We have all used the term ‘muscle car’ at some point to refer to the typical rear-wheel drive American car with a powerful V8 block hidden in its bowels, but perhaps the word ‘pony car’ is much more appropriate in many cases. This is a debate that has been raging on the web for several years and, with the arrival on the market of impressive models such as the Ford Mustang 2018 or the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, I wanted to explain to you a little more carefully what are the differences between both terms.
Given that perhaps the word ‘pony car’ is the least known and used of the two, I am going to start by giving a brief review of its history to later go into the differences with a ‘muscle car’. Basically, it all goes back to the original Ford Mustang, a true revolution in the automotive world when it landed on the US market back in 1964-1965. This was a relatively compact, affordable and sporty model that was born with the intention of captivating young people, becoming so popular that it created a new segment/class, that of the ‘pony car’ (I guess at this point it is not necessary explain the relationship between a Mustang and the term horse).
And you know how the car market is. Logically, given the success of Ford and its Mustang, other manufacturers wanted their piece of the cake and the North American streets began to see similar sports cars like the Plymouth Barracuda or the Chevrolet Camaro, the latter still being the great rival of the Mustang today. . Since then, many of these models began to share their large V8 engines with larger segments such as muscle cars, vans or 4×4s, although smaller eight-cylinder blocks and even six-cylinder engines were also available. To the order of the day.
Although the ‘muscle car’ and the ‘pony car’ share some characteristics and even some models are called both ways by the brands themselves, these terms are not synonymous.
At the same time, by this time the term ‘muscle car’ was already established in American society, but it referred to larger cars, both in external dimensions and in powertrain. In this case, we are talking about huge V8-powered monsters like the Dodge Charger, Ford Galaxie or Chevrolet Impala, with many considering the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket as the first true muscle car. In general, they were not the latest in maneuverability and sophistication, but large four-seater ‘boats’ with a powerful engine in their bowels that served the American brands to attract the attention of the public, to turn heads as they passed.
Unfortunately, today things are somewhat more complicated. Most of these “traditional” behemoths of the world of muscle cars have long since disappeared or have been transformed into very different machines. You’ve probably even heard that the Dodge Challenger is the only muscle car still around, and it’s hard to understand why. The more “rational” versions of the range are powered by V6 engines, but the true holders of the classic name keep their powerful V8s and their big, aggressive and heavy body, because while other manufacturers are obsessed with suspension solutions, lowering From the weight and lap times at the Nürburgring, Dodge maintains that philosophy of entertainment in a straight line and ‘no replacement for displacement’.
‘No replacement for displacement’ could well be defined as that theory that recognizes that, although it can be impressive to gain power in an engine through innovations and sophisticated solutions such as the design of the combustion chamber, optimizations in fuel injection or the variable valve timing, the easiest and safest way to get more power is simply to use a bigger engine. You know, as American as apple pie.
It is enough to take a look at the more than 700 horsepower of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon or how the “demonic” tires of it will twist to understand what I am talking about. And all this keeping in mind that the Challenger isn’t really every American’s hero, since it’s actually made in Canada, but with such a piece of junk, who cares? In the end, his great concern is none other than surpassing all the competitors in the famous quarter mile -about 400 meters-.
On the other hand, the current Ford Mustang that is labeled within the ‘muscle car’ -thanks in part to its lineage- has long since moved further away from this concept to focus on its expansion at a global level, thus becoming a The most complete product like the one the public is looking for on this side of the Pond: careful materials, adaptive damping, independent rear suspension, Europeanized design… And even an active exhaust system for the Ecoboost that emulates the roar of its engine! Yes, the last Shelby Mustang Super Snake has 750 hp, but these are not what they used to be and we could not call it a ‘sports car’ as such either.
And the same goes for the Chevrolet Camaro and its ZL1 variant. Once again we find adaptive dampers on the menu, not to mention its massive weight loss over its predecessor. Supposedly we should define them as pony cars. However, there are a couple of additional problems with classifying modern American machines as either a ‘pony car’ or a ‘muscle car’, and that is that the traditional representatives of the latter group have left us years ago, resulting in somewhat inconsistent to apply it only to the Challenger as the only true muscle car.
Also, neither the Mustang nor the Camaro are exactly small these days, hiding within a powerful V8 heart in some of its versions, as is the case with a host of Australian RWD V8 heroes. To this we must add the fact that those models that we could previously consider ‘ponies’ are not so big anymore and the models aimed at young Americans often adopt the bodywork of sporty compacts and not sporty coupes, together with more powerful engines. discreet. And with that said, then which is which?
Well, while in another era everything was quite clear, today the debate is more open than ever. Purists insist that the Challenger is the only ‘muscle car’ and the rest should be called ‘pony cars’, while others insist that such purists are only stuck in the past and the term ‘muscle car’ can be more applied. freedom in the 21st century, mainly because this type of model is scarce.
Be that as it may, once I have read the traditional history of both and their problems, I personally would call the most rational versions of the American classics ‘pony car’ and the wild variants of each of them ‘muscle car’ (if I can tell). allow opinion). But the most important thing is, what do you think about it?
