Quote:
Originally Posted by Memphis SS
Camaro have been referred to as “Muscle cars”, “Pony cars” and “Performance cars” by magazines for years.
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It’s an over used term that, as a purist car guy, is incorrect.
Pony car yes, the Mustang was first & the Camaro/Firebird was designed to compete with that, so it fits. An actual muscle car was years before that. A sports coupe, or sports car, of sorts when compared to say a vette, is more suiting.
The concept of a real muscle car was a big HP motor of some sort stuffed into a family cruiser. Longer wheel base, yet fairly light weight for the time, with plenty of interior & trunk space, but handled like a pig on roller skates. So they did one thing fairly well, go quick in a straight line (maybe turn in one direction on dirt if your a 88/300 purist) to show off some “Muscle”. That doesn’t fit the pony car subset since they were designed more for handling, had shorter wheel base with more limited seating & storage.
These roots & identity continued even into the ‘90 when Pontiac wanted a “Sebring” version of the T/A, a trademark originally held by Dodge/Chrysler that was about to expire. Chrysler got wind of it & slapped the name on their mid-size crap box so Pontiac couldn’t have it.
Even the Z/28/, T/A, GTA variance names also establishes it’s intention as a sports coupe that focuses on handling. The 6gens continue this tradition with very adept handling characteristics in the sports coupe market segment.