Theory on the Current Muscle Car Craze

I believe that the whole re-launch of the muscle car craze was due primarily to Horsepower TV back in the late 90s/early 2000s.

The show not only motivating people to buy aftermarket parts, it constantly praised the good ol days of 60s and 70s muscle cars.

Later more shows began popping up, old muscle car sale figures began climbing and appreciating. From there, manufacturers began hopping on the trend and designing the cars we see now.

Thoughts?

Disclaimer: Nor I or any of my family members or friends work for the show. I will not send them this tread. I...well, you get the point.

i hate to say this but the fast and the furious movies helped alot...makeing more ..ummm how should i put this...easly influenced youth cutomise their cars...that made us american muscle loving guys come back so we could keep somokein those imports!

I always had the itch.

I thought it was because the baby boomers that couldnt afford their dream cars earlier in life now can so they are buying muscle cars which is causing them to go up in value/price.

I'm with brown. It's the fact Baby boomers can now afford the car they lusted over while growing up. That at the manufacturers can finally build a high HP car with respetable mpg. If one drives like a grandma.

Amen...
I was born with the itch.

X2 on the itch the thing is I believe that the whole process evolved because of polultion standards in the early 70's causing manufacturers to lower compression ratios ,the latest models have been able to overcome some of the obsticles and produce true performance again and also meet emmision standards.Chico.

I think its just people are getting tired of "4-banger" cars and want something with muscle and power... I've been waiting for the return of the muscle car, and it seemed to happen after ford launched the remake of the mustang, after that, seems like GM and everyone else caught on to the idea of redesigning old muscle cars, and bring back rear wheel drive!

I dont think its all on ford. Car companies have been making retro come back prototypes for a while. I believe that the car companies know that baby boomers want muscle cars, they can now afford them so there is an actual demand. Thus, the return of the muscle car is at hand.

i say its all these theories put together.

Either way you look at it, MUSCLE CRS ARE BACK!!!

I always had the itch as well, it wasn't until F&F movies, XXX, Blade, and a couple others came out that I was hooked. After gettin hooked, it was now possible to understand what it was others were talkin about. I believe the cars have been back, but we were just too disgusted at the "cuteness" to really pay attention. Remember the Thunderbird from years back that CLOSELY resembled the 50's/60's models? Is it just me, but are the ricers starting to realize the follies of their ways and are now starting to die off?

I WISH... I hate rice...

The new car show will be here in Austin in a couple of months. Everyone's hoping the Camaro and Charger will be there.

seems like the charger and camaro would be done with the car show circuit. They came out last year so now everyone knows about them, read about them and had the chance to see them. Most car companies are only gonna show the newest of the new stuff. Here in MI they had the chager and other concept vehicles driving around the cities near DM's American headquarters.

I agree.

And oh yea, ever since I was given my '72 skylark GS, I have had the itch.

I'm wondering about how muscle cars made it to the mainstream. Before we had the firebird and camaro w/ a good amount of power but they had crappy sells.

From the replies, I think it is mostly due to the baby boomers now retiring. With the extra free time comes time to reminisce. Reminisce means buying the car you had/ wished you had as a teen, which is what most of these new muscle car shows are about. Up the demand = up the price.

F&F mostly showed 4 cyl tuner cars so I don't think that inspired v8 only muscle cars. F&F and movies like it do encourage the aftermarket. I think the 4 cyl tuner market will keep growing. The concept sounds great (on paper) as 4 cyl cars have very cheap insurance, lightweight, and great mpg in comparison to old v8s. Problem is some of the aftermarket parts are overpriced and pointless.

well with all the new technoligy, they can bring back the hp with out the driver actually watching the gas gague go down, and i have to see the two, GTO's at the dealer by my house...everyday...just sitting there, calling me, as for the ricers...there still putting scaffolding on the back of them in my town, i cant wait till that fad is done! and the big can mufflers?? lets get real here!! that doesent sound good!!!, and as for the itch, i think i was also born with it, nothing like hearing and feeling a well built big block, and smelling that 110 burning!!...Just my thoughts