New Muscle Cars

By Donald Shortt

Even from the first day that Ford dazzled us with the first classic "muscle car" in 1964 in the form of the Mustang, America has been in love.

Almost everyone has a favorite classic muscle car. Yours might be the 1962 Dodge Dart 413 Max Wedge 426 Hemi, 1967 Ford Fairlane GTA, 1970 Dodge Charger or the Australian 1973 Charger 770 E55.

With the well known performance and power that these cars offered, the Ford Mustang became the top selling car for many of the years during its "performance era." Times are very different, though, and there are many factors that would seem to dampen the muscle car's popularity. Government regulation and high fuel prices would seem to be a force to a thumbs down on all that horsepower. But these horses can't be corralled and the muscle car is still a hot item, especially to the new generation. And for them, there is a new generation of muscle cars hitting the dealer lots.

Cadillac CTS-V

This high performance Cadillac tosses its hat into the muscle car ring. While the Cadillac name may not exactly make you think of performance, the CTS-V delivers with power, a roomy interior and great handling. Sporting surprising 400 horses of power with a 6.0 liter V8, this baby sits you in they type of car you would expect from Cadillac with a surprisingly low and great performance.

Pontiac GTO

GM after too long a wait brought back the "Goat", much to the delight of muscle car enthusiasts. One of the original muscle cars, the GTO was introduced in 1964 and ran through the 1974 production year. GM wanted to keep the awesome power of the GTO without without a sky high price. With a 6.0 liter LS2 V8 under the hood offering 400 horses, the new breed of GTO ran from 2004 to 2006. But, this is one car that can't be held down and will be sure to emerge again in the future.

Infiniti G35

One of the new breed of muscle cars, the Infinity G35 offers high end performance, great handling and a great look. Sporting a powerful 3.5 liter V6, 306 horses strong, you get the old school muscle car style combined with the newer, technological plusses of the 21st century. With this car, performance is its strong suit. It offers great handling and a superior, "sporty meets luxury" look and feel.

Lexus IS 350

Another high end sleek addition, the Lexus IS 350 offers a powerful V6 with 306 horsepower. Its advanced safety technology give it an edge over some of the other muscle cars on offer. While you correctly equate the Lexus name with luxury, the IS 350 shines with top performance as well.

Ford Mustang

You can't say muscle car without at least mentioning the Ford Mustang. The classic muscle car, this pony has seen some significant changes over the past few decades. The modern Mustang still will impress you with a wicked performance V8 version with 300 horses galloping under the hood in the GT version. The retro chassis will take the old timers back and inspire new enthusiasts just discovering this classic to a new love.

There are many other muscle cars that could be mentioned here and be competitive against their high performance cousins. Make an effort to study the latest muscle cars and find the performance package that makes your pulse pound. Performance, styling and handling make a muscle car, but you have to drive one to really appreciate it. - 21396

About the Author:

Donald Shortt is a car enthusiast and owner of several classic cars. His website is loaded with hundreds of Free Car Tips. Donald's Website is jammed packed with tips and techniques for the car enthusiast.