Pony Car Revival: Camaro, Genesis, and More
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Cobra R Member
Joined: January 30, 2004
Posts: 1,725
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From: Florida
Pony Car Revival: Camaro, Genesis, and More
From CarandDriver.com
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...d_more_feature
Lots of Pic's. Nothing New for the Mustang Though.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...ew-photos.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...d_more_feature
Lots of Pic's. Nothing New for the Mustang Though.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...ew-photos.html
Pony Car Revival: Camaro, Genesis, and More
While no one was paying attention, the sports coupe went nuts.
BY JOHN PEARLEY HUFFMAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM DREW, KEVIN WING, AND THE MANUFACTURER
December 2008
The world is full of practical sedans, versatile crossovers, and rugged trucks. But practicality, versatility, and ruggedness are all overrated. Ultimately, what every car lover wants is an impractical, singularly talented, don’t-even-drive-it-on-gravel coupe. You know, something with two doors, plenty of thrust, and a pair of rear wheels that get all the power. In sum, we want something built to be driven hard with utility sort of a disconnected afterthought.
Luckily for us, there’s been an affordable sports coupe renaissance of sorts going on while the world obsesses over the economic problems in the automotive sector. New rear-wheel-drive sports coupes wearing base prices under or dang near $30,000 have appeared or are on the way from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Hyundai, and Nissan. All of them are explicitly aimed at buyers looking for a thrilling driving experience, with provocative styling thrown in for good measure. Of course, it’s tough to get kids into the back seat, and if you want to haul home a half-acre of sod, forget it. But when there’s an open arc of two-lane ahead, you’ll want one of these.
While no one was paying attention, the sports coupe went nuts.
BY JOHN PEARLEY HUFFMAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM DREW, KEVIN WING, AND THE MANUFACTURER
December 2008
The world is full of practical sedans, versatile crossovers, and rugged trucks. But practicality, versatility, and ruggedness are all overrated. Ultimately, what every car lover wants is an impractical, singularly talented, don’t-even-drive-it-on-gravel coupe. You know, something with two doors, plenty of thrust, and a pair of rear wheels that get all the power. In sum, we want something built to be driven hard with utility sort of a disconnected afterthought.
Luckily for us, there’s been an affordable sports coupe renaissance of sorts going on while the world obsesses over the economic problems in the automotive sector. New rear-wheel-drive sports coupes wearing base prices under or dang near $30,000 have appeared or are on the way from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Hyundai, and Nissan. All of them are explicitly aimed at buyers looking for a thrilling driving experience, with provocative styling thrown in for good measure. Of course, it’s tough to get kids into the back seat, and if you want to haul home a half-acre of sod, forget it. But when there’s an open arc of two-lane ahead, you’ll want one of these.
Last edited by TampaBear67; Jan 7, 2009 at 01:21 PM.
Team Mustang Source
Joined: June 19, 2004
Posts: 6,840
Likes: 2
From: Phoenixville, PA
Well, they can remove the 370Z from this list, as Nissan is actually shooting up-market with the new car. The target for them is the Porsche Cayman and Cayman S. They are calling it a "sports car" and not a "pony car". As for the Hyundai? Not a pony car. IMO Pony cars are AMERICAN cars.
Well, remove the nativism from the pony car definition and the Genesis Coupe makes a pretty good one, unless you insist on 8 cylinders too, even though most of the American pony cars are six bangers. But be careful of that last refuge of denial as Hyundai has a sweet DOHC 4.6 V8 on its part shelf that would turn the G Coupe into a real screamer.
As for the 370Z, it is more a sports car, really, than a sport coupe/pony car, but I wouldn't dougt that there would be some level of performance car cross shopping as it inhabits a similar price level as the Detroit iron.
As for the 370Z, it is more a sports car, really, than a sport coupe/pony car, but I wouldn't dougt that there would be some level of performance car cross shopping as it inhabits a similar price level as the Detroit iron.
Mach 1 Member
Joined: February 23, 2008
Posts: 769
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From: new castle, pa
Well, they can remove the 370Z from this list, as Nissan is actually shooting up-market with the new car. The target for them is the Porsche Cayman and Cayman S. They are calling it a "sports car" and not a "pony car". As for the Hyundai? Not a pony car. IMO Pony cars are AMERICAN cars.
