Era of the Muscle Car is over

[moondoggy]

After being around 50+ years I've been able to see the evolution and devolution of the Muscle Car and Sports Car. With the fall of GM and Chrysler and the rising cost of gas I suspect that we are at the end of the line for such cars. Only the rich will be able to indulge in performance cars. When I was a youngster I used to see all those old fellows driving Hemi's, Vett's,Big Block Chevy and Fords and wondered If I would ever be able to afford a car with such performance. Well I'm old to do so and glad I lived long enough to finally have a car That I wanted as a Kid. There is so much magic in the internal combustion engine that no hybrid or electric car can ever produce. I also believe that this will be the last generation of the Z once it's product life cycle is through.

[spearfish25]

Agree about the muscle cars...MotorTrend just said the same thing during their Mustang, Challenger, Camaro comparison this month.

Last generation of the Z though...fat chance. Nissan has a huge Z following and automakers are struggling to be profitable. Unless this Z falls flat on its face with sales, I think we're bound to see more iterations in the future.

[PapoZalsa]

Originally Posted by spearfish25

Agree about the muscle cars...MotorTrend just said the same thing during their Mustang, Challenger, Camaro comparison this month.

Last generation of the Z though...fat chance. Nissan has a huge Z following and automakers are struggling to be profitable. Unless this Z falls flat on its face with sales, I think we're bound to see more iterations in the future.

I love the Zs but Nissan is pissing me off with all thier lies and poor customer service. I think is about time Toyota and/or Mazda bring back the Supra and/or RX-7.

[Mergnthwirker]

Originally Posted by moondoggy

After being around 50+ years I've been able to see the evolution and devolution of the Muscle Car and Sports Car. With the fall of GM and Chrysler and the rising cost of gas I suspect that we are at the end of the line for such cars. Only the rich will be able to indulge in performance cars. When I was a youngster I used to see all those old fellows driving Hemi's, Vett's,Big Block Chevy and Fords and wondered If I would ever be able to afford a car with such performance. Well I'm old to do so and glad I lived long enough to finally have a car That I wanted as a Kid. There is so much magic in the internal combustion engine that no hybrid or electric car can ever produce. I also believe that this will be the last generation of the Z once it's product life cycle is through.

I agree with you. Maybe it's an old curmudgeon thing, but I see this onslaught of hybrid, electric, green happy ecology cars coming along with increasing economic, insurance and legislative pressures on performance cars. Generally it's about 5 years or so between car purchases for me and now was the time. I bought my 370Z feeling that this might be my "last chance" to own a great performance car.

Not at all politically correct... and proud of it! What I SHOULD have bought was a Volkswagen Jetta diesel sportwagen getting 49mpg. If gas goes to $5/gal, I may occasionally regret it.

But life is too short to drive boring cars!!

Thanks for posting this thought!

HJM

[Mergnthwirker]

Have you seen the latest Toyota Prius ad with the happy green car driving up the mountain, birds singing, trees greening, etc. etc.??

Makes me want to puke!

[SpawnAeroJohn]

Originally Posted by Mergnthwirker

Have you seen the latest Toyota Prius ad with the happy green car driving up the mountain, birds singing, trees greening, etc. etc.??

Makes me want to puke!

I know right! Nobody is that happy

[DooDooBrown]

Originally Posted by Mergnthwirker

Have you seen the latest Toyota Prius ad with the happy green car driving up the mountain, birds singing, trees greening, etc. etc.??

Makes me want to puke!

Too bad my Z is distroying the roads, running over the birds, all before wrapping around one of the trees!

[JacksHereR]

yeh i get the same feeling, like clarkson said about the veyron - its only backwards from here.

[zZSportZz]

IMO, not having grown up in the muscle car era, I just like power and performance. I don't really care how it is delivered to the wheels. The instant torque of a fast electric car some day might be interesting. With the new battery technology out today, I am willing to bet that not far down the road there will be electric sports cars =)

If a LiPo battery pack the size of a brick of soap can power my RC Car at 60 mph for 45 mins...there is hope for electric sports cars some day. Granted the LiPo batteries explode when they are punctured hehe.

[Mergnthwirker]

Originally Posted by zZSportZz

IMO, not having grown up in the muscle car era, I just like power and performance. I don't really care how it is delivered to the wheels. The instant torque of a fast electric car some day might be interesting. With the new battery technology out today, I am willing to bet that not far down the road there will be electric sports cars =)

If a LiPo battery pack the size of a brick of soap can power my RC Car at 60 mph for 45 mins...there is hope for electric sports cars some day. Granted the LiPo batteries explode when they are punctured hehe.

Electric sports cars... we'll have to train ourselves to a new soundtrack. Listen to that great WHINE of power!!!

[zZSportZz]

Originally Posted by Mergnthwirker

Electric sports cars... we'll have to train ourselves to a new soundtrack. Listen to that great WHINE of power!!!

The way I look at it. If we are all forced down the path of going green with electric and/or hybrid cars...I at least want a sporty one. Thats all I'm saying

[kannibul]

Originally Posted by zZSportZz

IMO, not having grown up in the muscle car era, I just like power and performance. I don't really care how it is delivered to the wheels. The instant torque of a fast electric car some day might be interesting. With the new battery technology out today, I am willing to bet that not far down the road there will be electric sports cars =)

If a LiPo battery pack the size of a brick of soap can power my RC Car at 60 mph for 45 mins...there is hope for electric sports cars some day. Granted the LiPo batteries explode when they are punctured hehe.

Chevy Volt, there's another Tesla something...

600+ HP.

Granted, I don't really know if they can measure HP...electric motors (and, well, engines) are all about Torque.

[JacksHereR]

yeh i saw some WRC talking about hybrid lol

[CBRich]

If the Tesla Roadster ever comes out maybe it can try to redefine the sports car. But you can see the effects of going green and playing it safe. Automakers are beginning to shy away from sports cars and that is why I have a Nissan now. Everyone else seems to be getting scared.

[theDreamer]

Originally Posted by CBRich

If the Tesla Roadster ever comes out maybe it can try to redefine the sports car. But you can see the effects of going green and playing it safe. Automakers are beginning to shy away from sports cars and that is why I have a Nissan now. Everyone else seems to be getting scared.

Roadster is out currently, cost is about 100,000 plus. Tesla's new car is the Tesla S which is a family sedan. I agree though, "green" is the new hot topic and car companies are jumping at finding the next big thing. I hate to say it but electric is not the answer, yet.