1.
What's the difference in a muscle car and a pony car? In reality, not much. But if you want to get down to specifics, technically there are some differences between a muscle car and a pony car. The average passerby wouldn’t know that anything with a wheelbase length of less than 110 inches is considered a pony. It’s a smaller (not by much) uniformly designed vehicle with either a V6 or V8. Muscle cars were wider than that and required a V8. The Ford Mustang, was a pony. As was the Chevy Camaro and the Plymouth Barracuda.
2.
Australia was big into muscle cars in the 1960s and 70s. Australian muscle cars gained popularity around the same time as American muscle cars with some of the top manufacturers being Ford Australia, Chrysler Australia, and Holden.
3.
The Dodge Charger is a quintessential muscle car. Three years after the first charger was produced in 1966, a key visual change was made. The 1969 Dodge Charger was the first year the vertical split grill was added to the vehicle. The vertical split grill was a calling card for Chargers in the 60s and 70s. The 1969 Dodge Charger was made even more famous as General Lee in The Dukes of Hazzard.
4.
As with anything worth caring about, there’s some disagreement. The Ferrari 250 GTO was a rare and popular vehicle in Europe. Pontiac’s chief engineer, John Delorean, saw an opportunity to give his employer an edge. ‘GTO’ was not patented in the States, so Pontiac decided to borrow it. From 1961-1964, the Pontiac Tempest was their muscle car. The 1964 Pontiac LeMans GTO, with a 325 horsepower V8 engine, was the first muscle car on the US market with GTO in the name. Most people agree that it stands for ‘Gran Turismo Omologato’ – in reference to the Ferrari 250 GTO’s professional racing status. However, some folks still believe it stands for ‘Grand Tempest Option’.
5.
The muscle car boom wasn’t limited just to the United States. Australia had just as fervent of a muscle car culture as America did. Ford and Chevy produced several various types of muscle cars in cooperation with Australian manufacturers. The 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT was a massively popular creation in Australia. After production, it disappeared for about two decades, making it even more popular than before. The 1971 Holden Monaro 350 GTS Coupe (a GM product) is commonly referred to as the most stylish of all Australian muscle cars.
6.
The television and movie actor James Garner had a noted affinity for everything speed. His hit movie Grand Prix won multiple Oscars, and on television, he appeared in a Pontiac Firebird regularly on The Rockford Files. Something lesser known was that Garner was a devoted racer. He once had a 1970 Oldsmobile 442 outfitted with a 4×4 chassis in order drive in off-road races. Inside of this classic muscle car, he finished second in class in the Mexican Nora 1000 (later the Baja 1000).
1.
The first Pontiac GTO was built in 1963, labeled as a 1964 model. Six years later, the enormously popular muscle car was the benefactor of a special branding effort for the 1969 model. Very little, mechanically, changed from the 1968 Pontiac GTO. But the blacked out grill, spoiler, racing stripes, ‘The Judge’ decals all added to the fan fair over this enticing new model of the GTO. The Judge got its name from Sammy Davis Jr.’s “Here Comes the Judge” skit on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In television show.
2.
In 1968, Dodge made 50 Dart 426 Hemi cars to satisfy the NHRA sanction rules. These cars were sent to the Hurst Corporation to have a 426 Hemi engine installed, feature a fiberglass hood, front fenders, no side mirrors, lightweight steel, and thinner glass in an effort to reduce weight. Dodge intended the car to be used only for racing and not on public roads.
3.
In September of 2018, the newest models of the Presidential State Car debuted for their first day of work. The new model began production back in 2014. In this list, we will refer to The Presidential State Car as any car that has previously or currently carries the leader of the free world. With each model, they are multiple cars.
4.
For the most part, they are all idential within their model range. The Presidential State Car also goes by “The Beast,” or “Cadillac One,” among other names. The Presidential State Car is no ordinary automobile, as it takes ranks with some of the most expensive cars on the road and is loaded with features to protect some of the most important people in the nation. Here are some incredible facts about the Presidential State Car in all its uses, models, and glory over the years.
5.
The 2009-2019 model of the Presidential State Car cost $1.5 million each. That’s 8 times more than a Bentley! The newest model, which debuted in Septmeber of 2018, is reported to cost roughly $15 million dollars for a dozen vehicles. Once you crank out the math, that comes out to a little over a million dollars per car – $1.25 million to be exact. Either way you look at it, it’s an expensive ride. But would we want anything less for such an important vehicle?
6.
Look at a dollar bill, and then subtract an inch from it’s length. That’s how wide the breakproof glass is on the Presidential State Cars is; 5 inches thick! The Presidential State Car has five-inch thick breakproof glass for maximum protection against any threat to the high-ranking officials inside. This is just one of the many precautions from exterior threats that “The Beast” is outfitted with.
I
The Ford Mustang debuted in 1964 and is based on the platform of the second generation Ford Falcon. Truly one of the most classic vehicles of all-time, and a great way to start off this list. One of the first and most iconic American muscle cars is still rolling off the production line today. The Mustang opened the doors for competition between the Chevy Camaro, Pontiac Firebird, AMC Javelin, Plymouth Barracuda, and the Dodge Challenger. With over 9 million sold, the Ford Mustang is not just a classic but one of the best-selling rides of all-time.
