There is currently a movement aimed at eliminating American muscle cars and the V8 engines that power them.
This effort is cloaked in the guise of progress, but I am here to show that this is not a new or innovative movement. In fact, it’s a repetition of history.
In the late 1960s, American automakers were embroiled in a horsepower race. It was a time when car enthusiasts of all ages could purchase vehicles with immense power and stylish designs at relatively affordable prices.
This period gave rise to iconic cars like the Dodge Charger R/T, Chevelle SS, and Plymouth ‘Cuda. Even brands such as Buick and Mercury joined the action.
Today, these classic muscle cars command high prices in the market, with their rarity and appeal now widely recognized.
I believe that in the years to come, modern muscle cars like the Dodge Hellcats, Ford Mustang GTs, and Chevy Camaro ZR1s will be similarly revered.
The first blow to American muscle cars came with the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970.
While everyone supports the idea of cleaner air, the resulting government-imposed vehicle emissions restrictions began to stifle the performance of American muscle cars. Nevertheless, the early 1970s still saw some impressive performance cars on the road.
The second, and perhaps more severe, blow to muscle cars was delivered through the introduction of CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) regulations.
These regulations were passed by Congress following the 1973 OPEC oil embargo and set new fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks.
Automakers were required to meet average fuel efficiency across their entire product lineup, which led engineers to reduce power by removing carburetors, downsizing engine displacement, and restricting intake systems.
This marked the end of the muscle car era for quite some time.With the surge in gas prices, fueled by the anger of Arab OPEC nations over U.S. support of Israel, many consumers traded in their fuel-thirsty V8s for more economical vehicles.
However, few people today look back on the malaise cars of the mid- to late-1970s with fondness. They were basic vehicles designed solely for transportation, with little else to offer.
Cars produced after the early 1970s were, for the most part, unattractive when compared to the sleek designs of the 1960s.
This change can be attributed to various factors, but one of the most significant was government intervention.
For example, after extensive lobbying from insurance companies, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) implemented new regulations that required all cars from model year 1973 onward to be equipped with bumpers that could withstand a 5 mph collision without damaging key components.
While the intention was positive, the outcome was a less aesthetically pleasing vehicle design. Over the following decades, countless other safety regulations were enforced, contributing to the homogenous look of many modern cars.
Just like in the early 1970s, today’s combination of government regulations aimed at reducing vehicle emissions, improving fuel efficiency, and enhancing safety is once again threatening to put an end to performance vehicles.
While the government’s intentions may be well-meaning, the consequences of these regulations could kill American muscle cars once again, and lead to unforeseen challenges for all of us.
Thanks to increasingly stringent government regulations, the V8 engine may soon be on the brink of extinction.
It has already been leaked that Dodge plans to phase out the Hemi V8 with the arrival of the new-generation Challenger and Charger in 2023.
It wouldn’t be surprising to hear that Ford will also drop the Coyote V8 in the near future, and that GM will follow suit by moving away from V8 engines as well.
As it happened in the past, turbocharging is being presented as a viable replacement for larger engines.
But this notion is laughable. From my personal experience owning multiple turbocharged cars, I can say that turbos bring their own set of problems, and they certainly cannot replace the power and torque provided by a V8 engine.
Some hybrid powertrains may be introduced to help enhance power output, but the challenges involved in scaling up battery production will present a whole new set of issues.
Let’s not forget that after the initial death of American muscle cars in the early 1970s, it took over four decades for automakers to develop truly high-performance, affordable muscle cars again.
And now, just as we are enjoying these powerful machines, we stand on the verge of losing them once more.
Despite the lack of any proof of concept, car manufacturers, automotive websites, and other voices are claiming that high-performance “muscle” electric cars are just around the corner. I remain skeptical. What I see is the repetition of history.
The fact remains that over the last decade, we’ve witnessed numerous advancements in internal combustion engine efficiency.
Rather than continuing to improve this technology something that is undoubtedly still possible there seems to be a collective fixation on electric vehicles (EVs).
EVs aren’t entirely new, but there’s constant messaging from public relations departments, the media, politicians, and others that they represent the future of the automotive industry.
If that is the case, why do EVs still account for such a small portion of car sales in the United States? Having been in the industry for long enough, I can recall a decade ago when the conversation was strikingly similar to today’s, yet EV market share remains minimal.
Some argue that the solution is clear: if people (the market) refuse to choose the “right” vehicle technology, they must be compelled to do so. Government regulations help make this happen.
We’ve already seen this with safety technologies, which have resulted in cars being loaded with increasingly complex systems designed to protect us on the road.
The result has been a significant increase in car prices over the last 20 years, and more alarmingly, a rise in road fatalities in recent years.
This suggests that these technologies are not as effective as promised, and they come at a hefty price. There’s no reason to believe that this push to “clean up” vehicle emissions won’t lead to even higher car prices.
The idea of canceling muscle cars and V8 engines to prevent some global catastrophe is hardly a new one. It was promoted back in the late 60s and early 70s when concerns about vehicle emissions were linked to the threat of a new ice age.
Today, the panic centers around slightly rising global temperatures. Ironically, despite the supposed threat of rising sea levels, oceanfront property in many regions is more expensive than ever.
If muscle cars are indeed causing the destruction of the northern ice cap (while, by the way, Antarctica is currently growing at a record rate), shouldn’t we expect the opposite to occur?
