last muscle car

[Dave@Moon]

O.K., we've all decided what the last muscle car was! I think I have an even harder question. Using <span style="font-style: italic">Buicks Rule's</span> definition:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Here's my bid for first case of a manufacturer putting their largest, most powerful engine in their lightest chassis, then selling it at a price the average employed person could afford... </div></div>

what was the <span style="font-weight: bold">last</span> muscle car. This definition eliminates things like the Viper and Corvette, which have no plebeian equivalents. Do muscle cars handle well, or does that disqualify a car from that category? Do the current Mustangs, especially the currently interrupted line of i.r.s. cars, qualify? Was the Dodge Spirit R/T the last really stock bodied muscle car, or does it have to be r.w.d. like the Buick GNX?

I didn't have an opinion on the last thread and I don't really have one here, but I am interested in seeing if there's any consensus here. Will anyone agree?

[Buicks Rule]

Gee Dave,

You go right for the hard questions. Personally, I don't think we've seen the "last" muscle car yet. It might end up being a hybrid powered or hydrogen fueled car way in the future.

I had a chance to play with a Saturn EV-1 when they were new. A very quick car off the line. Just didn't go far or needed a loooonnngggg cord.

What about the current Mitsubishi car with the huge rear wing, the unrefined, noisy engine and pretty vicious acceleration?

[Guest CameronAirCooled6]

Being a Pontiac man I would like to submit the 1989 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Indy Pace Car. It doesn't EXACTLY fit the Muscle Car Criteria by my book BUT it was the only car up to that date to come straight out of the factory and pace on the Indy track UNMODIFIED. I got to visit the Indy Museum in 1989 after the race and take a picture with the Lead Pace Car and have wanted one ever since.....

[Buicks Rule]

As long as you give the nod to the BUICK built turbo charged 3.8 V-6 that allowed it to do that, I'm fine with the 89 BUICK powered Trans-Am.

[Guest CameronAirCooled6]

LOL, I was wondering if you might make a comment on that! OK, I'll give up to the Buick team for producing that wicked little V6!

[Guest imported_DaveZZZ]

Well, what about my current 99 Regal GS?

SC 3.8L 6, 0-60 in 6.5sec in a relatively run of the mill Buick, and when all is said and done, easily had for less than $30K (at the height of the rebate wars, $25k)

[Nick_S]

I'd say there is no "last muscle car" because they're still building high-performance, muscular looking vehicles. The United States last muscle car was the Z28 and Trans am up until the new "GTO" and Mustang came out. Before, the Mustang couldn't really hold a candle to the mighty LS1. Now Ford has the hot new mustang and someone has already tweaked one a bit and supposedly run low 12's in close to stock form. There aren't really many other "muscle cars" that I can being produced that i can think of , mainly because i don't think a compact car is a muscle car...and thats what is getting quicker lately. Small cars with big hp - like the Neon SRT-4, Cobalt SS, a suburu WRX STi, Audi S4 and the likes. They aren't my kind of cars but the technology is pretty amazing.

[ex98thdrill]

For a point and time, many people considered the 1979 Dodge 'Lil Red Express truck as the last true muscle car. With conversion companies like Saleen, I'd have to agree that the muscle car hasn't gone away.

[earl e rizer]

The 1978 Dodge Lil'Red Express was referred to as "The Last American Muscle Car" by the automotive press of the day,(late 78-early 79).But in the 80's the Monte Carlo SS ,Hurst/Olds, Buick GN carried the torch, maybe not as bright as the late 60's early 70's cars but still shone in comparison to the rest of the mundane junk offered up at the time. Ther have been others since, but the one that comes to mind first to me is the current Chrysler 300C/Dodge Magnum Hemi. Thanks.