Author Topic: Muscle Car Wars (Read 843 times)

FUNKED1 · « **on:** July 13, 2004, 06:43:29 PM »

J_A_B · « **Reply #1 on:** July 13, 2004, 06:48:43 PM »

I would call those sports cars, not muscle cars. In the case of the Mazda Sedan, "sporty" car might be an even better term.

There's a difference. Well at least there's a difference to me. I guess Mazda can call them whatever it wants to though.

J_A_B

FUNKED1 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 13, 2004, 07:03:54 PM »

Well that type of car is the closest thing we have today to the traditional muscle car. Basic grocery getter with some minor styling upgrades, a whole bunch of power, and a competent chassis, at a fairly low price.

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #3 on:** July 13, 2004, 07:55:17 PM »

Speaking of japanese "Muscle Cars" I have always wondered what Honda could do with 8 cylinders...

J_A_B · « **Reply #4 on:** July 13, 2004, 08:04:39 PM »

More of a size and image thing to my mind. I'll agree that, on paper, it has the same basic concept as a traditional american muscle car.

At least it's what it claims to be so I respect it for that if nothing else.

J_A_B

J_A_B · « **Reply #5 on:** July 13, 2004, 08:07:32 PM »

"Speaking of japanese "Muscle Cars" I have always wondered what Honda could do with 8 cylinders..."

Tear itself in half from the torque?

In all honesty Honda builds some very fine engines and I've never really understood why they don't put some of their better engines in their cars.

J_A_B

Westy · « **Reply #6 on:** July 13, 2004, 08:17:50 PM »

"Mazda joins the fray...."

My wife said it was a cute car. Real men do not need clarification as to where this places the Mazda.

She also thought the new Pontiac GTO was really cute. That's worse than just "cute."

SOB · « **Reply #7 on:** July 13, 2004, 08:27:10 PM »

Sweet, a Toyota Tercel that goes vroom vroom!

Lizking · « **Reply #8 on:** July 13, 2004, 08:32:29 PM »

I bought one. I drove the 6cyl and the 4, and picked the 4. It is quieter, more zipy and gets hella lot better gas mileage. With the shifttable auto, it goes from stop to 75mph in the distance that my big motor f150 could only reach 50(and that is manually shifting the f-150 in a drunken enough condition not to worry about the transmission or the sweeping left turn at the end of the run. And before you say it, it is on a private 2 mile road from my house to the 7-11, so I am only endangering deer and myself by driving it fast and drunk).

At any rate, I give it a 5 for build, I doubt I will get 100,000 from it, but an 8 for fuel mileage and an 8 for pickup, top end and handling. It is also very ergonomic and comfortable; I have put 15,000 miles on it since January.

2bighorn · « **Reply #9 on:** July 13, 2004, 08:37:44 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
I have always wondered what Honda could do with 8 cylinders...

http://racing.honda.com/about/engine.aspx 2004 V8
http://www.cartracingupdate.com/Cars/honda.htm 2002 V8
Honda is also well known in F1 http://www.hondaf1.com/home.jsp

So, obviously, Honda can do a lot...

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #10 on:** July 13, 2004, 08:40:45 PM »

Exactly bighorn, thats why it shocks me that they still havent had a V8 powered performance car.

2bighorn · « **Reply #11 on:** July 13, 2004, 08:47:16 PM »

Honda said their market share isn't big enough for V-8 and they rather do hybrid inline 6 to get more power if they ever need to, which is a shame.

FUNKED1 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 13, 2004, 09:05:55 PM »

Honda is also addicted to FWD which is awful when you have more than about 200 hp.
In addition they have traditionally played by the "gentleman's agreement" whereby no JDM (japanese domestic market) car will produce more than 276 hp (SAE). They can do that with a 3 liter 6 so they haven't seen a need to build an 8 for a road car yet.

FUNKED1 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 13, 2004, 09:10:47 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by J_A_B
More of a size and image thing to my mind. I'll agree that, on paper, it has the same basic concept as a traditional american muscle car.

At least it's what it claims to be so I respect it for that if nothing else.

J_A_B

I always thought that original muscle cars were about performance OVER image. GTO was the model - mid-size sedans with minimal "show" and a lot of "go" and a low price. In terms of curb weight and where they fit into the grand scheme of model lineups the "new breed" is very close.

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #14 on:** July 13, 2004, 09:20:49 PM »

HELL NO! those are not muscle cars. They do however, are sport cars indeed. A good competitor to Audi RS6 or something like that.

"muscle car" defines an area in time more than a concept. To each his own POV.