The American Muscle CarHot Wheels by Steve Maisel

Given all of the technological advances and the thousands of options, my mind wanders to compare the cars of today with those from my favorite era – cars introduced during the 60’s and early 70’s known as the American Muscle Car.

Ever since I was a child, I loved one of the more cherished American Muscle Cars -the Ford Mustang. That dream came true when I purchased my first car at 15 years old. I paid $300.00 for a 1968 Mustang Coupe. I loved that car and became fascinated with everything Mustang. Eventually, I purchased a 1989 Mustang GT. Don’t get me wrong, I loved that car too, but honestly, it didn’t hold the same kind magic that the original Mustangs did. I found that the automakers had lost touch with true magic of the original American Muscle Car.

All photos provided by Steve Maisel

In 1998, however, something happened. The Volkswagen Beatle was reintroduced. The Beatle had been discontinued in the late 70’s. But Suddenly, this car captured America’s attention because it started a revolution in car design. Cars that were completely new but captured the very essence and spirit of its predecessor came known to be “retro”. After the VW Beatle, BMW introduced the new Mini-Cooper in 2001 based on the original first introduced in 1959.

The trend continued when Ford introduced the 2002 Thunderbird. It’s styling cues included elements of the 1955 – 1957 model, as well as, the 1961 & 1962 models. You can imagine my excitement when Ford announced plans for the nineth generation of the Mustang. After over 40 years, the Mustang returned to its roots when the 2005 Mustang was introduced. Whether you are a car enthusiast or not, you immediately recognize this car is everything Mustang. The car’s styling is based from the 1967-68 pony car. My love affair with this Mustang was renewed. At last, Ford got it right and the retro revolution was in full swing. Now Chevrolet and Chrysler have each announced plans to release their new retro muscle cars, the Camero and the Challenger, respectively.

I purchased the new Mustang GT and it has brought back all the excitement of driving a true American Muscle Car. The Retro Revolution in Car Design is HOTER than ever.