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This is an exciting period of automotive history in my book. We still have lots of the original (60s &70s) muscle cars around and a few of those models are being produced in a modern form. For me the term "muscle car" means the car must have a V8 and be preferably rear drive. That doesn't mean other cars that don't fit this mold aren't fun, good looking or desirable. No matter how you slice it, it isn't a minivan, SUV or truck, because (duh!) those aren't cars. Two doors is the classic body style, but there have been some modern cars like the Magnum and the later Cadillac that have the power and performance of their two and four door breathern and they can't be classified as anything else but as a car.
What do I drive? I bought my first Dodge Challenger in 1975 and have continuously owned one since that time (never without one). I have a '70 and '71 Challenger R/T, with one being fully restored. My modern muscle has included a red '05 Ram QC Hemi model with 20" chrome wheels, a catback system, black 71 Cuda hockey stick stripes on the bed and a partially blacked out hood with a hood scoop. I traded the truck in on a '08 Charger R/T in Inferno Red (what a car that one is!). Some day I will probably buy a modern Challenger. I intend to restore a '78 Lil Red Express truck next, which I currently have waiting in the wings. I have a 4 cyl. Sebring as a daily driver, though I prefer to drive the Charger every day, but don't. Call me a devout Gear Head!
Modern Camaros, Mustangs, Vipers, Firebirds, GTO, Vettes, Challengers, Chargers and Magnums (and the Johnny come lately Cadillac models) are my idea of a muscle car. It's an American invention and thing, so I relate the term with American cars only. There are foreign cars that are fast and exciting too, but I don't consider them to be muscle cars. They are sports cars or just "fast cars", but they can never be muscle cars because they don't have any American DNA in their brand lines.
