Camaro, Challenger, Shelby - New Musclecars Are Here!
It’s true, the Big 3 are building new musclecars again!
This summer, GM, Diamler Chrysler, and Ford have all green-lighted hot new versions of great American Musclecars.
Chevrolet announced the return of the Camaro for the 2009 model year. The new generation of one the most famous American pony cars is slated to offer a high performance version, complete with V8 power, manual transmission, and rear-wheel drive. The interior styling is reminiscent of the first generation Camaro, and the exterior styling draws on the 1969 Camaro for influence. However, GM Vice Chairman of Global Product Design Bob Lutz is quick to point out that GM designers did not intend to simply remake the 1969 Camaro. Lutz reports the new 2009 Camaro is an interpreteation of the ’69 model, but it’s also a thoroughly modern car designed to attract both Camaro enthusiasts and new buyers as well.
Next up and just as spectacular is the 2008 Dodge Challenger. Daimler-Chrysler management green-lighted the new Challenger concept for full production, promising to keep the production car very similar to the concept shown here. When asked if the production car would have Hemi power, the response from Dodge brass was “it might”. We’d bet our nickel that it will, as the running, driving prototype was hiding a 6.1 liter Hemi under the hood.
Ford enthusiasts shouldn’t feel left out in the cold as Shelby Mustang fans can get their hands on the 2007 Shelby GT 500 before the Challenger and Camaro hit the streets. The Shelby GT 500 Mustang runs a supercharged 5.4 liter modular V8 developing 500 horsepower and 475 foot pounds of torque to push this retro rocket high into the 12’s in the quarter mile with ease. A six speed manual transmission is standard. With the popularity of Original muscle cars and their price tags at all time highs, enthusiasts now have a choice to make. Restore an Original or head to a local dealer and buy a similarly styled high performance new version with modern engineering and a warranty.
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It’s true, the Big 3 are building new musclecars again!
