Trading Muscle for Mileage

As more electric vehicles come off of the production line, big muscle cars like the Chevrolet Camaro are potentially facing extinction. Drivers and auto manufacturers appear to be trading their powerful engines for something that produces greater fuel efficiency. Are we witnessing the death of the muscle car?

It Didn’t Happen Overnight

Muscle car enthusiasts point to things like the Ford Mustang name appearing on an electric SUV or the rumor that the Dodge Charger won’t be in production much longer and claim that it’s the end of powerhouse muscle cars. There’s even a rumor that the Chevrolet Camaro is being changed into a sedan.

While it might seem like hybrid and electric powertrains are to blame, there’s more to the story than that. The change in muscle cars as we know them actually started back in the 1970s. Before this time, every car on the market competed to have giant V8 engines with superior horsepower. It didn’t matter if it was a family ride, a pickup truck, or a Chevrolet Camaro; more power meant higher popularity.

Look at the Ford Mustangs that came out in the late 60s. You’d see a big V8 engine that pushed out 390 horsepower. In 1973, the V8 engine was a bit smaller and only produced 156 hp. One of the biggest impacts on engine size was the rising cost of fuel. Even if drivers today would kill to have the gas prices of the 70s, the relative price back then made it difficult for drivers to justify owning some of these monsters.

The other thing that came into effect and is still impacting design decisions today is regulations regarding emissions and efficiency. Manufacturers had to look for ways to meet new standards without jacking the price up on their most powerful models.

EVs Killed The Gasoline Star

Auto manufacturers face even more pressure to meet strict regulations. In some parts of the world, these rules are so strict that auto brands have to make drastic changes. The Jeep Wrangler, for example, is now only available as a hybrid in parts of Europe.

Automakers also realize that young drivers (and future shoppers) actually want eco-friendly options. It’s a wise move both financially and relationally to invest in creating EVs to meet the need of the modern driver.

Are Muscle Cars Going Away?

Even though some of our favorite muscle cars seem to be disappearing from the market, that doesn’t mean they are going extinct. The reality is that vehicles like the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Charger & Challenger, and Ford Mustang are just going through changes.

Automakers aren’t doing away with their muscle-bound cars, but they are finding ways to make them meet the demands of the modern world. That’s why there is lots of talk about things like the Dodge eMuscle, Mustang EV, and Chevy Camaro EV coming to the market in the future.

Electric engines give brands a chance to build those powerhouse cars with high horsepower output while conforming to recent regulations and demand for eco-friendly machines. The new muscle cars may not be the ones we grew up with, but they might just surpass all expectations.