Like the Mustang, the Camaro quickly amassed a dedicated and hugely loyal following of owners and tuners

Andy Goodwin extols the virtues of the American muscle car rivals.

The star of songs, television shows and silver screen – the Ford Mustang is to the USA what the Aston Martin DB5 and Jaguar E-Type are to the UK.

Then there’s the mad and bad Chevrolet Camaro – devilishly powerful and fearsome to boot.

Post-war American muscle car fans were split into two camps – those who bought Ford and those who drove GM built cars (Chevys included).

View our Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro slide show

The Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang was launched on April 17 1964 at the New York World’s Fair and via a national television advertising campaign.

The original model was a compact car, weighing around 1,200kgs and available in hardtop and convertible styles with a straight-six or V8 under its hood.

Ben Klemenzson, editor of Classic American magazine describes the appeal of the Mustang.

“It was the right car at the right time. Young people of the baby boom generation wanted to be different to their parents who drove big cars like the Ford Thunderbird.

“The Mustang was available with so many options: from fire-breathing V8 to six-cylinder grocery-getter in fastback, coupe and convertible styles. Everyone wanted one.”
 
The Ford Mustang stole the heart of the nation.

And then in 1968 the most famous model of all – the Mustang 390 Fastback – ran away with it.

It growled its way into the public eye as the star of the thriller Bullitt, with Steve McQueen behind its wheel.

Cinema-goers watched open-jawed as it outpaced the Dodge Charger R/T in the most memorable car chase committed to film.

It was such a hit the Mustang never went out of production – but as each model became larger heavier and some of the magic was lost.

Then, in 2005 the latest Ford Mustang was launched with the original car as its inspiration, rather than its 1990s predecessor.

Power ranges from 210bhp in the entry-level 4-litre V6 to 300bhp in the 4.6-litre V8 GT model and a massive 500bhp in the supercharged Shelby Mustang GT500 – 110bhp more than Steve McQueen had under his right foot in Bullitt’s Mustang GT390.

“The modern cars are still show-stoppers – new cars with retro looks. They are fantastic value for money too – the modern Mustang V6 produces as much power as the V8 in the original model” says Klemenzson.

The Chevrolet Camaro

The Chevrolet Camaro was GM’s much needed answer to the upstart from Ford.

It arrived almost three years after the Mustang in 1967 and set out to beat it on road and track.

“Because it arrived after the Ford and GM had longer to develop it, some people say it was superior to the Mustang.

“It was available with a powerful big block engine right from when it came out” says Ben Klemenzson.

In 1968 a toe curling 6.5-litre V8 was added to the options list of the SS model, cementing the cars pedigree as a drag-strip favourite which is still revered by muscle car fans.

Like the Mustang, the Camaro quickly amassed a dedicated and hugely loyal following of owners and tuners.

And, this popularity ensured the Camaro was evolved and re-launched every few years to meet the public’s demand for one of the most desired models in Chevrolet’s arsenal.

The Camaro went out of production in 2002 after 35 years of non-stop production, but looks set to make a return.

In 2006 Chevrolet unleashed a Camaro concept car, and like the new Mustang, it looked to its roots for inspiration.

Starring in the hit movie Transformers as the character Bumblebee it looked meaner than ever in yellow paint with black racing stripes, and got Chevrolet muscle car fans revved up for its arrival.

View our Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro slide show

Classic Mustangs and Camaros in the UK

Ben Klemenzson told us why the classic Mustang in particular is so popular on this side of the Atlantic.

“The Mustang is Britain’s most popular classic American car, partly because of its history but also because it’s practical and relatively easy to own.

“It’s one of the only American cars which can fit in a British garage and parts are cheap and plentiful.

“In fact there are so many parts still being made for 1960s Mustangs you could build one from scratch if you wanted to” says Klemenzson.

To get a taste of classic Americana costs around £5k for a clean six-cylinder model Mustang, which makes a practical and relatively economical car.

But, more desirable and rarer models are in ever greater demand, which is pushing prices up. Find a V8 engined convertible Mustang in good condition and expect little change from £20k.

While its estimated there could be as many as 10,000 original Mustangs in the UK, the number of Chevrolet Camaros is smaller and this is also reflected in their price.

Only three are currently available on Auto Trader and they all command a £20k price tag.

The July issue of Classic American magazine is on sale now and features a chance to win a 2001 Ford F150 XLT with a 4.8-litre V8 engine, American Racing wheels, tonneau cover, cruise control and much more.

Check out this video of the Chevrolet Camaro concept car in action: