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Bear with me as I step back in time to formulate what I believe are three terrific American built performance vehicles: the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger, and the Chevrolet Camaro. Currently, only the Mustang is in production with the Challenger coming back by 2009. GM hasn’t committed to building the Camaro just yet, but the corporation is likely to make a decision in favor of the vehicle and its sibling, the Pontiac Firebird, by this summer. So, what is it about American performance vehicles that set them apart from the rest? In one word: muscle. Read on as I compare and contrast these three vehicles and share with you my feeble attempts to explain the culture behind the vehicles.

So, you think I forgot the Chevy Corvette and Dodge Viper when talking about performance vehicles? No, I did not. Both models are performance vehicles as well as race vehicles. On the other hand the Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro are mass produced performance vehicles with muscle. There is a difference in the way a typical race vehicle handles, rides, and performs vs. a muscle vehicle.

Typically, a muscle vehicle was a coupe version of some of the larger vehicles that were pervasive on U.S. highways in the 1960s and 1970s. The Mustang and Camaro, however, were designed separately [although they both heavily borrowed parts from other models] and these “pony” vehicles were a category all to themselves. For comparison’s sake, they join the Dodge Challenger, a performance version of Mopar vehicles of its time. All three were compared by critics of that time and all three will once again be compared in a few years when production has been ramped up.

Ford Mustang -– Step back in time with me to April 1964 to an era when America was heavily involved in the space race, Lyndon Johnson was president, and General Motors ruled autodom. Ford, for its part, had been nipping at GM’s heels for years, but the failed Edsels of the late 1950s had cost the corporation dearly. Still, it was the time of the New York World’s Fair and Ford used the fair and television technology to promote its newest offering, the Mustang. A 2+2 coupe borrowing parts from the Fairlane and Falcon, the 1964 ½ model was the first one sold and is widely credited with being the best introduction of a new vehicle ever. With a V6 engine standard and V8 optional, the all new Mustang quickly broke sales records and has been a hot seller ever since. Indeed, with the introduction of the “retro” look Mustang in 2005, the vehicle once again has spawned interest in the muscle vehicle segment as both DaimlerChrysler and General Motors craft competing models of their own.

Dodge Challenger -– After the success of earlier muscle vehicles including the Dodge Charger and Plymouth ‘Cuda, the Dodge Challenger was launched as a 1970 model. The vehicle borrowed heavily from the ‘Cuda although the sheet metal was somewhat different and the wheelbase was stretched by a couple of inches. Because the muscle vehicle era was in decline at the time of its introduction, the Challenger lasted only five model years before it was cancelled. The concept Challenger currently on display at many auto shows is based on the 1970 design and is the talk of message boards and blogs across the nation. Look for Hemi powered engines as being favored by many owners; the vehicle is likely to share some technology with the current Magnum wagon and Charger sedan.

Chevrolet Camaro -- GM was asleep at the wheel when the Mustang came out. It took nearly three years before the corporation could respond and when it did the Camaro and Pontiac Firebird were the result. Although both vehicles sold well over the years, neither one could match the Mustang’s sales levels and by the time the last vehicles were sold in 2002, production dropped to a trickle. Still, the end of the Camaro after 35 years has stirred renewed interest in the name and thanks to the retro Mustang, the entire muscle vehicle category is growing once again. Look for a 2010 Camaro to be the first Camaro since 2002; a ragtop version is also being considered.

So, just who can be expected to purchase a muscle vehicle these days? individuals just like me: middle aged men who grew up with the original models. In addition, a whole new generation of younger drivers tired of the “me too” look of so many of the compact vehicles out there. Muscle vehicles of today are so much different from earlier era vehicles as they incorporate the look of the originals while harnessing today’s technology. Thus, fuel savings will be decent without sacrificing performance: a true win-win situation.

No, I cannot wait to see a Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro lined up at a traffic light waiting for the light to turn green. A new muscle vehicle era is upon us and for that I am very excited.