RECENT DISCUSSION AMONGST PEOPLE IN THE SHOP HAS BROUGHT UP THAT THE VETTE IS NOT A PONY CAR, YET WHAT ACTUALLY CLASSIFIES AS A PONY CAR AND DOES THE VETTE FIT.

Vette = Sportscar

Ponycar = Mustang, Camaro & Firebird.

The term "ponycar" originally came from Ford's Mustang. Since the Camaro & Firebird were designed to be direct competition for the stang they're also called ponycars. The general description is a sporty small to midsized coupe or hatchback with an optional V8 engine, 4 seats, 2 doors, rwd, and an affordable pricetag.

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1999 Trans Am

What Evil said!

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The Corvette definitely doesn't qualify as anything less than true sports car. Unlike pony cars, aside from all Evil mentioned, the Corvette has a frame. The body panels aren't steel either, but that doesn't mean much to me.

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A pony car needs a back seat, although it doesn't actually have to be one large enough to be comfortable for adults. It also needs V8 power drivng the rear wheels, and be fairly small. A muscle car is the same thing only larger.

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Matt, a/k/a Slanter
1966 Dodge Dart - turbo project car
1986 Chevy Corvette - stock for now
2005 Suzuki GS500F - commuter bike
The voices in my head tell me I need more horsepower.

Good question. I always thought of the "Pony Car" to be a close comparison to the original Muscle cars, but smaller in size and usually smaller in engine displacement. Pony cars and sports cars usually differ mainly in the handling department. Take the Corvette for example, this platform is meant to be driven hard and handle all road conditions well. I am trying to say that the car is at home going down a straight piece of road, and is just as adept to travel just as fast or negoitiate the twisties with ease. Who knows where the Corvette's would be if GM would not have stopped factory backing for racing events in the 60's? I think that your question will only result in more questions.
Good luck

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1999 Torch Red Corvette FRC 6 Speed
Black Wing Filter.
B&M Ripper Shifter.
LS6 Intake upgrade.
LT Headers By Melrose.

The Challenger/Barracuda/Cuda are also Pony Cars.
Pony Cars were made to compete in the Trans Am Series Racing.

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Onyx Black 98 Z/28
408 cubic inches of Nitrous injected LS1!!!
Owner/Administrator of LS1 Racer.com

Quote: Originally Posted by Mykdiver The Challenger/Barracuda/Cuda are also Pony Cars.

Don't forget the Javelin. There are surely a couple more that qualify, but oh well.

Quote: Pony Cars were made to compete in the Trans Am Series Racing.

Uhhh, but wait... The Mustang was called a "Pony" car due to it's name... It, like the Barracuda, was mass produced before the Trans-Am series began.

The Vette was in production long before the pony car (mustang) came around, and is therefore not considered a pony car. It's a pony-tail car, similar to a Miata.

Mr. P

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IF YOU REALY LOOK AT IT. THE CHEVY CORVETTE IS THE ONLY TRUE AMERICAN SPORTS CAR IT WAS BULIT TO COMPETE WITH ALL OTHER EUROPEAN MODELS .SO WHEN YOU SAY COVETTE YOU IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS PORSCHE FERRARI LAMBORGHINI MAZZARADI NOT BECOUSE I SAY SO BUT THATS WHO ALL THE OTHER CAR COMPANYS CAMPARE IT AGAINST THE CORVETTE WAS THE INAVATOR OF THE WEDGE DESIGN ALL OTHERS CAME AFTER.

Quote: Originally Posted by 98 VETTE DEVIL IF YOU REALY LOOK AT IT. THE CHEVY CORVETTE IS THE ONLY TRUE AMERICAN SPORTS CAR

So, the Viper's not a "Sports Car"? The Ford "GT" isn't a "Sports Car"? Some people may call these Exotics...but I don't consider a car to be "Exotic" unless it's an Import.

Also, the AMC AMX is an American Sports Car.

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Chris M.
SF Bay Area, CA
'06 Nissan Frontier 4.0 crew cab
'98 Explorer 5.0
No more Slow Nova

Quote: Originally Posted by Slow Nova So, the Viper's not a "Sports Car"? The Ford "GT" isn't a "Sports Car"? Some people may call these Exotics...but I don't consider a car to be "Exotic" unless it's an Import. Also, the AMC AMX is an American Sports Car.

I think the term your looking for is, Super Cars.....This classifies all exotics and powerful American cars like the Ford GT, Corvette and Viper all into one catagory.

Quote: Originally Posted by 98 VETTE DEVIL IF YOU REALY LOOK AT IT. THE CHEVY CORVETTE IS THE ONLY TRUE AMERICAN SPORTS CAR IT WAS BULIT TO COMPETE WITH ALL OTHER EUROPEAN MODELS .SO WHEN YOU SAY COVETTE YOU IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS PORSCHE FERRARI LAMBORGHINI MAZZARADI NOT BECOUSE I SAY SO BUT THATS WHO ALL THE OTHER CAR COMPANYS CAMPARE IT AGAINST THE CORVETTE WAS THE INAVATOR OF THE WEDGE DESIGN ALL OTHERS CAME AFTER.

not sure of that....I believe the Ferrari's had the wedge way before the Corvette did...

here's A 1954 Ferarri 750 Monza 1....the '54 Corvette didn't have any real wedge to it...

SURE THE VIPER IS COSIDERED A SPORTS CAR NOW .BUT IT HAS VERY LITTLE HISTORY BEHIND IT AS FAR AS THE GT 40 HAS HISTORY BUT LETS FACE IT WHEN 'S THE LAST TIME YOU SAW ONE BLOW YOU BY AT ABOUT 250 GRAND IT BETTER BE A SPORTS CAR WERE TALKING ABOUT A LEGEND IN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY NOT SOME JOHNNY COME LATELY AND THAT FARRARI LOOK MORE LIKE A JAG TO ME WERE TALKING ABOUT A CAR THAT IS MASS PRODUCED NOT SOME SPECIAL ORDER VEHICLE.