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<div>I like to exaggerate the false perception that you have some form of social stigma against all things American. I know you don't "really" hate all Americans, nor all things American. Just 99%.
 
I wouldn't expect you to agree, or I am not really sure you would understand this (take into account I have driven very few foreign designed muscle cars) ... An american muscle car is as much about the deep loud exhaust, the powerful rumble that you feel through the seat, and the steering wheel as it is about the raw power. Handling is a bit down the list, as the huge majority of us older generations were far more into straight line competitions when we were young working on our own cars. No one in my neighborhood put any time into cornering. I guess we also had limited access to anything not made in america, anyway.
 
Muscle Cars from my era are as well very nostalgic for older american men like myself. It just wouldn't be the same to have a nice quiet powerful car that corners really well. A Harley is way down the list when it comes to handling, speed, and comfort ... but they are the trophy to the majority of american motorcyclist, and it isn't just a status symbol. One day you will also enjoy opportunities to relive your youth. I wouldn't expect that to be a reinvention of an american car.
 

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I'm well aware of what American muscle cars means. Standing quarter miles, racing between the lights and all that is fine. I can even accept some reduction in handling performance in exchange for extra straight line speed. And if I money wouldn't be an issue the Mustang GT500 would be sitting right next to the Ferrari 458 and the Aston Martin in my garage.

 

But the first thing I would do to that Mustang is rip out the suspension and replace with a modern system because I can not fathom the mind of an engineer who puts 500hp in car and relies on a live rear axle to put that power on the road. It reeks of a job half finished. And it carries through to the rest of the car as well; the engine may put out a lot of raw power but initially it was a cast iron block instead of the milled aluminium used by any other competent car manufacturer, the suspension I already covered and the interior is made from the same type of cheap plastic you'd find in a $6,000 Kia. Sure, they fixed most of those issues in the latest models but they fixed them 5 years late.

 

Just as an example; Jeremy Clarkson rode a GT500 from London to Milan not too long ago and as he said at the time, modern cars have no problem doing highway speeds while still being comfortable. you can easily drive a modern car on the Interstate for a few hours and come out no more tired then you would working at a desk for the same amount of time. The Mustang by comparison wears you out, there's simply too much noise and too much vibration.

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