Today's equivalent of a Grabber????

I just wanted to get some opinions on what might be a modern day equivalent to what a 71/72 Grabber may have been in its day? With all of the "new" muscle cars out there such as the GTO, Shelby Mustang and now possibly the Camaro, I thought it would be kind of cool to draw some paralles. I was thinking like a Cobalt SS or maybe an SVT Focus. Any thoughts? I look forward to hearing your answers.

 

Cobalt SS and SVT Focus are peformance versions of the standard car ... so no ... that would not be equivalent to a Grabber. I cannot think of a current car that has an appearance only styling package ... Possibly the Pony Package that is available on the V6 Mustang.

 

There simply isn't one...

 

If you can remember around 93 or so, you could get 2 door Ford Tempos with V6 and appearance package with a wing spoiler...
That was the last "Grabber".
Especially considering the Tempo was the direct evolution of the Maverick.
The Tempo was standard with I4, like the Mav had I6.
The Tempo top engine was the V6, Mav V8.
The fancy Tempo could have either, the Grabber could have either.
SO, that makes them same same to me.
Our first family car was a new 93 V6 Tempo 4 door.
I can say from experience that the car had alot more pep than one would think by looking at it, but it was no 5.0 or Z28 to be sure.
Someone who had a V8 Mav 20 years before my Tempo would say the same thing.
It has tons of pep, but it's no CJ Mustang or LS6 Chevelle to be sure.

Today, there is no clear heir.
Cars are being bastardized into mini-SUV wannabes with a bit of station wagon...
I remember when the Explorer was the "cheap" and lowly mini-SUV. Then I cringed when they got over 30k and the Escape was marketed as an alternative. Now they have Freestyle and give it SUV status! What a joke.
The sad part is that the Freestyle is probably in the "Falcon-Mav-Tempo-Contour" position in the Ford lineup.
I don't know for sure, but it's sad to me anyway.

 

I dont know. But on a little side note though, I did test drive an 06 GTO w/6speed this past weekend and I can tell you I would purchase it before I would a Mustang GT!

 

It may be fast .. but still looks like a Grand Am ...

 

Bingo.

I drove a Freestyle a while back. Pretty quick for what it is. And just wait 'till the 3.5 Duratec comes around...

 

Probably depresses the Mustang drivers all the more when that Grand Am look a like spanks that a$$. I agree though they could have done better with the styling. With everyone else doing retro's I bet in a few years they will pop back out with a better looking GTO.

 

My 2 cents regarding the GTO. I love Fords, especially old ones but I have an 05 GTO and I have kicked the S**T out of a lot of cars. The thing that I think is unfair when people judge the GTO is that the car went away for 30 years! I mean if the Mustang went away in 1974 and then came back with the 2004 body style, people would have said the same thing. "It doesn't look like my old Mustang." The GTO had no chance to slowly evolve into a newer looking car. I have to say..I have an 88 fox body Mustang LX 5.0, and that doesn't look anything like an old pony car at all. I am a huge Ford advocate but I have to say after driving both an 05 Mustang GT and an 05 GTO, there is no contest. I went with the GTO after being in it for 5 minutes. It's the first GM car I've ever owned and furthermore, the price difference, after haggling with the dealer, was almost nothing to the GT. You can't buy a better performance per dollar car! The GTO smokes the new Mustang in every way. Looks aside, the perfomance is absolutley no contest. If you doubt me, line up with one. I think Ford could take a page from GMs book on this one and make a naturally aspirated Mustang that makes 350-400 horsepower that doesn't cost $45,000.

 

I lined up with one at edge water raceway and thought interresting race. I spanked it. The GTO owner left after that one race.:evilsmile

 

Yea that v6 tempo with spoiler was close to maverick status. I wanted one just to slap a NOS kit on,:evilsmile

 

Let me guess...the GTO was built, your car was stock and you still spanked it right?

 

Nope just saying they aint all that and a bag of chips like you are preaching. I run a basic built 306 roller motor that I can drive anywhere any distance

 

We'll I agree with both you guys lol. I love the new GTO (400hp 6speed)and the price on the one I drove was a tad over 30 grand, and a new similarly equipped Mustang (300hp 5speed) runs upwards of 28-29 grand. I would happily spend the extra grand for another 100hp and 100lbft torque! I know it isnt all that, but for whats out right now and for the money its a good deal. I would rather have a 306 roller Maverick myself but with the way things are going it looks like Im going to have to get something new and make payments. Now the 04 GTO were pitiful with the LS1, do you know which one you raced Lance the LS1 or LS2?

 

I know the new GTO is not the baddest car ever made but you have to admit regardless of looks, which is a personal thing, it's one bad-ass car. I'm sure there are built cars out there that can take it all day long, but any stock vehicle rated at 400 HP/400lbftlbs tq is nothing to sneeze at. In addition, if you build the Goat at all..look out! My only point was just....compare the GTO and the new Mustang GT and you will see that Ford could have done better. 300 HP is respectable but as a long time Ford fan I wish they would man up and build that new Mustang to at least compete with what GM builds. At a resonable price that is!