Gadgets

Even from the time that Ford showed the way with the first “muscle car” in 1964 in the form of the Mustang, America has been in love.

Pretty well everyone has a favorite classic muscle car. Yours might be the 1963 Dodge Dart 413 Max Wedge 426 Hemi, 1967 Dodge Charger or the Australian 1972 XA Falcon Phase IV GTHO 4 door.

With the incredible performance and power that these cars offered, the Ford Mustang became the top selling car for many of the years during its “performance era.” Times are different, though, and there are many factors that would seem to decrease the muscle car’s popularity. High fuel prices and strict Federal regulations would seem to be likely culprits in putting a harness on all that horsepower. But these horses can’t be corralled and the muscle car remains a steady seller, especially to the new generation. And for them, there is a new generation of muscle cars hitting the dealer lots.

Cadillac CTS-V

This high performance Cadillac makes an impressive introduction to the muscle car ring. While Cadillac may not exactly historically call for performance, the CTS-V delivers with superior handling, a comfortable and roomy interior as well as significant power. Showing off its impressive 400 horses of power with a 6.0 liter V8 and 395 pound feet of torque, this powerhouse sits you in they type of car you would expect from Cadillac with a surprisingly low and very pleasing performance.

Pontiac GTO

GM after too many years brought back the “Goat”, much to the delight of muscle car enthusiasts. One of the original muscle cars, the GTO was introduced in 1964 and ran through the 1974 production year. Pontiac wanted to keep the awesome power and performance of the GTO without without a sky high price. With a 6.0 liter LS2 V8 offering 400 horses, the new breed of GTO ran from 2004 to 2006. But, this is one car that can’t be held down and we can only hope that it will emerge again in the future.

Infiniti G35

A good example of the new breed muscle cars, the Infinity G35 offers high end performance, great handling and a great look. Sporting a powerful 3.5 liter V6, 306 horses strong, you will be driving the old school muscle car style combined with the newer, technological plusses of the 21st century. With this car, performance is its strong suit. It offers great handling and a superior, “beauty meets beastly power” look and feel.

Lexus IS 350

Another sprightly muscle car with high performance, the Lexus IS 350 offers 306 horsepower with its powerful V6. Its inventive safety designs give it an edge over some of the other muscle cars out there. While you probably equate the Lexus name with luxury, the IS 350 shines with top performance as well.

Ford Mustang

You can’t say muscle car without thinking about the Ford Mustang. The classic muscle car, this pony with horsepower has seen some significant design changes over the past twenty years. The latest Mustang, though, still will impress you with a wicked performance V8 version with 300 horses galloping under the hood in the GT version. The retro chassis will take the old timers back and spark an interest in new enthusiasts just discovering this classic to a new love.

There are many other muscle cars that could easily make this list and be competitive against their high performance cousins. Take some time to test drive a few of the latest muscle cars and find the performance package that speaks to you. Performance, design and power make a muscle car, but you need one in your garage to really appreciate it.
bed bath and beyond bedbathandbeyond wood furniture

Tags: Cars, ford, muscle cars, mustang, mustang gt

Ford are in the headlines again after their S-Max people carrier made the top of the list of towcars in the third annual Towcar Awards. This fantastic car has also won the large MPV class in the 2009 British Insurance Car Security Awards.

The third annual Towcar awards are judged by experts from What Car? Magazine, Practical Caravan and The Camping and Caravanning club. It is anticipated that, this year, a record number of towing vehicles will take to the roads as many people in Britain choose to spend their vacations in the British Isles rather than go abroad. The editor of Practical Caravan magazine, Nigel Donnelly, has said that there is a real need for good quality, unbiased consumer advice regading the features and performance of towing vehicles.

There were a total of 39 vehicles assessed for their driving performance when not towing as well as their towing capabilities, practicality, value for money and safety. The cars were divided into five categories, based on their kerb weight. The Ford S-Max came out as the top vehicle in its class of 1725kg to 1899kg towcars.

The standard of towcars entered into this year’s contest was higher than ever but the clear, outright winner was recognised as not only a great towcar but also as a fantastic car when not hooked up to a towing a trailer or caravan. This accolade went to the fantastic Volvo XC60.

The Ford S-Max came in for further praise and another award in the 2009 British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards. These awards were established in 2004 to raise consumer awareness of what is best in vehicle security and to recognise thsoe motor manufacturers who ahve produced the most secure vehicles. This year vans were included in the range of vehicles assessed against the New Vehicle Security Ratings (NVSR) scheme.

For the third year in a row the Ford S-Max has received the highest score in its large MPV class with the Ford Galaxy coming in a close second. Yet again this affirms Ford’s vehicle security reputation.

These testing security awards are supported by the Home Office, Automobile Association, UK Department for Transport and a number of British vehicle insurers. They are the highest official recognition of vehicle security in the United Kingdom.

The Ford S-Max costs from £19,895 on the road but you could be driving one of these award winning people carriers for a down payment of £809.85 and monthly payments of £269.95 for three years on a Ford lease contract.

If the Towcar award winning Volvo XC60 is more to your liking then you could be driving one of these fantastic people carriers for a down payment of £1,033.17 and 3 years of monthly payments at £344.39 on a Volvo lease contract.

So if you are one of the many people aiming to hitch up your caravan, pack up your camping equipment and enjoy some of what Britain has to offer this summer then these award-winning people carriers could be just what you need.

Tags: ford, mpv, people carrier, security, towcar