We've all heard of the term muscle car. It usually refers to RWD V8 cars that are made in the U.S. But have you heard of the term pony car and if so how are the two different? Today these terms are used loosely and often incorrectly, most of the muscle cars that you know are actually pony cars. When the two classes were first built it was easier to differentiate between a muscle car and pony car, now not so much.
The term pony car is used to refer to sporty compact cars that are usually fitted with a small-block V8 engine or sometimes even a V6 engine. Muscle cars, on the other hand, are more muscular and bigger than pony cars. They usually have a big-block V8 under their hood. The original pony cars were the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, and the Plymouth Barracuda. The muscle cars that were popular back then were the Dodge Charger, Chevy Impala, and the Ford Galaxie.
To really understand the differences between the two you need to take a look back to when these cars first came on the scene and where they are now.
In this article, we will look to finally set the record straight on the difference between a pony car and a muscle car.
The Pony Car
So, what is a pony car? And how can you spot one? They are usually American made two-door coupes that are marketed towards the younger generations. What sets it apart from a muscle car is its size. Both on the exterior and under the hood, the pony car is a lot smaller than a traditional muscle car, it also handles better than one.
Now that you have a better understanding of what a pony car is you're probably picturing a Ford Mustang, and rightly so, it is the most popular pony car of all time. But it wasn't the first, that honor is reserved for the Plymouth Barracuda which was launched on April 1, 1964, two weeks before the Mustang.
The Muscle Car
There has been a lot of debate on what the first real American muscle car was. However, car enthusiasts regard the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 as being the first full-sized muscle car.
This class of cars is very similar to pony cars, it is very hard to set the two apart. They are also American made, two-door coupes. But the difference is, muscle cars are more focused on raw power rather than handling. They are powered by big-block V8 engines and are very quick in a straight line but struggle in corners. They are basically the ultimate drag race car.
There is a suggestion that Dodge is the last true muscle car brand. Both the Charger and Challenger still remain true to the traditional characteristics of a classic American muscle car.
As for the others? Well, the lines between muscle cars and pony cars have become so blurred that it has become almost impossible to separate them. But the main difference between a pony car and a muscle car is the power and the handling. Pony cars have become more popular recently because they strike a perfect balance between these two qualities.