Mach 1 Member
Joined: February 23, 2008
Posts: 769
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From: new castle, pa
Team Mustang Source
Joined: June 19, 2004
Posts: 6,840
Likes: 2
From: Phoenixville, PA
[quote=rhumb;5722778]Well, remove the nativism from the pony car definition and the Genesis Coupe makes a pretty good one, unless you insist on 8 cylinders too, even though most of the American pony cars are six bangers. But be careful of that last refuge of denial as Hyundai has a sweet DOHC 4.6 V8 on its part shelf that would turn the G Coupe into a real screamer.
[quote]
That would be true IF they were going to put it in the car. Hyundai already said, the Hau V8 isn't going into the Genesis Coupe. I think it would make the car cost too much. The V6 coupe is going to start around $26-$27K before opitons, if I recall correctly.
[quote]
That would be true IF they were going to put it in the car. Hyundai already said, the Hau V8 isn't going into the Genesis Coupe. I think it would make the car cost too much. The V6 coupe is going to start around $26-$27K before opitons, if I recall correctly.
Thread Starter
Cobra R Member
Joined: January 30, 2004
Posts: 1,725
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From: Florida
No, the Genesis Coupe is Not Getting the V8 Because It Will Not Fit in the Engine Bay! Hyundai specifically engineered the Genesis Coupe around the 300+ HorsepowerV6. I was almost getting my hopes up when I heard initial rumors about a V8 RWD Coupe from Hyundai, but when I heard that I lost interest, and then I saw those Goofy Quarter Windows and that really killed it for me.
Yeah, I read that too about the Genesis. Rather short-sighted in my opinion, why not keep the option open by leaving an extra inch or two in the engine bay, but whatever. Of course, they could also lash some turbo/super charger to the thing and get an extra 100 hp that way. Unfortunately, Hyundai seems a bit trepidatious in this regard though cars such as the Genesis sedan do seem to indicate growing self confidence if not outright steel-spined boldness.
As for hair-splitting nomenclature, the "rose by any other name...") discussion, I would consider "Pony Cars" an American subset of the broader GT or sport coupe category. But any country could make what is essentially a "Pony Car" in everything but point of origin.
As for hair-splitting nomenclature, the "rose by any other name...") discussion, I would consider "Pony Cars" an American subset of the broader GT or sport coupe category. But any country could make what is essentially a "Pony Car" in everything but point of origin.
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Joined: May 13, 2004
Posts: 18,616
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From: Berkeley/Redwood City, CA
That blows, I really wanted to see a junkyard swap of rhte 4.6 into the Gcoupe 
I saw it in person finally, and it still looks funky, but its alot better than the internet showed it to be. I'll have to test drive one to see if i like it or not
I saw it in person finally, and it still looks funky, but its alot better than the internet showed it to be. I'll have to test drive one to see if i like it or not
Legacy TMS Member
Joined: May 16, 2004
Posts: 5,206
Likes: 18
From: Bristol, TN
Yeah, I read that too about the Genesis. Rather short-sighted in my opinion, why not keep the option open by leaving an extra inch or two in the engine bay, but whatever. Of course, they could also lash some turbo/super charger to the thing and get an extra 100 hp that way. Unfortunately, Hyundai seems a bit trepidatious in this regard though cars such as the Genesis sedan do seem to indicate growing self confidence if not outright steel-spined boldness.
While its never really discussed, theres a reason the Mustang weighs 3500 pounds and the Camaro weighs 3900 pounds, and the Challenger weighs 4100 pounds. Granted in the case of the latter two it has alot to do with plateform sharing, but in the case of every one of these cars they are designed to handle 400+ horsepower without even flinching. I'm willing to bet if you pour on the horsepower in the Genesis coupe it will not have the long term durability of any of the 3 domestic pony cars, or comfortably utilize that power.
If Ford, Dodge, and GM were willing to eschew a high horsepower V8 along with tidier dimensions (read more compact) we would see lighter pony cars, but not the sort of pony cars we've become accustomed too.
Last edited by bob; Jan 13, 2009 at 10:31 PM.
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