The Rise And Fall Of The Muscle Car Era
Power, speed and performance - those are the three major traits
of a muscle car. When first produced, muscle cars were just
pretty darn amazing because they combined the efficiency of a
lightweight, mid-sized body with the performance of a high-power
V8 engine and special design features that further increased the
cars' acceleration capabilities. Because muscle cars topped all
other vehicles in terms of power, speed and performance, they
were ideal for racing.
Muscle cars were produced from the mid-1960s into the early
1970s, but the production of such beasts fell drastically due to
a number of factors. First was the controversy over whether it
was wise and responsible to make such powerful vehicles
available to the general public, primarily due to road racing.
Because muscle cars were often used irresponsibly, liability
relating to them was pretty high which forced insurance
companies to increase rates for insuring muscle cars. Emission
control requirements intended to curb pollution also played into
the picture making it near impossible for automakers to produce
muscle cars that met the standards they had to adhere to.
Needless to say, the muscle car industry changed quickly due to
these influences. Demand decreased because many "would-be"
buyers of muscle cars couldn't fathom paying the enormous
insurance rates for a high-power vehicle and automakers had to
meet the challenges presented by pollution control standards.
Since muscle cars were produced for a limited number of years,
they are valuable items for collectors and are still highly
desirable to those who enjoy racing or desire a quick, powerful,
mid-sized car. Since the decline in the production of muscle
cars, some automakers have attempted to bring the muscle car era
back to life by producing powerful vehicles that resemble the
legendary muscle cars, but in my opinion, they don't hold a
candle to classic muscle cars like the GTO, the Road Runner or
the Chevelle SS.
It will be interesting to see how the history of muscle cars
plays out. Will present day automakers renew production of true
muscle cars that are fast and powerful? Will there be enough
demand to make muscle car production worth it to them? Or, will
muscle cars continue to be limited to those classic models that
were produced in the 60s and 70s?
Classic muscle cars are pretty amazing pieces of machinery. One
that is restored and in cherry condition is really worth a lot
of money. As time goes on, there are fewer muscle cars available
which makes them even more valuable to classic car collectors
and muscle car enthusiasts.