ORIGINAL: RoswellGrey
True. Especially when you consider the original pony cars were NOT muscle cars. They were SPORTS cars. And while we're on the subject, "pony" doesn't refer to the Mustang. It actually refers to the SIZE of the car (originally, pony cars such as the Barracuda, Mustang and Camaro were roughly three-quarters the size of a full-size Plymouth, Ford or Chevrolet). Think of a pony keg, not a Mustang when using the term.
Yes, you are correct that the pony cars and muscle cars were not the same, thank you for reminding us of that (I can't believe I actually said that after I have said exactly what you said before hand
)
Paladin, I would say you are probably right about them selling more V6s than V8s. The V6 models of the Charger and 300 are outselling the V8s despite the low fuel economy difference and this will probably also be the case as generally V6 sales of the Mustang are the highest seller.
ORIGINAL: 1971Chall
Good points guys. I guess it sounded intriguing for a moment but RLSH700 I would have to agree with the weight thing and overall longetivity. The car would really have to be about 4 - 500lbs lighter to get the same effect. Cost of the turbo motor would also be a consideration. I don't believe this would hurt sales of the Caliber or on the GM end the Solstice/Sky/Cobalt. Different classes of cars. If the 3.5(Maybe the upcoming Phoenix motor) would get some updates you potentially have a 30mpg(highway) car even at the current weight. Direct injection and a 6 speed trans(both manual and auto) would go a long way toward this. Again, I like my V8 and will get a HEMI for sure and I agree it fits the concept of this car better. Just looking at the different ideas so the car can sell in some volume to keep it going. This being an enthusiast board most will want the performance. There are a lot of people out there that like the style but are not interested in maximum performance, just a stylish cruiser.
Thank you. Somethings sound good on paper until you include the human factor (the most important element of anything in marketing). As I said before, the Caliber may not be as high a case since it is a different market, though the Solstice, Sky, and possibly Cobalt, I believe would be the case. From the sound of things, the cost of a Camaro with this engine would be significantly cheaper than the Solstice and Sky and probably a coupe to a few thousand more than the Cobalt. The reason why the Camaro when equipped with the same engine would likely cannibalize the sales of the Solstice and Sky is when you take into account everybody's favorite phrase when discussing performance.
Drum roll please...
"With the money I am saving on getting this car, I can spend the same amount on further modifying the car to make it faster and still have money left to spare."
This is why it could cannibalize the sales, on top of the fact that the Camaro would be a more livable choice for everyday driving, can fit more people making it both fun and practical, the larger size makes it safer, and the name Camaro with its history is far more recognizable and impressive than either Solstice and Sky that have only been out for a couple years. As for the Cobalt, it is difficult to say the same favorite line because unlike the two seaters, it is FWD and FWD is a lot more difficult to modify without bad results unlike RWD. Also, many Chevrolet fans who are looking at a Cobalt SS, would likely be willing to pay the extra difference since the Camaro is an icon for Chevrolet, whereas the Cobalt is just a new name to try to make their compact offering seem less dull since the name "Cavalier" does not have a positive association with it after being an uncompetitive car for so long. Again the Camaro will have advantages that will make the potential Cobalt audience to want to upgrade to the Camaro. Basically, its best to keep the powertrains as different