Muscle Cars: The Definitive End Of An Era, Again
It’s not a secret, I love fast cars. Big burly, earth polluting, fast cars. Ever since I was a kid, I was all about the big bad ass car rumbling…
Muscle cars have created joy for lovers of this style of automobile. With the push for EV, the Muscle car could be coming to an end? or will it?
Sitikka via Getty ImagesIt's not a secret, I love fast cars. Big burly, earth polluting, fast cars.
Ever since I was a kid, I was all about the big bad ass car rumbling around corner. I loved the sound of the engine, the smell of the oil and….well the sound of the engine. I mean, the roar of a muscle car is the holiest of all sounds, in my opinion.
Muscle Cars Are In My Blood
My dad sold cars for a living, and he always had a sweet ride. A tricked-out Monte Carlo or a 1966 Shelby Mustang. He even drove a 1989 Porsche 911. It wasn’t a muscle car, but it was kick ass, nonetheless.
Hell, I was almost born in a muscle car. No lie. They rushed my mom to the hospital as I was kicking and screaming to get out, while she held on for dear life in the back of a Ford Fairlane GT.
So, when I heard that Dodge was discontinuing the Charger and Challenger, I wanted to know why. How can you just wipe out an icon? One that is still popular no less? I mean, I see Dodge's version of muscle all over the place. This can't be happening.
Well according to StinnetChrsylerDodge.com, it is happening.
Why? Electric vehicles.
Boo.
The End Of An Era?
Is this the end of the muscle car? Yes and no.
Dodge plans on making The Charger like its old predecessor from the '60s and '70s, a two-door car. And while it will be all electric, the 2024 model will make noise and not just in the press. The new EV Muscle car will make noise from the engine, and transmission, unlike all these other EV cars.
And the other car companies? Are they all in on EV? Well, not necessarily.
According to Forbes.com, a lot of car manufacturers have backed off their “all in” EV plans. GM, Mercedes-Benz and Ford. In fact, Ford says they're going to continue to make V-8 engines for as long as they are in demand. And a good friend of mine works for Ford and says their EV truck has taken a big dump -- and not in the way trucks should take dumps.
And that's good for us old-school, earth-polluting, muscle-car lovers.
Surprisingly There Are Only 3 New Cars Under $20K Or Less
For the first time in nearly two years, the new car average sale prices fell below the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). The average transaction price paid for a new vehicle in the United States declined in March 2023 to $48,008, according to Kelley Blue Book data. That’s a month-over-month decrease of 1.1%. This means that consumers paid less than the sticker price displayed on the window.
"Right now, in-market consumers are finding more inventory, more choice and dealers more willing to deal, at least with some brands," said Rebecca Rydzewski, auto-industry researcher at Kelley Blue Book's parent firm Cox Automotive.
According to their data, non-luxury buyers paid an average of $44,182. Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, and Volkswagen all saw their average price decline in March. Honda and Kia dealers still charged an average of 3% to 6% over sticker price. Their research also found that luxury buyers saw less of an improvement. They paid an average of $65,202.
New cars now average over $48,000 before taxes and fees. There are still new cars available for less than the average cost. As of May 2023, there are only three new vehicles that would cost $20,000 or less.
However, all three of these cars are small sedans with minimal cargo space and efficient gas mileage.
Take a look at the only 3 new cars under $20,000 or less.
Kia Rio: starting at $17,875
The Kia Rio subcompact sedan starts at $17,875 and the Rio5 hatchback at $18,515. Both front-wheel-drive models come standard with a 120 hp four-cylinder engine, automatic transmission, air conditioning, and a highway fuel economy rating of 41 mpg.
Mitsubishi Mirage/ Mirage G4: starting at $17,340
The Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback starts at $17,340 and the Mirage G4 sedan is just $1,000 more. its three-cylinder engine rated at just 76 horsepower -- and the most-efficient non-hybrid vehicle, with the hatchback getting an EPA combined rating of 39 mpg.
Nissan Versa starting at $16,925
The Nissan Versa sedan is priced at $16,925. It is roomy for the price and has a 122 hp four-cylinder under the hood, a standard 5-speed manual transmission, automatic emergency brakes, and a five-star NHTSA crash test rating. Models equipped with an automatic transmission start at $18,595 and have a 40 mpg highway fuel economy rating. A fully loaded version with adaptive cruise control, heated seats, and a wireless charging pad tops out at $20,215.
