Era of the Muscle Car is over

moondoggy · 06-14-2009, 06:47 AM

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 · 06-14-2009, 07:16 AM

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.

Mergnthwirker · 06-14-2009, 09:51 AM

Quote:

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 · 06-14-2009, 09:53 AM

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!

JacksHereR · 06-14-2009, 10:08 AM

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

zZSportZz · 06-14-2009, 10:09 AM

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 · 06-14-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

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!!!

JacksHereR · 06-14-2009, 10:12 AM

yeh i saw some WRC talking about hybrid lol

zZSportZz · 06-14-2009, 10:14 AM

Quote:

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 · 06-14-2009, 10:26 AM

Quote:

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.

CBRich · 06-14-2009, 10:34 AM

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 · 06-14-2009, 10:38 AM

Quote:

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.

AutoX Z · 06-14-2009, 11:00 AM

Sure this might be the death of the muscle car but I think it will be the rebirth of the traditional sports car. There's going to be a big push to make smaller lighter cars now that people realize how big an enemy weight is. So sure the giant V8's and possibly V6's are not long for this world with the advances in direct injection and turbo's there's still a bright future for performance cars.

NeedforZ · 06-14-2009, 11:32 AM

The era of muscle cars as we known it may be over but sports cars will continue to evolve. I think people will figure out how to mod and race just about any form of transportation. Come back 50 or 100 years. Moon buggy races in low G may be a lot of fun.

hot370z · 06-14-2009, 12:03 PM

Never American Muscle CAR!!!!!!!!!! will never END. It's in are blood.

06-14-2009, 06:47 AM	#1 (permalink)
moondoggy Base Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: cape cod Posts: 46 Drives: 2009 370 Z Rep Power: 16	Era of the Muscle Car is over 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. Last edited by moondoggy; 06-14-2009 at 08:09 AM.

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06-14-2009, 07:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
spearfish25 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 4,117 Drives: to work Rep Power: 1856	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.

06-14-2009, 09:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
Mergnthwirker Base Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Connecticut USA Posts: 243 Drives: '09 370Z PW MT6 S Rep Power: 16	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!

06-14-2009, 10:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
JacksHereR Base Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: UK Posts: 32 Drives: 356 Replica Rep Power: 16	yeh i get the same feeling, like clarkson said about the veyron - its only backwards from here.

06-14-2009, 10:09 AM	#6 (permalink)
zZSportZz A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,095 Drives: 370z Blk on Blk 6MT Rep Power: 18	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.

06-14-2009, 10:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
JacksHereR Base Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: UK Posts: 32 Drives: 356 Replica Rep Power: 16	yeh i saw some WRC talking about hybrid lol

06-14-2009, 10:34 AM	#11 (permalink)
CBRich A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: SC Posts: 2,464 Drives: 370Z Rep Power: 544	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.

06-14-2009, 11:00 AM	#13 (permalink)
AutoX Z Enthusiast Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 314 Drives: 370Z Base, Sport Rep Power: 16	Sure this might be the death of the muscle car but I think it will be the rebirth of the traditional sports car. There's going to be a big push to make smaller lighter cars now that people realize how big an enemy weight is. So sure the giant V8's and possibly V6's are not long for this world with the advances in direct injection and turbo's there's still a bright future for performance cars.

06-14-2009, 11:32 AM	#14 (permalink)
NeedforZ Base Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 163 Drives: 370z Touring 7AT Rep Power: 16	The era of muscle cars as we known it may be over but sports cars will continue to evolve. I think people will figure out how to mod and race just about any form of transportation. Come back 50 or 100 years. Moon buggy races in low G may be a lot of fun.

06-14-2009, 12:03 PM	#15 (permalink)
hot370z Base Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: CA Posts: 102 Drives: 370Z Rep Power: 16	Never American Muscle CAR!!!!!!!!!! will never END. It's in are blood.