Ride along the new Mustang Darkhorse, Nissan GT-R and the Volkswagen GTI at the NY Auto Show

Even though these cars have been around for decades, they’re still beloved by car enthusiasts today.

Cheddar Staff

Apr 13, 2023, 10:28 AM

Updated 600 days ago

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The Ford Mustang, The Nissan GT-R, and the Volkswagen Golf GTI are all iconic and fast cars most people are familiar with.
Even though these cars have been around for decades, they’re still beloved by car enthusiasts today.
Cheddar News senior reporter Michelle Castillo looks at how these iconic cars are getting modern twists this year.
Aurie Transou, chief engineer of Ford Mustang, says she can't ever forget her first car - a Ford Mustang GT Foxbody.
"You never forget your first car," Transou says, "My dad’s like, yep, we’re going and they just threw me out on the main roads."
The iconic American muscle car has been around since 1964. But even the classics need a refresh.
The 2024 Mustang Dark Horse has a modern twist.
"It has the most horsepower ever in a Mustang so 500 horsepower and then, of course, there are some distinct styling cues," Transou says.
 But if you’re looking for speed, the Nissan GT-R has you covered. Or as fans know it, Paul Walker’s car from the Fast franchise.
Dimitri Arnaoutis, senior product planner of Nissan Motor Corporation, says the Japanese import is legendary in racing - and for a time was illegal in the U.S.
He says the GT-R will make a return to the U.S. later this year as a T-spec GT-R.
For fun on the road, look no further than the Volkswagen Golf GTI.
Mark Gillies, public relations director for Volkswagen, says the iconic car is sleek and sporty.
"It’s very civilized in day-to-day driving. But if you want to rip up a canyon road too, it’s amazingly good at that," Gillies says.
And he would know, he and his son race them.
The GTI is also getting a 2024 upgrade and has more horsepower than ever before, Gillies says.  
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