Photo: Muscle cars in Ukraine (media.ford.com) Author: Konstantin Shirokun
These cars were the object of desire of drivers for several generations all over the world – even those who understood the impossibility of this dream and never saw these incredible cars with their own eyes. We figure out whether muscle cars were really that cool and whether they are available today.
Read about one of the dead branches of the American auto industry in the RBC-Ukraine article.
Muscle car is one of the magic words that all fans of the automobile business know. Muscle cars are a special class of cars that emerged in the USA in the middle of the 20th century. In America, over time, they became a symbol of speed, power and rebellious spirit, and for the rest of the world, they were an example of an affordable car with a powerful engine and high dynamic characteristics. Automotive experts saw in them something third, not entirely disappointing for the cars themselves and their creators, but first things first.
What are muscle cars
The main idea of such cars was the combination of a relatively compact – by American standards – body and a large powerful engine, which provided the car with outstanding dynamics. On the other hand, according to the general tradition of the American auto industry of that time, muscle cars were distinguished by mediocre handling and so-so brakes.
We emphasize that these were not sports cars in the European sense. The fact is that they were designed according to the same principles as regular family sedans – with their frames, heavy weight, soft suspension and large dimensions. Despite the high power of the power unit, muscle cars did not drive like sports cars – they were shaky on the move and did not hold the road very clearly in turns.
History of appearance
The first muscle cars began to appear in the 60s. At that time, some of the numerous (at that time) American brands – such as Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and Pontiac – began to install their large V8 engines, intended for so-called full-size sedans, in mid-size cars. The result was dynamic and inexpensive cars, accessible to young people who strove for speed and exciting sensations during trips. Partly because of the youth audience, these cars received two-door bodies with a dynamic, almost sporty shape.
The history of cars of this class in their pure form was short-lived – after the oil crisis of 1973, their development stopped. The rise in gasoline prices then hit all American classics hard. Frame full-size sedans, heavy SUVs and pickups, firstly, lost in circulation and assortment, and secondly, lost their gluttonous multi-liter V8 engines. Even those units that retained a large volume became less powerful. This trouble did not bypass the youth segment of the market.
How to spot a muscle car
By and large, you don't have to be able to distinguish a muscle car from cars of other classes, because the list of models that belong to this respected cohort is not only well known – it is practically canonized by millions of fans. Most often, they mean Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Charger, Pontiac GTO, Plymouth Barracuda and others.
Nevertheless, we will still recall the typical characteristics of muscle cars:
- Engine. Typically a V8 with a capacity of 5.0 to 7.5 liters;
- Body . The design is aggressive, with sporty features, the rear is most often of the fastback type (sloping from the rear window to the edge of the trunk);
- Performance : The high power allows for quite energetic acceleration and provides an exciting driving experience. But don't think that the muscle cars of the 1960s and 70s were as fast as today's sports cars;
- Affordability: Compared to European sports cars, muscle cars were more affordable, including for the middle class.
Muscle cars in Ukraine
Some American cars using the name of the former muscle car were produced in the 21st century: Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger. But it will not always be the same as what was meant by a muscle car half a century ago: the engines are more modest in power and volume, sometimes – electric. Although, to be honest, the charm of those names still plays its role.
In brief
In principle, if you set your sights on it, you can buy a classic muscle car in Ukraine, produced during the golden era of the American auto industry. But there are no such cars on the open market, there are only a few of them, and all of them have long been in the hands of connoisseurs and are rarely put up for sale.
In preparing this article, materials from the Wheels of History museum were used .
Let us recall that RBC-Ukraine recently reported on the types of all-wheel drive available on pickups and SUVs.