick on time. The GTO’s gross sales numbers shortly inspired the opposite GM manufacturers to spin-up their very own midsize efficiency variants, and vehicles just like the Chevelle SS, Buick GS, and Oldsmobile 442 shortly adopted.
Elsewhere in Detroit, Ford supplied hopped-up variations of its intermediate Fairlane—together with the NHRA homologation particular, aptly named the Thunderbolt. And over in Mopar world, you may quickly get the legendary 426 Road Hemi motor in vehicles just like the midsize Coronet and Belvedere too.
By the tip of the Sixties, the massive engine/midsize automobile formulation was firmly established and the vehicles that got here from that period are synonymous with the time period muscle automobile—which can clarify why the title is so laborious to pin onto any car made after, say, 1972. However let’s maintain taking place the muscle automobile timeline a bit.
Muscle Automotive “Malaise” & Past
The muscle automobile waters begin to get murky within the Seventies as a result of, if we’re being frank, the muscle diminished because the automotive business labored to adapt to tightening emissions requirements and client demand for higher gasoline financial system—whereas on the similar time, insurance coverage corporations had been busy mountaineering charges for heavy-footed drivers.
Suffice it to say, there have been loads of explanation why the latter half of the Seventies is usually known as the “malaise” period for the American vehicle.
Because the Seventies stretched on, muscle vehicles transitioned into grand touring coupes, with extra emphasis positioned on trip high quality and effectivity. One after the other, stalwart holdouts just like the Charger, Roadrunner, Torino, Chevelle, and (gasp!) even the Ventura-based GTO rolled into the sundown.
But there have been some shiny spots. Automobiles just like the Pontiac Can Am and Chevy Laguna S-3 carried on the muscle automobile custom, albeit with energy down from its peak just some years prior. Even the budget-minded Dodge Aspen had a V8-powered R/T efficiency variant—with an non-compulsory Pistol-Grip four-speed, no much less.
No matter horsepower numbers, we predict it’s truthful to categorise these lengthy hood, rear-wheel drive V8 coupes as muscle vehicles.
However on the Nineteen Eighties dawned, it was clear that the automotive business was determining efficiency within the nascent gasoline injected period—significantly over at Buick the place its engineers refined the turbocharged 3.8L V6 made well-known within the legendary Grand Nationwide.
Sure, the famed Buick Grand Nationwide was working V6 energy. However that didn’t cease it from incomes some critical muscle automobile road cred, did it? Certainly, the GN’s 245 horsepower 3.8L six places the whole muscle automobile definition into complicated territory—particularly when you think about its V8 stablemate was fortunate to make 150 hp.
Exterior of the Grand Nationwide and its GM G-body cousins just like the Monte Carlo SS, Cutlass Supreme 442, and Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2, a number of different vehicles took up the muscle automobile mantle in the course of the Nineteen Eighties and Nineties as nicely.
For instance, as they developed from their luxurious touring picture cast in the course of the Seventies, the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar twins emerged within the Nineteen Eighties as legit muscle vehicles, full with V8 energy. Apparently, relying on the 12 months, you may additionally get the Thunderbird with the turbocharged 4 borrowed from its cousin, the SVO Mustang.
…Which isn’t that stunning, as a result of the Thunderbird and Cougar had been constructed on the beloved Fox platform shared with the Mustang—but had been roomier than their pony automobile stablemate, pushing them again into muscle automobile midsize territory.
So, What Are “Pony Automobiles” Then?
Since we simply talked about the Fox Physique Mustang, it’s price declaring the excellence between muscle vehicles and pony vehicles—technically talking, there’s a distinction.
And we’re not being pedantic right here, as all three of the foremost Detroit automakers had separate fashions focused on the distinct midsize muscle automobile and pony automobile classes.
What was the primary pony automobile?
Spoiler alert, it wasn’t a Mustang. Nope, regardless of the equine nomenclature, the primary pony automobile was truly a fish—yup, a Barracuda to be exact. A chronological nitpick for positive, the Valiant-derived Barracuda truly hit the market a number of weeks earlier than the Mustang galloped onto the scene in 1964. However when the Mustang did arrive, it was a near-instant success and shortly established the horse automobile section.
Caught off-guard by the success of the Mustang, each AMC and GM accelerated plans for the fast-growing market. In 1967 each the Camaro/Firebird and the Javelin hit the streets. Fairly quickly after that, Mopar unleashed a second-gen. Barracuda into the rising pony automobile wars and, in 1970, the E-body Dodge Challenger entered the fray.
OK, so sufficient historical past already, right here’s the excellence in a nutshell: Not like a muscle automobile, a pony automobile sometimes rides on a smaller, compact chassis and moreover, the automobile is usually designed from day one with some sport pretenses. (In different phrases, a base mannequin Camaro remains to be a pony automobile, whereas a base mannequin Chevelle can be an peculiar midsize passenger automobile.)
Semantics apart, many causal gearheads lump pony vehicles into the muscle automobile class. And since this can be a debate on muscle vehicles, we wished to say pony vehicles and shortly distinction the 2 segments.
What About Sports activities Automobiles?
Lastly, a simple one to reply. Sports activities vehicles, by definition, are constructed from a clean web page with some kind of efficiency bias, whether or not it’s a featherweight British roadster powered by a zippy four-banger, or a Dodge Viper with 10 indignant cylinders firing mercilessly underneath the hood.
