HEY Y'ALL...
I'm a Newbie here... so, hello to you all...

As I have posted else where and I have said before...
I REALLY LIKE THE NEW CHALLENGER A LOT!
The original Challenger was a performance car that was priced at the same range of other muscle/pony cars of the early 1970s, being a moderate-higher volumed model built for the average "BLUE COLLAR" working guy/gal and not a smaller volumed limitted production high end/high priced enthusiast limitted model. MANY of us average working stiffs want a V8,budget performance variant/model of the Challenger as so there should be by its original intent.

I am concerned however from what I am hearing that only the higher end optioned models will get a V8 with the 5.7, 6.1, & possibly 6.4 liter HEMIs with only the 2.7 & 3.7 V6s going to the more spartan lower priced & mid priced ranged models. I fear that the V8 Hemi powered models will end up being in the $30,000-$40,000 range and price themselves out of being competative with the base Ford Mustang-GT which currently is right at $25,000 MSRP....

Here's hoping that they will make a very spartan model with the 340-350hp 5.7 liter HEMI V8 with solid rear axle instead of IRS to keep cost down, or offer say a 300-310 hp 4.7H.O. V8 with a solid rear axle, in the base model Challenger, competing directly at or slightly lower of a price than the base model Ford-Mustang-GT.

If DCX where smart, and if DCX wanted, They could tweak the current 5.7 liter HEMI V8 to say the 375 hp range, while offering the 425 hp 6.1 liter V8...
or even a very limited production with a 500 hp 6.4 liter Hemi...

This would give them power plants with something like this:

1. Base Challenger--2.7 V6 standard & 3.7 liter H.O. V6 @ 255-275 hp optional
2. Challenger SXT-3.7H.O.V6 standard, tweaked 4.7H.O.V8 @300-325 hp opt.
3. Challenger SE--4.7H.O.V8 standard & 5.7 Hemi V8 @ 345-375 hp optional
4. Challenger T/A--5.7 Hemi V8 standard & 6.1 Hemi V8@ 425-450 hp optional
5. Challenger-SRT-6.1 Hemi V8 standard & 6.4 Hemi V8 @ 475-510 hp optional



This would be my pricing schedule:

1. Base Challenger---basic options no frills options---$22,000-$24,000 MSRP
2. Challenger SXT--few minor power/option upgrades-$24,500-$26,500 MSRP
3. Challenger SE--more power & option/trim upgrades-$27,000-$29,000 MSRP
4. Challenger T/A--IRS & performance upgrades------$30,000-$34,000 MSRP
5. Challenger-SRT----limited production top model----$35,000-$39,000 MSRP

I would also like to see them offer a beefed up "AutoStick" tranny as an option. This would make the question about whether you want a mannual tranny or an automatic a mute point since doing so would give the buyer the best of both worlds while simplifying the options list

This would be my hope on the Challenger.
What do you think of this strategy?

Do you think this might be the best way to optimize sales & marketing of Challenger Variants successfully ????