The Torino Heavy Duty American Muscle

Back in the 1950s through the mid 1970s, Detroit automakers produced many cars that were out and out "muscle" vehicles. These sorts of vehicles shared the same characteristics: they were two door coupes with souped up engines, responsive transmissions, an assertive exterior design, and a sporty interior. High fuel prices and changing tastes finally limited sales to the point where only a few models were produced beyond that period. Today, muscle automobile mania is back, notwithstanding even higher gas prices. Thanks to the Ford Mustang and to a lesser extent to sedan and truck models from Dodge, there's new interest in a class long given up. The future is bright for the muscle car segment as another manufacturer, Chevrolet, considers bringing back one of its darlings of yesterday, the Camaro.

Besides the Ford Mustang there were a complete host of cars produced that at a previous previous point or another could have been considered a muscle car. In addition to the Mustang, the Ford Fairlane 500 and Ford Torino did duty; the Mercury Montego was another model; Chevrolet produced the Camaro and Corvette ; Pontiac the GTO, Firebird, and Storm ; Olds the 442 ; Yankee Motors' had its Javelin ; Plymouth had the 'Cuda, and Dodge produced the Challenger and the Charger. Today, only the Mustang and Corvette survives though the Dodge Charger has returned as a 4 door muscle car along with its sibling, the hot Dodge Magnum wagon.

Interestedly, it took Ford's redoing of the Mustang for the 2005 model year to stir the current muscle automobile age craze. Styled after Mustangs built in the 1960s, the current Mustang welcomes a retro look while incorporating recent technology. The result has been the Mustang currently sells its entire 150,000 model capacity without incentives.

The Mustang has been inspiring DaimlerChrysler to go ahead with a retro cruiser of its own. The Dodge Challenger concept car, appearing at car shows across the USA, has been a big hit and Chrysler plans on bringing the V8 hemi powered model back in 2009. Additionally, General Motors is considering giving its blessing on the Camaro, another auto also making the rounds of the States vehicle show circuit.

So, isn't it daft to bring back such gas hogs? Back in the early 1970s, the then current crop of muscle automobiles averaged only 10-12 miles to the gallon around town and fifteen or sixteen m.p.g on the highway. Thanks to PC technology and efficiency, even the Corvette returns a very respectable twenty-eight miles to the gallon the highway. So, though fuel mileage will certainly be lower than plenty of other models, the new group of muscle cars will still better the previous generation vehicles with fuel mileage 80% or more above the autos from the 1970s.

Fortunately, we still live in a reasonably free country and what the buyer wants, the buyer gets. So, V8 powered muscle vehicles paired to six speed manu-matic transmissions, with sport handling, bucket seats, and better fuel economy will possibly appeal to several. No, they won't be actual copies of yesterday's muscle cars, but they will provide the nostalgia and power that motorists seek. I can't wait!.