You can forget baseball – it seems like Americans have a new favorite pastime on their hands. No, we're not talking about saddling up to the feeding trough at the local Golden Sizzlin'. Now more than ever, we love to argue. As a country, we'll leap into a debate half-cocked, half-informed and fully armed faster than you can say, "You're fired!"
In that grand tradition, the editors at Autoblog have dug in on which of our country's convertible muscle cars is the most American – the 2011 Ford Mustang GT Convertible or the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible. Motoring out across the Lady Liberty's wide open spaces in a topless muscle car is more patriotic than all the flag pins in Congress. They give our homecoming queens a perch from which to wave and make drive-in movies all the more magical.
In a twist of test fleet fate, two of us have been granted the keys to these beasts for the most American of holidays, Independence Day. Editor/Test Fleet Manager Steven J. Ewing has taken up the FoMoCo banner, leaving Associate Editor Zach Bowman to lead the Bowtie charge. Who will stand victorious?
Since it's the Fourth of July weekend and this is America, we'll leave that for the people to decide. Click past the jump to read the respective arguments for both cars and cast your vote.
2011 Ford Mustang GT Convertible by Steven J. Ewing
I'm sorry, but this shouldn't even be an argument. The Ford Mustang was America's first pony car, and over the past four decades, it has earned bushels of respect from car enthusiasts across the country and the world over. Sure, it's down on displacement versus the Chevy's from-the-dark-ages 6.2-liter V8, but the Mustang's 5.0-liter Coyote V8 is a modern marvel of muscular glory that practically plays "Stars and Stripes Forever" from its exhaust.
What's that, Camaro? Ward's Auto didn't name your V8 as one of its Ten Best Engines last year? Oh, sorry, well, enjoy that ancient powertrain architecture. Enjoy that insufferable interior and Hot-Wheels-on-heroin appearance, too. The Camaro is an uncultured hillbilly compared to the Mustang's classic brilliance.
But the Camaro outright loses for one simple fact: It isn't made in America. That's right. General Motors manufacturers the Camaro at its Oshawa, Ontario, Canada plant, while Ford builds the Mustang in Flat Rock, Michigan. American workers building America's muscle car to support their American dreams. What's that sound? Oh, that's just the pride of a nation.
2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible by Zach Bowman
Ewing can stuff all of that nonsense about the Ford Mustang being the first pony car. When it comes down to pure American badassery, The Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible is the head to which all other honchos should bow, and if you need proof, all you need to do is pop the hood. That pushrod 6.2-liter V8 can trace its roots all the way back to the very first 350 cubic-inch V8 ever minted by General Motors. The same engine architecture has powered everything from iconic muscle cars with names like Chevelle, Nova, Monte Carlo and Corvette to workhorse Bel Air wagons and C10 pickups.
This country was functionally built on the back of the mighty 350. It drove America's kids to school and their parents to work. It hauled material, chauffeured presidents and escorted astronauts. This engine should be immortalized on our currency and emblazoned on our flag. Dual-overhead cam 5.0? Yeah, that's fine. It should go great with your block housing and bread lines.
Oh, and before anyone gets all high and mighty about the Camaro being built in Canada, I urge us all to remember one very important fact: there's nothing more American than making another country manufacture our goods. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go do some burnouts while eating apple pie and rocking David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails' "I'm Afraid of Americans."
Sign in to post
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Continue