Sports activities vehicles are nearly solely* supplied in a two-door coupe or roadster physique, and in both a two-seat or a 2+2 (modest again seat) association.
* We are saying nearly there, just because you may get some deviations from that sports activities automobile recipe with, say, a capturing brake or a three-door configuration.
So whereas sports activities vehicles might have some muscle *cough – L88 – cough*, the truth that these vehicles are designed to have some inherent efficiency from the get-go, units them aside from a standard coupe that, after the addition of a giant engine, rumbles onto the efficiency scene as a muscle automobile.
Sufficient Already! What Defines a Muscle Automotive?
With all that historical past, terminology, and context out of the way in which, let’s get right down to it: What makes a automobile, a muscle automobile?
Whereas we’ve established that the standard formulation is “huge engine, midsize automobile,” in observe classifying vehicles by that metric isn’t as easy as you’d suppose.
For starters, what makes a “huge” engine? Displacement or energy output?
Take the Dodge SRT-4 as an example. It got here with a 2.4L (146 cubic inch) engine that made 230 horsepower. For reference, if we’re utilizing internet horsepower, that’s just about what the bottom 400 engine in a 1972 GTO delivers. And it’s making that energy with half of the cylinders—through front-wheel drive.
All advised, a bone inventory SRT-4 may do low 14s proper off the showroom ground, simply sufficient giddayup to be thought-about a muscle automobile.
That mentioned, because it’s based mostly on a Neon, the SRT-4 is taken into account a “sport compact” and is smaller than a classic GTO. So if bodily dimension is a sticking level, let’s discuss in regards to the Pontiac G8 and Chevy SS.
For starters, their wheelbases are round 115 inches—which, in the event you’re enjoying alongside at residence, is just about equal to a 1965 GTO. And there’s solely a few 10 inch distinction in general size.
Secondly, the Holden-sourced G8 and SS have loads of V8 oomph, notably each the G8 GT and SS at one time shared the 426+ horsepower LS3.
However then once more…the G8 and SS each have 4 doorways. So, is there someplace within the gearhead guidelines that claims muscle vehicles must be coupes? Certain, there’s historic precedent, however that may eradicate a ton of trendy, late mannequin efficiency automobiles.
As a counterpoint, let’s carry up among the abroad fashions from Ford and Chevy—particularly for the Australian market. For no matter purpose, sedans are way more prevalent Down Beneath, however in the event you’ve ever seen a classic four-door Fairmont XA, you most likely put it into the muscle automobile class, proper?
Different four-doors that spring to thoughts are the 1994-96 Impala SS Bubbles. A 5.7L small block Chevy LT1 V8 and a Positraction rear finish are in style elements within the muscle automobile recipe—and had been commonplace on the seventh-gen. Impala SS.
After all, there’s all the time the fan-favorite Ford Panthers too.
For instance, the size of a Crown Vic is fairly much like, say, a first-gen. GTO. And, with Ford 4.6L V8 mod motor energy underneath the hood, the Mercury Marauder made north of 300 horsepower. In the identical vein, the Police Interceptors had many related efficiency upgrades as nicely.
So, does that not vault some Panthers into muscle automobile territory?
The Elephants (pun!) within the room are the Hemi-powered Challenger/Charger cousins. Let’s start by placing the Challenger into the horse automobile enviornment, together with the Camaro and Mustang. Despite the fact that it’s extra of a grand tourer, we really feel the Challenger belongs there merely due to historic priority.
That leaves the Chrysler LX/LD platform Charger (and, positive, the 300 too). Although Dodge purists might snicker on the considered four-doors, the late mannequin Charger has Hemi energy and sufficient throwback styling cues to plant it firmly into the muscle automobile world. Toss-in traditional “Excessive Affect” colours like Go Mango, TorRed, and Plum Loopy, and we’re offered.
All advised, there are a lot extra examples of V8-powered sedans, 300+ hp 4 cylinder engines, and compact/midsize classification overlaps these days too…
…So maybe utilizing a template established 50+ years in the past to categorise a muscle automobile is a futile effort?
Recharging the Muscle Automotive Query
There’s a remaining level to the touch on and it’s most likely going to be probably the most controversial—may an electrical car be thought-about a muscle automobile?
It’s powerful to argue on the quantitative aspect although. Automobiles just like the Tesla Mannequin S and the Mustang Mach-E can rip-off 11s within the quarter mile with out an excessive amount of effort. Suffice it to say, these numbers would’ve bested just about any road automobile from the Sixties.
The qualitative side of a muscle automobile is far harder to pin down right here.
Certain, you lose the exhaust observe and the visceral really feel of a rowdy engine pounding away underneath the hood, however performance-biased EVs underneath a tough launch nonetheless have a novel sound and really feel that would simply be described as aggressive. And the torque-on-demand nature of an electrical motor rocketing off the road is an expertise that can not be described with phrases.
It’s a query that must be requested: Does a muscle automobile want an inside combustion engine?
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The Nice Muscle Automotive Debate Rages On
OK, so these are our takes on the muscle automobile metric. Do you agree with our evaluation on what really defines a muscle automobile right here?
4 doorways? V8s? Rear-wheel drive? Maintain the dialog going within the feedback part under—we’d love to listen to your suggestions.
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