Few would argue that this isn't a very special time in automotive history. I like to think of this as the Muscle Car Era # 2. If this wasn't clear enough, the release of the 840 horsepower Dodge Demon just sealed the deal. Time will tell how far this intense competition between Chevy, Ford and Dodge will take us. When the 2003/2004 Mustang Cobra came out with 390 horsepower, I thought we'd surely be close to the limit of emissions-legal high horsepower machines at reasonable prices. I giggle every time I look back on that thought. I was so naive.
The New York Auto Show held this month had some serious muscle on display from all the big players. Here are some of the most noteworthy tire shredding animals we'll be seeing prowl the streets.
Chevy had it going on with their 6th Generation Camaro line up. After seeing the ZL1 come out, I imagined the next step would be a Z-28. Chevy surprised us earlier this year with a 1-LE optioned ZL1 that handles the turns even more precisely and sports a huge rear wing. Oh, how far the 1LE has come since the debut in the 1988-89 3rd gen Camaro. Check this beauty out.
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Next up is the Blue Oval, Ford. The Mustang has never taken a year off in its over fifty year history. Its rivals can't say the same. Ford was definitely in attendance with many different Mustang models to choose from. The GT350R would be my weapon of choice here.
@SuperCarTube/YouTube
Not sure if anyone knows about this next one. I really wish Dodge would have given us just a couple teasers before the reveal. In spectacular fashion, the crew at Dodge finally satisfied all of our curiosity with the history making Dodge Demon. The car is capable of a 9.65 quarter mile time from the factory and can be ordered with just one seat. Along with the Demon, Dodge had its entire muscle car crew at the show for everyone to drool over.
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You may think this show is over with the Demon, but it's not. As a long time Firebird Trans Am owner, this new rendition tickles me in so many different places. This new Trans Am Super Duty is the first built by Trans Am Worldwide on the Alpha platform of the 6th Gen Camaro. It packs a little punch with a whopping 1,000 horsepower and 1,046 lb-ft of torque. It pays tribute to the original Super Duty by using a 455 cubic inch engine, but this time adds a supercharger on top.
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No matter which brand you're loyal to, or whether you call these Muscle or Pony cars, I think we can all agree this is the best time ever to be alive if you're addicted to power.
Related: The Dodge Demon reveal was our own personal hell