The Ford GT is the latest, and best, in a long line of muscle cars I’ve owned
My first automotive love was the American muscle car. I had a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T before I had my driver’s license, followed by a 1969 and then a 1970 Plymouth GTX before I graduated high school. The concept of a powerful, torque-rich V8 engine was core to my earliest driving experiences and expectations, and I continue to appreciate these traits in vintage and modern automobiles.
My 1970 Plymouth GTX foreshadowed my love of all things V8 powered
Over the past 11 years my Ford GT has shared garage space with a 1970 Plymouth GTX, a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE and a 1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Super Duty 455. While the GT is more sophisticated than any classic muscle car it still shares key classic muscle car traits, including a powerful and torquey V8 engine, rear-wheel drive and no stability or traction control.
My Ford GT shared space with a rare and powerful Trans Am Super Duty 455
For these reasons I’ve often called the Ford GT the ultimate American muscle car. If offers far superior performance in terms of acceleration, braking, handling and top speed, making it a valid competitor with modern Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches. But if you simply want to drop the clutch and do smoky burnouts or donuts, all to the tune of a V8 exhaust roar, the GT not only complies but excels in such hooliganisms. It really is the best of all worlds.