Thread: Random car ramblings: what if Asian car makers made American classics

Practicality stops from buying a muscle car, not the quality. If I decided I could justify it, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Ford Mustang.

Does the world really need more vehicles like this?

Originally Posted by Luckypenguin

Does the world really need more vehicles like this?

Well, it depends on who you talk to. I've been a gear head all of my life but even I don't think these cars are relevent any longer. But a lot of people disagree with me. I personally like small, light, tossable sporty or sports cars. This is what the so-called "pony cars" like the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird were when they first came out. Small, light, tossable and sporty - in comparison to "normal" cars of the time. The cars were like the Honda Civic Si is compared with normal sedans today. And it seems Americans have selective memories and remember only the "muscle" era of these cars - in the late 1960s and early 1970s - when over-sized and over-powered engines were shoe-horned under the hoods. These cars went fast in a straight line but weighed more and handled worse than versions with smaller engines. That period really didn't last long. BTW, I'd love an Australian Ford Falcon G6E.

Luke, can I just congratulate you on a great taste in classic cars? The Toyota 2000GT is an absolute beauty, and the Porsche 356... for me, the only car I've seen in person that comes close in terms of curvy perfection is the Jaguar D-type...

As for Nic's question (does the world need cars like these), that's a tough one... I'm both a (sports)car enthusiast and a treehugger! Hybrid sportscars are probably the best recent development for me

For a little bit of 2000GT porn, watch the Bond film "You only live twice".

2000GT, Lotus Elan, Alfa GT, Fiat 124 Sport...to me these are some of the classics, albeit the British and Italian cars may require more maintenance than most

Originally Posted by Luckypenguin

For a little bit of 2000GT porn, watch the Bond film "You only live twice".

2000GT, Lotus Elan, Alfa GT, Fiat 124 Sport...to me these are some of the classics, albeit the British and Italian cars may require more maintenance than most

I agree... and add MGs from TC through B and Triumphs from TR-3 through 6. There were other Americans who shared my enthusiasm for these cars decades ago... but we were a niche community by comparison to the big-car fans.

Originally Posted by Biro

Well, it depends on who you talk to. I've been a gear head all of my life but even I don't think these cars are relevent any longer. But a lot of people disagree with me. I personally like small, light, tossable sporty or sports cars. This is what the so-called "pony cars" like the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird were when they first came out. Small, light, tossable and sporty - in comparison to "normal" cars of the time. The cars were like the Honda Civic Si is compared with normal sedans today. And it seems Americans have selective memories and remember only the "muscle" era of these cars - in the late 1960s and early 1970s - when over-sized and over-powered engines were shoe-horned under the hoods. These cars went fast in a straight line but weighed more and handled worse than versions with smaller engines. That period really didn't last long. BTW, I'd love an Australian Ford Falcon G6E.

The Australian muscle car scene of the 60s and 70s basically mimicked America. It tailed off with the oil crisis of the 70s and emission regulations in the eighties but came back with a vengeance in recent decades despite the rise of high-tech Japanese sports cars.