American sports cars rule the Dream Cruise, but they’re an endangered species

Posted by Talbot Payne on August 18, 2023

Birmingham — The Woodward Dream Cruise is a celebration of the automobile. Classic, tail-finned Cadillacs, chopped hot rods, cute VW Bugs, jacked pickup trucks, elegant convertibles. They all swim down Woodward in a colorful, diverse school.

But the undisputed alpha predators of the Cruise are American sports cars. They dominate the strip with their reptilian roars. They explode out of stoplights, and wow with alluring colors, hood scoops and designs ranging from sleek to sinister.

And they are an endangered species.

This year marks the end of production for the iconic Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger muscle cars.  Pontiac, which produced Dream Cruise regulars like the Firebird, Solstice and Fiero — was long ago put out to pasture. The Dodge Viper? History. Only the Ford Mustang and Corvette supercar will be left after 2023.

There are foreign-brand sports cars to be sure. Unattainable, six-figure European exotics from McLaren, Porsche, and Ferrari attract the big money crowd while sub-$100k coupes like the Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman and BMW 2-series sell well. More affordable Japanese hellions like the Toyota GR 86, Subaru BRZ, Mazda MX5 Miata, Toyota Supra, and Nissan Z march on. Nissan even showed the Z NISMO to media at this week’s Cruise.

Jim and Donna Carrel of Waterford Township with their 2014 Chevy Camaro SS on Woodward, where endangered American muscle cars still reign.Jim and Donna Carrel of Waterford Township with their 2014 Chevy Camaro SS on Woodward, where endangered American muscle cars still reign.

“It’s sad, it’s not right,” said Waterford Township’s Donna Carrel, 60, next to the V8-powered 2014 Camaro SS that she and her husband own. “Detroit sports cars might come back later after electric vehicles are all in the graveyard.”

The electric age has forced hard decisions on automakers as they gird for a future in which governments mandate the powertrains they sell. Selling small-volume, low-MPG sports cars is risky. Dodge has already been docked over $700 billion by the U.S. government for selling gas-guzzling V-8s, and its popular Challenger coupe and Charger sedan models have been thrown to the wolves.

“The death of American performance cars reflects American car companies overreacting to the latest trends,” said veteran auto analyst and sports car collector Karl Brauer of iSeeCars. “Automakers are often driven by government regulation — yet another organization that chases fads. The Challenger is a good example. It has been well-received by its growing fan base since launching in 2008, but Dodge is still canceling it due to government fines levied on each one sold.”

Veteran Cruisers have seen this movie before. In the 1970s, federal fuel economy laws, high gas prices and clean air regulations conspired to cripple American muscle cars. Engines in the Mustang, Camaro and Challenger, for example, shrank to 4 cylinders, while Charger disappeared entirely — not to be seen again until the early 2000s. Camaro hung on through 2002, then disappeared until being revived for the 2010 model year. Only Mustang has been continuously produced since its 1965 birth.

“Government regulators have done this before,” said John Pertolone, 71, of Sterling Heights, waxing philosophically in front of his silver-and-black-striped 2009 Dodge Challenger. “The manufacturers will electrify them and bring them back.”

John Pertolone of Sterling Heights, left, and Paul Zimmerman of Ferndale disagree on whether there's a future in electrified muscle.John Pertolone of Sterling Heights, left, and Paul Zimmerman of Ferndale disagree on whether there's a future in electrified muscle.

His buddy and 1968 Camaro owner Paul Zimmerman, 65, wasn’t buying that vision. “If they are stupid enough to go EV with these cars, then it’s not going to be worth it.”

Mustang is the exception to the U.S. sports car trend, as Ford introduced an all-new Mustang this year complete with V8-powered GT and performance model Dark Horse. The Blue Oval has been savvy about selling electric Mustang Mach-E SUVs and F-150 Lightning pickups to satisfy government sales targets in order to maintain production of its precious pony car.

