I HEAR IT!

Hybrid vehicles draw their power from two distinctive sources, usually from electric, or battery power, and a fuel source.

Some vehicle manufacturers have already fully developed some of these hybrid vehicles and others are either planning development or are already in the stages of development.

The price range for these vehicles are pretty pricey. Perhaps when there are more of these hybrids out in the consumer market, we might see the price tags go down a bit.

A few years ago General Motors had a fully operable electric car, the EV1 Electric Car. The EV1 was fully electric, using no other sources of power such as fuels. It was fast, quiet and short lived. It had a range of about 50 miles on one charge; enough for the majority of working Americans to commute to, and from work, on one charge.

The cost of the batteries were very expensive and is believed to have been the main reason for the EV1’s demise. It is surely one reason why today’s hybrids are a bit pricey as well.

Perhaps someday vehicle manufacturers will develop the ultimate green vehicle, a solar powered car. Wouldn’t that be great! I believe the technology and resources are already there for at least a concept solar-powered car. That would truly be the greatest ever to this point!

I sometimes wonder if a vehicle of the future could be built to run on magnetic sources based on magnetic principles. This would indeed be one of the greatest achievements in the history of car manufacturers.

You know how magnets can either push or pull, depending on how their magnetic fields are placed in relation to each other.  Well, these same principles could be implemented to be the driving force, or drive train of a Magnetic Driven Vehicle – or MDV.  Even our own planet has two magnetic fields, a positive and a negative. Perhaps these could be the primary magnetic force of the MDV’s.

Can you imagine Solar-Powered or Magnetic Driven vehicles, quietly commuting up and down our roads and highways?  No more vehicle pollution! No more oil and fuel!

I can!

Even from the time that Ford dazzled us with the first “muscle car” in 1964 in the form of the Mustang, America has been in love.

Just about everyone has a favorite classic muscle car. Yours might be the 1963 Dodge Dart 426 Max Wedge 426 Hemi, 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona with nose and goalpost wing, 1970 Buick Riviera Gran Sport or the Australian 1974 XB Falcon GT 4 Door Sedan.

With the on demand performance that these cars offered, the Ford Mustang became the top selling car for many of the years during its “performance era.” Times are different, though, and there are many factors that would seem to reduce the muscle car’s popularity. High gas prices and government regulations would seem to cause a real damper on all that horsepower. But these horses can’t be corralled and the muscle car still gives that same thrill, especially to the new generation. And for them, there is a new generation of muscle cars hitting the dealer lots.

Cadillac CTS-V

This high performance Cadillac makes this automaker a great addition to the muscle car ring. While the Cadillac name may not exactly say performance, the CTS-V delivers with power, top notch handling and a spacious cabin. Sporting surprising 400 horses of power with a 6.0 liter V8 and 395 pound feet of torque, this ride sits you in the lap of luxury with a surprisingly low and very pleasing performance.

Pontiac GTO

GM after too long a wait brought back the “Goat”, much to the delight of muscle car enthusiasts. One of the original muscle cars, the GTO was introduced in 1964 and ran through the 1974 production year. Pontiac’s desire was to keep the awesome performance of the GTO without making you own your own bank. With a 6.0 liter LS2 V8 dropped in offering 400 horses, the new breed of GTO ran from 2004 to 2006. But, this is one car that can’t be held down and will be sure to emerge again in the future.

Infiniti G35

A nice addition to the lineup of the new breed muscle cars, the Infinity G35 offers sleek styling, superior handling and great performance. Sporting a powerful 3.5 liter V6, 306 horses strong, you get the old school muscle car style combined with the newer, technological plusses of the 21st century. With this car, performance is its strong suit. It offers great handling and a nice, “the power and the glory” look and feel.

Lexus IS 350

Another high end sleek addition, the Lexus IS 350 offers 306 horsepower with its powerful V6. Its advanced safety technology gives it an edge over some of the other muscle cars available. While you probably equate the Lexus name with luxury, the IS 350 gives you top performance as well.

Ford Mustang

You can’t say muscle car without talking about the Ford Mustang. The classic muscle car, this pony has seen some significant design changes over the past thirty years. The modern Mustang still will impress you with a wicked performance V8 version with 300 horses galloping under the hood in the GT version. The retro curves will take the old timers back and recruit new enthusiasts just discovering this classic to a new love.

There are many other muscle cars that could be mentioned here and make a good showing against their high performance cousins. Make an effort to take a look at the new breed of muscle cars and find the performance package that gets you running. Performance, styling and handling make a muscle car, but only time will make it a legend.