27th Dec 2010, 19:35

Not for nothing, but 170 HP hardly qualifies the Ventura as a muscle car. It is a nice old classic car, but there is nothing fast about it.

27th Dec 2010, 20:04

Back in the day, this wasn't a muscle car, but these days anything with V-8 and rear wheel drive is.

Even my Chevy Caprice is a muscle car by today's standards!

29th Dec 2010, 03:49

Nice car, definitely don't see too many Pontiac versions of the Chevy Nova, they seem to be even less popular than the Oldsmobile/Buick versions of the Chevy Nova, especially from this era!

In reply to 27th Dec 2010, 20:04

29th Dec 2010, 18:07

What?? Today's standards are 400 to 600 HP for muscle cars like the Camaro, Mustang and Corvette. How does any Caprice fit into that category to be considered a muscle car?? Just because you have an old car from the 70's and it has a V8, doesn't really make it a muscle car.

In reply to 29th Dec 2010, 18:07

30th Dec 2010, 12:19

Yeah, those are great, but I think what he meant is that with most of the junk running around today being FWD, you have to cherish RWD. I really hope Chevy sells the 2011 Caprice (AKA Holden) to the general public. Bolt a frame on, and it would be a good companion to my Victoria.

And as far as muscle cars go, it doesn't have to be 2-door either. Just look at an E63 AMG Mercedes. Except for I think maybe the fastest Mustang, the E63 will blow the doors off of all 3 of the current muscle cars. Most publications have actually gotten 0-60 in 3.9, even though Mercedes claims 4.3.

In reply to 30th Dec 2010, 12:19

31st Dec 2010, 13:10

Yeah, the Pontiac (Holden) G8 sold really well... I don't think GM will venture down that road again...

And then you go off about a Mercedes E63? What on Earth does that have to do with any muscle car? The MSRP is well over twice what a Mustang costs loaded up. Also, the claims I have found are a 4.5 0-60 time, which is only a tenth quicker than a stock Mustang GT, or in other words, it is totally down to the driver as to who wins the race!

That Mercedes is about as much a muscle car as a Hummer is a hybrid. Not even in the same classification. Muscle cars are generally American cars that started in the early 60's as bare bones cars with huge engines in them making tons of power. Today the same is true, except the engines are smaller and more efficient, and the cars are anything but basic. German cars never really fell into this category... and they never will!