Nice post, specwar64!

Now, please allow me to offer my totally uninformed opinion:

#1: I have little doubt that the production Challenger will be as true to the concept as possible. They've said so, we've seen spy shots and, besides, if it isn't already designed that way it's too late to make the request/suggestion/plea now.

#2: I agree, but I doubt it'll be like the color crazy '70s. I think it's a reasonable request that they include a couple of the wilder colors every model year like they do for the Charger Daytona, but, like you suggested, they shouldn't be limited to only one particular package. Why can't we have cool colors in the base model?

#3: I think you're probably a little light with the SRT price. We'd all like it to ba as affordable as possible, but I expect MSRP prices in the same range as the Charger SRT.

#4: I TOTALLY agree about the T-Bird. I wish I coulda been there wen you told off the salesman so I coulda added "What HE said!" to your rampage. I was never in the market for a T-Bird, but I like to see cool looking cars hit the market. Even if I don't buy one, I just like being "entertained" while driving by gawking at cool cars. I had hoped there would be more T-Birds on the road, but they made sure that would never happen. Same for Chrysler with the Prowler, but the Prowler was never really meant to be a daily driver. The T-Bird could've been and the Challenger definitely can be. As for the price gouging dealers, it'll happen at first, no doubt. The best way for Dodge to prevent it from continuing to the point of detrement to the Challenger is to make more of them. It's hard for the dealers to gouge if we the buyers have other choices. I think starting in 2009 there will be enough Challengers to go around. The gouging will only continue on the "specialty" models that are sure to follow.

#5: I think a base model with a Hemi is a possibility, but a stripper with minimal options probably isn't. You can blame the Japanese automakers and the American consumer for that. It's cheaper to inventory a limited number of cars. Mayber I'm wrong, but it seems to me the Japanese makers started the whole take-it-or-leave-it option package thing. And you can't blame any of the automakers for limiting choices when you have picky customers who "would buy that one, but it doesn't have the visor mirror." It's easier and cheaper for the dealers to stock fewer option combinations. Maybe after the first year they will allow us to special order them as we want, but it'll probably still be restricted to packages.

#6: I agree, throw back labelling would be great. But I don't mind the Ram's head -in addition- to tie the retro to the future.

#7: See #4.


I guess the time for design suggestions and changes is long past. All we can do now is wait for February. I'm itching to see some production interior spy shots. I thought the concept interior was perfect. I hope they didn't screw it up.

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