Classic Cars vs. Modern Cars

When the Mustang arrived on the scene halfway through 1964, it was a phenomenon. Ford projected 100,000 in sales in the first year, but hit that number within three months. In its first year and a half, a million Mustangs were built.

The Mustang took the bones of the humble Ford Falcon and worked in the iconic sports car styling we’ve come to know today. Ford kept the base price down to $2,368 ($18,442 in 2016 dollars), and also offered a range of engines, including a straight-six and several V8 options.

The styling of the original Mustang is a design that Ford has gone back to plenty of times. The most notable was in 2005, when it aped the original styling. The current generation is an evolution of the 2005-2014 styling, incorporating elements from the Mach 1 with more rakish headlights.

The current Mustang is an almost alien machine compared to the original. The independent rear suspension is something you’d sooner find on a German luxury sports car. The Mustang has widened the engine offering now, including a 3.7-liter V6, a 5.0-liter V8, a supercharged V8, and even a turbocharged four-cylinder

While a 1964.5 Mustang GT could do zero to 60 in 7.5 seconds, the current GT can do it in just 4.3 seconds.

Speaking of iconic American performance, the Corvette has long been the Bowtie Brand’s sporty halo car. The first generation arrived for 1953, and was more of a cruiser than the purebred performance machine it is today. Because of that, and the name, let’s focus on the 1963 Corvette Stingray.

The second-generation (or C2) Corvette had many interesting engineering components. Most notably was the Duntov suspension; a frame-mounted differential with half-shafts tied together by a transverse leaf-spring. It also featured an anti-roll bar and transaxle for better weight distribution. V8 power was standard.

Some things never change. The Corvette still comes with V8 power, but in a much more advanced machine. The C7 Corvette Stingray is a feat of performance engineering. Its magnetorheological suspension system (mouthful, we know) lets you switch between soft and hard ride feel. It’s so good that companies like Ferrari have licensed it from GM to use on their own vehicles.

Famed Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov had envisioned a mid-engine or rear-engine Corvette since the development of the C2. That would have made the ‘Vette a worthy rival to Ferrari, but it has always been nothing more than a pipe dream. Recent spy photos suggest that, after more than half a century, it could finally become a reality.

The original Z wasn’t even a Nissan; it was the Datsun 240Z. It was a 2+2 sports car, which is another way of saying it only had two truly usable seats. Under the hood was a 2.4-liter inline-6 making 151 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque.

The Z would eventually come under parent company Nissan, and engines would grow, along with the naming. The 240 gave way to the 260, 280, and eventually culminating with the 300ZX Twin-Turbo, which made 300 horsepower and a top speed of 155 mph.

When production ended in 2000, Nissan focused on bringing the Z back as the 350Z in 2002. This would be replaced by the current 370Z. Available in coupe and convertible variants, the 370Z features a 3.7-liter making 332 horsepower, which reaches 350 with the sporty NISMO trim.

The latest Z features all manner of performance innovations to get the most out of your Sunday drive. The manual transmission features a downshift rev-matching function that, as the name suggest, matches the engine speed when downshifting to ensure seamless shifts on the road or track.

Believe it or not, Honda has been selling the Accord in the North American market since 1976 – that’s four decades of affordable family cars. It was first offered in sedan and hatchback variants, and was much smaller than the car we know today.

When the 1982 Accord arrived, production was moved from Japan to Marysville, Ohio – becoming the first Japanese automaker to produce cars in America. Starting that year, the Accord became the best-selling Japanese model in America.

Incredibly, the Accord is still built in Marysville. The Accord has grown from that 1982 model – from 173 inches to 192.5 inches in the 2017 model. It is equipped with Honda LaneWatch and older models can be purchased as a Plug-In Hybrid.

The Accord is available with a 3.5-liter V6 making 278 horsepower–a pretty good upgrade from the 68-horsepower engine that came on the 1976 model. That model could also get as much as 50 mpg on the highway with its slender 2,000-pound curb weight, although keep in mind that EPA testing was done a bit differently than it is now. The Accord Hybrid gets 49 mpg in the city and 47 on the highway.

You’d be forgiven if you weren’t able to properly identify the specific year of Jaguar’s beamy flagship sedan. The XJ soldiered on with minimal evolution from 1968 to 1992 – always maintaining the stately appearance and floaty ride.

Their powerful V12s were just as sought after as their smooth I-6 engines. The former provided performance, while the latter was easier to work on and more reliable. Reliability is subpar with old Jags, as the old Lucas electronics were rife with gremlins. 

It’s hard to imagine these cars even came from the same company – and frankly, they didn’t. Ownership passed through British Leyland and Ford before being sold to India’s Tata Motors in 2008. It has ushered in a renaissance of design and luxury at Jaguar, capped off by the XJ.

The stylish headlights frame a massive chrome grille, announcing the XJ’s arrival. Things only get better on the inside, with a unique cabin that is inspired by luxury yachts. 

Although these cars have stood the test of time, there are several others worth taking a look at in our used and new car rankings. And, if you're in the market to buy, take a look at our Best Price Program tool to determine if you're getting the best deal.