Where’s Our Gentlemen’s Musclecar?

The term “gentlemen’s musclecar” has been used to classify domestic performance cars that appeal to more discrete male car buyers over the years. Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler have filled the niche in one way or another since the dawn of the horsepower race. A gentlemen’s musclecar can be best characterized by popular models like these: 1968 Ford Torino GT, 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, 1967 Plymouth GTX, and the 1989 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe. According to a performance Ford buyer, a gentlemen’s musclecar is what you drive off the lot if you just can’t see yourself in a Mustang GT but still want some grunt. So where does this leave that buyer today? In the United States, it means you’ll be leaving the Ford dealership behind the wheel of whatever you drove in with.

If you are frustrated like we are about Ford’s neglect of the gentelmen’s musclecar niche then look what Ford has available in Australia and New Zealand, it’s bound to throw you into a frenzy. How come we can’t get our hands on a turbocharged 4.0L Inline 6 with a manual 6-speed gearbox? Ford of Australia calls it the Barra 245T, this six cylinder makes 325 HP and 350 ft lbs. torque and it’s available in their 2006 Falcon XR6 Turbo. While Ford performance enthusiasts in the United States are looking back to 1995 for the last gentelmen’s musclecar, in Australia, the 2006 Ford Falcon dealer brochure is offering modern drivetrain packages that rival our performance era. Visit Ford of Australia’s corporate website for more information on the Falcon XR6 Turbo, Falcon XR8, Boss 260, and the XR’s standard 6-speed manual tranny.