Some of the stuff I agree with, some I don't.
Original American performance was made at the engine. European cars can
handle well, Japanese cars can go really fast since they weigh next to
nothing, and both of them will turbocharge stuff.
American power was made by a big displacement V8 converting huge amounts
of gasoline to shaft horsepower. The cars aren't light, they don't
handle well, and they don't conserve fuel. They had the whole "I think I
left my stomach back there" whiplash inducing torque, and were the
symbol of this country's culture in the 60s and 70s.
The Chevy Corvette, despite what that site says, was one of the leading
musclecars. I ride in one frequently, and it is not a "sports car." A
sports car handles well, has a lightish weight engine, and has a
generally European feel. Some of the Jaguars are sports cars. The
Porsches are sports cars. The 60-70s Vette was NOT a sportscar; it
ascribed to the definition in the previous paragraph and was a
musclecar. Despite being near the fastest thing out there, the Corvette
was a Chevy, and was not a luxury vehicle.
In my opinion, any American car that was either designed to haul ass, or
had an alternate powerplant available so that you could make it haul the
aforementioned, was a musclecar. They died out with the 70s gas
crisis/emissions imposition. With the occasional exception that came
back in the mid 80s, they're gone, for now. (I think the Grand National,
and the Camaro/Firebird) are the exceptions. The Corvette and the
Mustang became sports cars. The Mustang, being Ford's top car, competed
with the Vette, at least somewhat, while the Camaro and Firebird were
kept sane by having the Vette always having to be 'above' them in status.
I haven't driven a newer Mustang, so I could be wrong about them. I also
don't know about things over in Mopar land these days either.
I guess the musclecar idea was to have a screamer that wasn't a luxury,
high priced race car. Nobody does that anymore, it seems.
-John.
