I was ecstatic when Ford redesigned the Mustang in 2005 to the new vintage/modern look. Since I was but a young lad, I always wanted a Mustang, well not one between the years of 1994 and 2004. But with Ford looking for bailout money, or kind of looking but then saying they don't really need it, could the Mustang become a permanent part of history to be replaced by Focuses? Will Dodge continue to make new Chargers or revert back to the more economical Neon's? What will happen to American supercars like the Dodge Viper, Ford GT and Chevy Corvette?

Pontiac discontinued making the Firebird back in 2002 (what would the Bandit drive now?) and Chevrolet is just now bringing the Camaro back after a seven year hiatus. The Mustang is continuing on (at least for now) but will the new Camaro and the Dodge Challenger survive the next couple of years? If the economy continues to go down the tube, how long can the Viper last?

I do understand the challenges that the auto makers are facing with economy-- if you build it, they might not buy it and I whole heartedly understand the need for better fuel economy. I consider myself an environmentally friendly person--I carpool to work when I can, I go out of my way to recycle and even turn the water off while I am brushing my teeth-- but I can't see myself driving a Prius.

I drove a Ford Focus during my college years; ironically, that was the car I got my one and only speeding ticket in, and it got great fuel mileage that was perfect for my college years. But now I am more then happy with my 2007 Mustang.

Is it too much to ask for a more fuel efficient muscle car? Or at least one that has a lower emission output than a standard muscle car? This year is already shaping up to be a hard one for Detroit. It will be interesting to see if the Big Three continue to see the value in building muscle cars. I sure hope so!