So basically muscle is a domestic v8 that doesn't cost that much, except when it's a collectible that can be worth six figures. Muscle can be big cubes from the 60s, a wheezy smogger from the 70s, a weak fuelie from the 80s, or part of the 90s muscle resurgence. This is separate from the pony/muscle car classification.

No matter its power output it just can't have fewer than 8 cylinders. The guy in the SRT4 can be packing 600hp but it's inferior to a 305-powered rustbucket because it's not "muscle". I could take my 93 Grand Marquis, install some spray, open exhaust, and a high stall converter and that'd be considered muscle. Gotcha.

 

Basically. But even today we still have the Mustang, Challenger and soon the Camaro. Modern muscle but muscle none the less.

You can't mod a car into becoming a muscle car. It was either made one at the factory or it wasn't. And if it was then it's the duty of every owner to make his muscle bigger and better with mods

Every car can be made fast with enough money. But not every car can be american muscle! And the SRT-4 is NOT american muscle no matter how much HP it's putting out. It doesn't look like muscle and it doesn't sound like it either.

Wrong. All you would have is a quick grocery getter, not a muscle car. The 93 Grand Marquis was not born a muscle car and thus can never be one.

 

By that logic then the Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger aren't muscle either. They are American Pony not American Muscle. The only thing close to being modern American Muscle is the Z06. Now if they were to put the LS7 into the Camaro then it would be a different story. But since they didn't its no more American Muscle than the SRT-4 is. Can't go bending the rules because you like the Camaro and dislike the SRT-4.

I sense an underlying bitterness towards the SRT-4 due to the fact that its more economically efficient to get it to run mid 12's than our cars.

 

I agree and disagree. IMO Pony car is just another term for Muscle car. Some people see them as seperate but I don't. Whether you want to call them pony or muscle they mean the same thing in my book.

The Z06 is a sports car not a muscle/pony car. Two seats, light weight, good handling, expensive, aerodynamic, ect. That's the definition of a sports car.


Muscle cars are mid size to large vehicles. SRT-4 is smaller and light weight.

Muscle cars are RWD. SRT-4 is FWD.

Muscle cars look fast and bold. SRT-4 looks like a Neon.

Muscle cars have V8's with nice exhaust rumble. SRT-4 has and sounds like a 4 cly with a turbo.

The SRT-4 is not and never will be a muscle car. Just because you think of it as a muscle car doesn't make it one by definition.

Then how come every SRT-4 I have seen or raced at the track is either stuck in the 13's or barely in the 12's? Regardless, I have no bitterness towards them. FWD, neon looks and a turbo 4 cyl is not my cup of tea. I prefer a loud V8 with RWD and looks that scream "I'm gonna kick your ***!".

Hence why I bought a muscle car and not a 4 cyl turbo

 

I can agree with that.

As for the performance of the SRT-4's, maybe I have been a little spoiled from what I have seen at the local track. Several mid to low 12 second cars here.