If we were asked to name a type of all-American vehicle, a muscle car would probably be in the shortlist. Huge engines and power, rear-wheel drive, a V8, with the other attributes being tweaked and modified over the decades. However, due to many factors, muscle car choices going into 2024 are a two-horse race(pardon the pun), compared to 1970 when the average potential muscle car buyer had option paralysis.
Dodge still has the Charger and Challenger for sale, but those are on their way to becoming fully electric vehicles. With no V8 engine, no matter how good the end product, it’s a hard sell for traditional muscle car fans(time will tell if e-muscle cars are an accepted thing). Therefore, the two top offerings in this category offer supercar attributes for a fraction of the money.
2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Price $75,395
The basics of what you get – a 6.2L V8 with 650HP and 650 lb-ft of torque, and good for a 3.4 sec. 0-60 time. A six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission is available, with a convertible option and the 1LE track performance package with better suspension, tires, carbon fiber and rear seat delete if needed.
A Camaro ZL1 Collector’s Edition is available for 2024, limited to 350 cars, along with a short run Garage 56 Edition (only 56 cars), honouring the NASCAR Camaro ZL1 Cup Car.
Performance is the name of the game here, so don’t expect the levels of comfort found in an SUV. There are niceties such as dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable front seats, an infotainment system, and driver assistance, but not much room in the back. However, the shortcomings do not matter. This is about experiencing the raw enjoyment of the breed. Super car attributes without the hefty price tag.
2024 Ford Mustang
$32,515
The 2024 Ford Mustang comes with a 5L V8 with 486HP, 418 lb-ft of torque, providing 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, and a turbocharged 2.3L EcoBoost version with 315HP. Both have a 10-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission option in the V8 version. Hardtops and convertible are available in both versions.
There are plenty of options available throughout the lineup, with a Dark Horse track-ready edition having the 500HP Coyote V8 engine, and a GT California Special appearance package.
The interior is comfortable, with a fighter-jet-inspired type design, featuring goodies such as a 12.4-inch instrument cluster, Remote Rev function, Ford Power-Up software capability, and plenty of upgrade options.
As an everyday driver, the four-cylinder Mustang is capable of a 22 mpg city and 33 mpg highway economy. At the other extreme, the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse does 14 mpg in the city and 22 mpg via the highway.
The Mustang is also available with the steering wheel on the other side for the rest of the world, which has put the Mustang into the hand and places where pony/muscle cars have never commonly been before. Instead of being an exotic import, the Mustang is now more commonplace throughout the world, which can only be a good thing.
Thus, the Mustang is the better option as a daily driver in the 4-cylinder version, with the Camaro and Mustang Dark Horse probably used to scare the neighbours at the weekends.
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