Raj Cho says electric cars are "better to drive" but he's not looking to switch from his 2019 Mustang GT anytime soon.Raj Cho says electric cars are "better to drive" but he's not looking to switch from his 2019 Mustang GT anytime soon.

In Birmingham, Raj Cho, 25, ogled a smoldering, Blue Ember Dark Horse — the first 500-horse version of the ‘Stang’s legendary Coyote V-8. Cho had brought his own 2019 Mustang GT to cruise Woodward. He loves his gas-fed pony, but looks forward to an EV future of electric muscle.

“EVs are so much better to drive,” smiled the native Detroiter. “I won’t get one right now, but maybe in 20 years. The Dream Cruise will always be alive. There will be a point where everyone will want EVs, but gas-powered classics won’t die out here on the street.”

Darren Roberts, 49, of Lincoln Park sees the demise of gas-fired American muscle as inevitable given government regulatory pressures. “But there are just a many environmental negatives for batteries as there are for internal combustion engines,” he said, standing next to his impeccable 2011 Camaro SS on Woodward.

That said, he hopes that U.S. automakers will make a serious effort to make electric sports cars for enthusiasts like him. “If they bring a Camaro back as an EV, then it has to look like a sports car. It has to look that part.”

But while American sports cars may be in flux, there is no dearth of sports cars on the market. And not just unattainable, $200,000-plus exotics like the odd McLaren 720S or Lamborghini Aventador that swagger down Woodward.

Sub-$100,000, petrol-fueled Japanese coupes are plentiful in the auto market, including all-new offerings this model year from Toyota and Nissan. Indeed, Nissan showed off the Z’s NISMO performance variant for media Monday night. With 420 horsepower from a twin-turbo V-6, fat tires and long hoods, a pair of Z NISMOS attracted plenty of attention in front of Crispelli’s in Royal Oak.

Nissan shows off the NISMO performance model of the Nissan Z sports car in Royal Oak during Dream Cruise week.Nissan shows off the NISMO performance model of the Nissan Z sports car in Royal Oak during Dream Cruise week.

“For us the sports car is a heritage play,” said Nissan Performance Development Manager Christian Spencer. “It’s a halo car for the brand that pushes the limits of performance and technology. It’s not a volume vehicle like the Rogue (SUV), but we have it for brand recognition.”

Starting at $42,085, the Z occupies a similar space as Mustang — midway between entry-level sports cars like the $29k MX-5 Miata (Mazda’s brand halo) and Toyota GR 86, and luxury mid-engine sharks like the $65k Corvette and Porsche Cayman. Pontiac’s one-generation-and-done Fiero (celebrating its 40th anniversary next year) and Solstice played in the entry segment.

American sports car models priced under $100k still dwarf foreign marques with 164,788 units sold in 2022 versus 46,341 for foreign makes. When Challenger and Camaro’s collective 79,712 in sales disappear next year, analysts will watch which brands benefit.

“A car company has to commit to making great performance cars and making them for an extended period to establish a following,” said iSeeCars’ Brauer. “With the exception of the Corvette and Mustang — two models that have narrowly escaped cancellation more than once — American car companies don’t appear to have the financial or engineering commitment necessary to build a performance car following.”

Camaro sales plummeted to under 25,000 in 2022 as part of consistent downward trajectory from the brand’s 21st-century peak of 91,314 in 2012. Enthusiasts cooled to ‘Maro after a controversial, sixth-generation 2016 redesign.

“I have better headroom in my ’68 Camaro,” said Zimmerman. “I never warmed to the current car.”

Camaro owner James Martin expects Chevy's pony car to come back as an EV.Camaro owner James Martin expects Chevy's pony car to come back as an EV.

Camaro convertible owner James Martin, 62, of Detroit is an industry consultant as well as a passionate driver. “When the Camaro comes back, it will be as an EV,” he said while watching a pair of V-8 muscle cars swim past. “But if coming electric sports cars just pipe in artificial sound, it’s not going to work with this crowd. It will be interesting to see who gets it right first.”

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.

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