Mautofied Community

technically, mustangs,camaros are considered "pony cars". as there long hood,short trunk design led to a sleeker design,and an overall shorter wheelbase. yes,in the good ole days, the engine choices are what bumped them up a notch to often time "muscle car" status, but, the lack of no real design layout of rear seating is what deemed these cars as pony cars. lower level 2+2 class cars if you will. i will agree that there are alot of fast 4cyl and 6cyl cars out there,but, i am sure there are many here in agreement with me when i say that somebody rolls up in a honda civic with a big stupid wing,a hair dryer,and a fart can muffler, and calls it a "muscle car", you will be involed in either the sheer laughter, or beating the hell out of the guy. lol.
in the same right,a 1981 pontiac trans am equipped with the venerable 400,4-spd,and WS6 package,when new,was an excellent example of a "muscle car". why? well, of all production cars built for sale to the public in 1981, what could out run it? just my 2 cents..................

I'll agree with you on the honda civic with the big stupid wing,hair dryer and fart can statement. What I can tell you is that fact does not for the most part lie in belief, example:

If the owner of a vehicle as you described above believes he has a muscle car, fact is he is dead wrong....correspondingly

If the owner of a Honda civic such as a man by the name of Chris located in myrtle beach SC states the FACT that since he is making over 800 whp out of his 4cyl honda engine, that it has muscle, I definitely believe he is right. BUT! does he have a muscle car, I would have to say no that he has an import, a tuner, and perhaps if I can be allowed to coin a phrase an "tuner muscle car"

Additionally, anyone driving a stock 4.6 liter mustang is not driving a muscle car either. While it may be the descendant of something worthy of the title what you have there is simply marketability, something ford designed to sell and make money whereas the true original muscle cars were designed in competition with other car companies to be the greatest car of its kind, fast, sleek, sexy, and well made with less emphasis on how many would sell and more something they could be proud to put thier name on.

Times are changing and so are vehicles, while the day of the true muscle car may no longer fit the production schedule of major car companies perhaps the 800whp civics and supras, evo's and acuras for example are in fact becoming the muscle or "muscle cars" of today.


I edited to add another thought. What do you picture when you think muscle car? If you pictured a late model mustang or a Honda civic or a variety of other vehicles for that matter you need an education on the subject. The definition is out there. If ford still produces the mustang under the muscle car "branding" thats thier business but thats like comparing Boones Farm and expensive wine, while I may like both of them and they will both get the job done under the right conditions I think we can agree that a little more thought and care and pride went into one of them.

Im editing again:
After a few minutes of reverse engineering on the thought this is what I came up with...another question. "what do you think Japanese citizens consider a muscle car?"

i agree. i was looking thru the muscle cars and there are alot of stock 4,6 cyclenders and thats not i was looking for. i was looking for a v8 with more than stock horse power.