50 Years of the NMI Arrowhead: A History Lesson

50 Years of the NMI Arrowhead: A History Lesson

This post explores the 50-year history of the NMI Arrowhead, a fictional muscle car which has been in continuous production since 1968 in various guises. Among the many branded cars I have created in Automation, the Arrowhead holds a special place in my heart because it is the only model to be entered in CSR multiple times, albeit using different generations each time (with CSR 37 and 51 being contested by a fourth- and first-generation Arrowhead respectively). So without further ado, here is a brief rundown on each of the seven generations of this iconic pony car thus far. For the sake of simplicity, only the most significant new variants (not counting facelifts) will be featured here.

When National Motor Industries launched the Arrowhead in 1968, the public was stunned. For here was a pony car with a raft of advanced features for the class, such as independent rear suspension and 4-wheel disc brakes. Of course, any muscle car worth its salt needed a big, powerful V8, and the Arrowhead's displaced a whopping 7.5 litres - more than what the Big Three offered in their competitors. The result was an unqualified sales hit that would go on to terrorize the opposition for the next six years.

The Original Arrowhead: over-engined and all the better for it.

1974 saw a radical redesign, with a longer, sleeker wedge-shaped body incorporating pop-up headlights; however, the combination of catalytic converters and unleaded fuel resulted in a significant power decrease. Nevertheless, the Arrowhead II was hailed as one of the last bastions of the true muscle car at a time when they were few and far between. In a world where the Big Three had either neutered their pony car offerings or axed them entirely, NMI had the segment almost to itself. But once again, changing tastes meant that the Arrowhead II only lasted six years on the market before a new model arrived.

Longer, sleeker and sharper - that's the Arrowhead II in a nutshell.

In 1980, the Arrowhead III was released. This generation was the first to abandon the strut front/semi-trailing arm rear suspension configuration of its forebears for double A-arms all around for improved ride comfort and handling. Its angular shape was made of corrosion-resistant steel, but concealed a mildly reworked big-block engine with three small carburetors (as opposed to two large ones) that did not deliver much more power than the previous version. So, after just six years on the market, NMI embarked on yet another redesign, hoping to maintain the model's relevance in the marketplace.

Who needs curves when straight lines look this good?

The new-for-'87 Arrowhead IV introduced NMI's lighter small-block V8 to the lineup. Again, the power increase was slight, but the fitment of electronic fuel injection with individual throttle bodies dramatically improved throttle response compared to the previous model. Most obviously of all, the faceted shape of its predecessor was replaced with a much more curvaceous and aerodynamic profile. The resulting car was once again a best-seller for several years, ultimately becoming a favorite of weekend racers and highway patrol officers, the latter having been sufficiently convinced by the Arrowhead's reliability, affordability and performance to order them in large quantities for rapid response duties.

...actually, you do, and so does the Arrowhead.

After the introduction of the larger, sleeker and more aerodynamic Arrowhead V in 1993 (to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original Arrowhead's launch) it was immediately apparent that NMI was keen on ensuring that this long-lived icon would be the best pony car on the market. Now running on premium unleaded, the 5.7L V8 developed over 300 bhp for the first time, with a less powerful 5.0L V8 also being offered, but only on the base model. It was heavier, too, but on the other hand, it was more comfortable than its forebears. In addition to new multi-link rear suspension and a Torsen LSD, the new model had an airbag for the driver and front passenger, while a six-speed manual became standard 18 months after launch.

The V stands for "velocity". That is all.

For 2003, the Arrowhead underwent a retro restyle, with styling cues that harked back to the original 1968-73 Arrowhead. Powered by an all-new all-alloy pushrod V8, this 400-horsepower muscle car was more than a match for the best imports - and much cheaper to boot. It was the first Arrowhead to be offered with sat-nav, either as standard fitment or as an option. From 2009, the flagship V8 trim was powered by a 6.2L V8, replacing the 6.0L unit used previously.

The '03 Arrowhead VI: Retro rocks!

After a decade in production, the retro craze had run its course, and the 2013 redesign brought sleeker, Euro-inspired styling, with a heavier use of alloy panels to minimize weight gain. This seventh-generation car had more standard equipment than ever before, but what really mattered was what lay under the hood: a 6.3L direct-injected V8 with variable valve timing and individual throttle bodies, a feature first used on the Arrowhead IV. 19-inch wheels wrapped in 265-section tires helped transmit all that power to the ground with minimal fuss via a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic, both of which had automatic rev matching (although only the latter came with a pair of paddles). In short, while it was now more of a budget GT than its illustrious predecessors, it was still a true sports car at its core.

Leaner, meaner and greener (both figuratively and literally): the Arrowhead is back... with a vengeance!

So there you have it: the entire history of an all-American motoring icon, from the over-engined original to today's sophisticated all-conquering machine. But what does the future hold for the Arrowhead? Certainly the new model needs to be even faster and more efficient than the current one, and just as agile in the corners. Even so, a redesign is some way off in the future; until then, enjoy the Arrowhead while you still can!