Is the s550 platform considered a muscle car or sportcar??

[OldPhart]

Ok, that is really, really funny!

Hi - A little humor is good for the soul and adds to the forum’s enjoyment... Bruce

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[Johnnybee]

An interesting definition by R&T. In my time with the MG Midget (c. 1989--96), there were older "chaps" in the club who would suggest that the marque had gone to the dogs when they went to wind up windows and attached the top and frame to the car, as opposed to the tinker toy frame you had to put together for the earlier cars.

 

[Hack]

a GT is a hardtop sports car which it isn't.

The Mustang is

a sporty car
a pony car
a powerful car
a track capable car
a fun car
a car to tour in


but it is not a grand tourer nor a sports car.

I see no reason why a GT can't be a convertible. Modern convertibles can be comfortable road cars.

Hi - I’m new to Mustangs (a ‘19 Bullitt). Based on your Grand Touring comment are the GT 350 and GT 500 comfortable trip cars? Just curious. I’m quite pleased with the Bullitt as a multi use car. Thanks, Bruce

I haven't driven a GT500, but in my opinion the GT350 is a great car for long trips. I owned a tech pack car - heated and cooled seats are great on a longer trip - especially the cooling.

The GT350 does tramline, which takes a little getting used to, but I drove my GT350 across states no problem very comfortably. For me the trick with the tramlining was to let the car pick its line a little bit rather than trying to force the car to sit right on a ridge or depression in the road. You can really wear yourself out fighting the car if that's your inclination. Many of our interstates are concrete around here, so that also helps reduce tramlining.

 

[OldPhart]

I see no reason why a GT can't be a convertible. Modern convertibles can be comfortable road cars.



I haven't driven a GT500, but in my opinion the GT350 is a great car for long trips. I owned a tech pack car - heated and cooled seats are great on a longer trip - especially the cooling.

The GT350 does tramline, which takes a little getting used to, but I drove my GT350 across states no problem very comfortably. For me the trick with the tramlining was to let the car pick its line a little bit rather than trying to force the car to sit right on a ridge or depression in the road. You can really wear yourself out fighting the car if that's your inclination. Many of our interstates are concrete around here, so that also helps reduce tramlining.

 

[OldPhart]

Hi - I’m naive, but what does tramline mean and why does the GT 350 do it? Thanks, Bruce

 

[Norm Peterson]

Hi - I’m naive, but what does tramline mean and why does the GT 350 do it? Thanks, Bruce

The term comes from what it felt like to have your tires get caught following city streetcar/trolley . . . wait for it . . . tramcar tracks. You'd feel a sudden fairly strong tug on the steering wheel as the tires suddenly settled in to following the tram tracks instead of the direction you'd intended. Us older guys are perhaps more likely to have encountered this.

It's mainly a wide tire phenomenon (front tires in particular since us human drivers can't resist the tug as well as the toe rods on an IRS), though wheel width can be a contributor. Some tires are worse than others. I think things like 'conicity' and 'ply steer' are somehow involved.


Norm

 

[5.ooooooo]

Past the 1:28 point they repeatedly call the challenger a pony car. Where as today the challenger/charger are considered the last muscle cars. I think the mustang along with the camaro are sporty cars with muscle car traits. The v8,affordability and straight line performance are the muscle car aspect. While modern handling, interior amenities etc make up the sporty aspect.

 

[5.ooooooo]

Eh why not add this too.

 

[Linkster1666]

Thoughts, to me, a Sport/s car is light - around 3000 lbs with a big engine, large power to wieght ratio
.
A muscle car is late 60s - early 70s, 2 tona of fun with a big block.

Mustang was designed, as was Camaro and Challenger, as in between sport and muscle, 3500lbs-ish with adequate to over powered, a Pony Car, as it were.

 

[Norm Peterson]

I'm remembering sports cars generally weighing less than a ton.

That makes the Miata a bit porky at 2300 lbs or so. But it's far better as a car even if you stripped out most of the comfort & convenience items that wouldn't have been present in, say, the similar-weight original 240Z of the early 1970's.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

It's certainly crude enough. But there's got to be a ton in each wheel and any dreams of nimbleness strictly hallucinations.


Norm

 

[13GetThere]

Can't really apply weights as limiters as to what is or isn't a sports/pony/muscle car. Remember a lot of weight in today's cars is mandated by federal law as safety equipment, and pollution control. Stuff all that stuff in Sunbeam Tiger and it may well tip the scales into 70's pony car.

 

[Norm Peterson]

I'm pretty sure those wheels are hollow. Very advanced, basically the three-piece forged technology for the stone age.

Hollow enough for that wooden, errr . . . real stick axle, anyway.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

Can't really apply weights as limiters as to what is or isn't a sports/pony/muscle car. Remember a lot of weight in today's cars is mandated by federal law as safety equipment, and pollution control. Stuff all that stuff in Sunbeam Tiger and it may well tip the scales into 70's pony car.

Yeah, I realize that a sub-2000 lb car would have a difficult time passing just the stuff that's mandated these days. But "less is more" is the essence of a sports car, in terms of weight and feature content both, and 3500+ lbs is well outside any reasonable definition of a sports car.

You'd have to start with a clean sheet of paper to bring something like a mandate-meeting Sunbeam Tiger out in today's world. TVR has resurrected (or is in the process of resurrecting) one of their nameplates from back in the day . . . 2750 lbs with a V8.


Norm

 

[martinjlm]

Does this qualify as a sportscar?

It's certainly crude enough. But there's got to be a ton in each wheel and any dreams of nimbleness strictly hallucinations.


Norm

I doubt it. It has a rear bench seat and the turning radius looks like it would suck.

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