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As trends change, SUVs are all the rage right now. Gas is (relatively) cheap, so buyers want to go big; Plus, hybrid powertrains are better than ever, and even the mighty Mustang has become the Mustang family with the smoldering Mach-e.
The Mustang has a story truck behind it; the ‘Stang has been around for more than five decades. Sales are mainly concentrated in North America, and the numbers are good so far. Starting at just over $ 28,000, the classic Blue Oval muscle car has yet to be sent to junkyard in the sky. A quick glance at Ford.com reveals the pecking order of its vehicles: Starting from the left: SUVs and crossovers are listed first, then trucks and vans, then electrified vehicles. The category of cars brings up the rear.
Ford still has two sedans in the lineup, and soon only one will be left standing; the Fusion is on track to be relaunched as a crossover in 2022. What that means for the Mustang remains to be seen, but I wonder if the Mach-e is a sweet harbinger of the future of the muscle car. Maybe the brand will pull a Disney and put it on shelves for a while, then issue a special edition Mustang in limited quantities. Don’t start any rumors, however; I’m just reading the tea leaves at this point. For me, driving a Mustang is always a pleasure, especially in a convertible.
The second of the Big Three, Chevrolet, rocked the cobwebs on the Stingray with the new mid-engined Corvette, and the automotive world was buzzing with excitement. Overall, the 2021 Corvette Stingray received praise and outright stanning; I drove one a few weeks ago and joined the club. Coiled in Elkhart Lake Blue, the 2021 turned heads at every red light and for good reason: the lines are gorgeous. It’s the closest to a supercar but without the price of the supercar, and the value for money is delightfully alluring. At present, there is no substitute for the Corvette; at least, until all generations of fans are gone. If it continues to evolve and improve, the Stingray is not going anywhere.
Rounding out the trio of American automakers, Dodge has staked out its claim of performance vehicles. Focusing on big, noisy engines and shameless reveling in gasoline-powered beasts, Dodge shows no sign of backing down on the outside. However, when I interviewed Dodge boss Tim Kuniskis in August, he said cars aren’t dead, commodities are. For now, Dodge is investing its money in cars and SUVs that declare their presence with an incomparable roar. The Super Stock and Redeye versions of the Challenger dare to put them in red and they still thrill those of us who are more excited by the power of yesteryear than by an electric whine.
However, Kuniskis keeps the door open for change, and he told me that once the cost of electric motors drops, the battery-powered muscle car market will explode.
“That’s when the hot rodders are going to get electrification,” he says. “They readjust it for performance, and it will be like when the industry has switched to injecting fuel from a carburetor. Then people will want electrification because it will be the most competitive car there is. I am super excited about the future; it’s not just that it’s going to be different. It’s better than anything we’ve ever seen.
What does your crystal ball show?
Do you have any advice? Drop us a note: [email protected].
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