"Modern Day Muscle Cars - Why We Need Them?"

Even from the first day that Ford introduced the first "muscle car" in 1964 in the form of the Mustang, America has been in love.

Almost everyone has a favorite classic muscle car. Yours might be the 1963 Dodge Dart 426 Max Wedge 426 Hemi, 1971 Matador, 1973 Buick GSX or the Australian 1971 XY Falcon Phase III GTHO.

With the well known performance and power that these cars offered, the Ford Mustang became the top selling car for many of the years during its "performance era." Times are very different, though, and there are many factors that would seem to decrease the muscle car's popularity. Government rules and high gas prices would seem to cause a restriction for all that horsepower. But these horses can't be corralled and the muscle car remains a steady seller, 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 make you think of performance, the CTS-V delivers with power, top notch handling and a spacious cabin. Delivering surprising 400 horses of power with a 6.0 liter V8 and 395 pound feet of torque, this powerhouse sits you in the lap of luxury with a lower price tag and great performance.

Pontiac GTO

GM after too many years 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. Gm was hoping to keep the awesome power of the GTO without breaking the bank. With a 6.0 liter LS2 V8 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 just has to emerge again in the future.

Infiniti G35

A good example of the new breed muscle cars, the Infinity G35 offers high end performance, great handling and a great look. Sporting a powerful 3.5 liter V6, 306 horses strong, you will be driving 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, "sporty meets luxury" look and feel.

Lexus IS 350

Another high end sleek addition, the Lexus IS 350 offers a powerful V6 with 306 horsepower. Its newly designed safety features give it an edge over some of the other high performance cars out there. While you rightly equate the Lexus name with luxury, the IS 350 shines with top performance as well.

Ford Mustang

You can't say muscle car without thinking about the Ford Mustang. The grand daddy muscle car, this pony with horsepower has seen some major changes over the past thirty years. The latest Mustang still delivers with a wicked performance V8 version with 300 horses galloping under the hood in the GT version. The retro chassis 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 easily make this list and stack up just fine against their high performance cousins. It is worth your while to see what is available in the latest muscle cars and find the performance package that turns you on. Styling, power and performance make a muscle car, but you need one in your garage to really appreciate it.