II
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a compact executive car produced by Daimler AG. It debuted in 1993 being built at the Mercedes-Benz factories in Sindelfingen and Bremen, Germany. They all aren’t as beautiful as this 2013 C63 AMG – but still, the classic C-Class Mercedes is an icon! The ‘C’ probably stands for classic. And although it is widely used in the U.S.A, it may be operated even more commonly in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The C-Class is one of the most well-known models of vehicles in the world! No surprise it’s on the list of best-sellers.
III
The Toyota Camry debuted in 1982 and has been sold globally. It originally was designed as a Compact Car, now it is a mid-size car. Dependable, long-lasting, low-maintenance – no wonder it’s been tasked to the streets of NYC as the dominant choice of car owned by cabbies. What started in 1982 as a narrow-bodied compact car and then transitioned into a mid-size car has sold over 10 million editions since then.
IV
The Volkswagen Jetta is a compact family car that has been produced since 1979. It has over six generations. The TDI version, seen here, is a part of its own racing league that draws tens of thousands of spectators annually. The Volkswagen Jetta, when dressed down, is a safe, reliable, attractive car to get you from point A to point B. The Volkswagen Jetta with all its bells and whistles is a performance machine to the fullest! The versatility of the Jetta is possibly its greatest asset and why it’s landed itself on the list of best-selling cars of all-time.
V
The Mazda 323 or the Mazda Familia was a family car produced by Mazda from 1963 to 2003. The one shown here is probably the most beautiful in the line of Mazdas, the 1965 Mazda Familia. The line of Familia’s transitioned into the Mazda 323 in 1977, but in the United States, the vehicles were known underneath a different moniker. The “GLC” which stood for Great Little Car was the going title up until the switch to 323 as the name. However, after a decade or so, the 323 became what it is called today in America – the Mazda Protege.
VI
The Oldsmobile Cutlass was the trademark automobile produced by General Motors. It was produced from 1961 – 1999. The cars were assembled in Michigan at the height of Motor City’s dominance in American automobile manufacturing. The Cutlass originally began as a unibody compact car, but over time it morphed into a body-on-frame vehicle. The Cutlass was a compact car from 1961-193, so just a blip on the 35+ year timeline of the iconic ride. It’s sleek exterior, performance value and availability made the Oldsmobile Cutlass a legend in its class and one of the best selling cars ever.
I
Boy, they sure don’t make ’em like they used to…especially not in the Town and Country’s case. In 1988, The Chrysler Town and Country wagon ceased to exist and in 1989 the Chrysler Town and Country minivan was born. The TandC is a luxury minivan that was produced from 1989 to 2016. The 12 million statistic stands just for the minivan, but there were a hefty number of wagons (we figure’d you would rather see one of the classics over the minivan!) produced before the soccer-mom car came along. Nonetheless, the quality of both models made the Town and Country a household name and earned a spot on the list of best-selling cars ever.
II
The Ford Focus released in 1998 and was designed by Ford of Europe’s German and British teams. It was originally designed for only the European markets. However, immediate success and critics’ reviews forced the issue to expand it to North American markets where it debuted in North America in 1999. The compact car is something of a history-maker. As a part of the Ford Model 2000 series, it was the car with which manufacturers’ aimed to globalize model development and sell one compact vehicle worldwide.
III
The BMW 3 Series is a luxury car that debuted in May 1975, and it is BMW’s best-selling model. One large reason for that is that it’s the most accessible of all the BMW’s – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t attractive Just look at it. The reason it is so high on the list is that it is such a snazzy-looking car, from a reputable brand at a fair price. It accounts for close to 30% of BMW’s annual total sales and will be on the list of best-selling cars for years and years to come.
IV
Debuting in the same year that Alaska became a state and Sputnik 1 came back to Earth, the Chevrolet Impala’s longevity and breadth of sales is a tribute to the car’s versatility and a knack for reinvention. First intended to be a large, mid-range vehicle with all the hallmarks of 1950s automotive styling, the Impala has continued to grow and change with the times. Contemporary models are more compact with sleeker lines and a sense of design borne of a post-modern age. With 10 generations of Impalas having been made since the model’s launch, we’re certain that some version of this car will carry our grandkids into the 22nd century.
V
The Ford Fiesta first debuted in 1976 being manufactured globally in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, China, India, Thailand, and South Africa. So given its immense popularity on an international scale, it’s no wonder it’s highly ranked on the best selling cars list of all time. That being said, its success in the United States has been limited; mostly due to segmented periods of production in the states. From 1977 to 1980 and from 2010 to current are the two time frames where the Fiesta was made in the USA.
VI
Another product of the 1970s, the Volkswagen Passat has been a comforting presence on used-car lots since 1973. One of Volkswagen’s first attempts at a large family car for the international market, the Passat rapidly rose in popularity even during the competitive sales days of the US gas crisis. Known by many names around the world—we’re particularly fond of the “Volkswagen Mangotan”, which sounds either like a tropical fruit or a Transformers villain—the Passat is slowly gaining in status. The Passat is set to remain one of the bestselling cars the world has ever seen.
