Muscle cars have often been related to the American market owing to the hot rod culture that sprung up during the 1920s. Australia followed suit after automakers like Ford released the GT in the late 60s for the local market. The popularity of the touring car series also encouraged manufacturers to develop muscle cars that specifically targeted the Australian market. The fact the population is geographically isolated and relatively smaller has lent to the uniqueness of muscle car models over the next few decades.