Jeremiah 29:11

I guess this guy has not seen the popularity of the Challenger at the car shows.

Brawn Without Brains: Once Again, Detroit Tries to Move Forward by Looking Backward

By Matthew Phenix December 04, 2007 | 12:06:28

Chrysler LLC recently announced pricing for its forthcoming Dodge Challenger SRT8 coupe (the concept is pictured at left, although the production car will be a dead-ringer for it). It's $37,995, plus a $2100 gas-guzzler tax, for a grand total of $40,095. Whether or not you consider that figure a bargain is your business. The Challenger SRT8's 6.1-liter Hemi V-8, equipped either with a five-speed automatic transmission or, a bit later, a six-speed manual, produces a healthy 425 horsepower. Fun. Unfortunately, the car arrives not in free-wheeling 1968, when gasoline cost thirty-four cents a gallon and looked like it might never dry up, but nowadays, when premium fuel (oh yes, you bet the SRT8 sucks premium, pal) routinely smacks three-fifty a gallon and gloom-and-doom forecasts about the END OF OIL scroll across our RSS readers daily. Oh, but Chrysler's not alone in this silly fetish with thirsty V-8 engines glory days gone by. GM's trying to stir up emotions with the similarly retro-themed Chevrolet Camaro (pictured, top right), and Ford has already wheeled out old-timer Carroll Shelby for yet another Mustang extreme makeover, the GT500 (pictured, above right). And, perhaps the most gratuitous example of history-mining, Ford recently unveiled its second-generation Mustang Bullitt (pictured after the break), inspired by the car that Steve McQueen hustled around San Francisco in the '68 cop flick of the same name. What's going on here? Haven't we tried this retro thing before? Isn't it about time we move on?



Weren't the Plymouth Prowler and the Chrysler PT Cruiser enough to satisfy our nostalgic cravings? Or the Chevrolet SSR and HHR? Or perhaps the 2002 Ford Thunderbird and the GT? Can't American automakers just let bygones be bygones once and for all, and have a seat in the 21st Century? Do these companies really envision such vehicles cast a warm glow on their other models?

What makes American automakers' American-market ass-backwardness even more frustrating is knowing that they're doing some pretty remarkable things for other markets. Why are foreign-market cars from American manufacturers more compelling, forward-thinking, and fun than the cars they hawk in their home market? GM, Ford, and Chrysler each have very competent and successful diesel engines running in Europe, and sharp cars like GM's Opel/Vauxhall Agila and Ford's Verve concept suggest the lights are still on somewhere.

Chrysler, GM, and Ford consider the Challenger, Camaro, and Mustang to be "image leaders" for their respective brands. But I have to wonder: Is this the sort of image these companies want to project? Now I temper all of this with the admission that I enjoy a powerful automobile and I believe there's really nothing quite like the noise of a really good, performance-tuned V-8 engine. But is a dose of nostalgia really worth the pain of a sixty-five-dollar fill-up? Not a chance. I'll rent the movie. Steve McQueen was brilliant in his day, but his time passed and now he's dead. Maybe cars like this should take the hint.

tdub2112

Forgive me for saying this but.

SCREW HIM!!!!![:@]

RLSH700

Translation: "Because I can't enjoy muscle cars, no one else should." Thank you for summing that up.

Funny we hear more complains about them doing this with cars than we hear about them complaining about trucks and SUVs ("crossovers"/station wagons on stilts are not included in this) that the Japanese are getting further into that would kill to get the fuel mileage of these muscle cars. If this was about really about fuel economy, they would realize that and complain about how Toyota and Nissan were starting to stray from their moral crusade to save us all from Manbearpig.

To answer his question about the Thunderbird, GT, PT Crusier, Prowler, SSR, and HHR, all but two were unaffordable for many people, two of them looked tacky and really didn't have impressive performance for the price (Thunderbird and SSR), the Prowler didn't have enough engine for the price and the GT was insanely expensive. GM just quit the Camaro for a few years, why are they not allowed to return to it. Ford never stopped selling the Mustang because it sells better than the dull cars that people like him like. Dodge hasn't offered near as many SUVs in their line up as many other manufacturers, why aren't they allowed to have a few gas guzzlers?

Yeah, this is sharp, about as sharp as a rubberglove.[:'(] I have serious doubts about the authenticity about this guy being a classic car fan.

DSkippy

Jeremiah/RLSH700, this is exactly the type of guy I was referencing in this post

https://dodgechallenger.com/forums/m..._/tm.htm#19174

Self righteous and self important. Apparently he hasn't seen the sales Ford has had going retro? In 30 years when they're not making some econobox throw back, will anybody wonder why? I'm surprised this guy isn't clamoring for retro Chevette. What a putz.

RLSH700

That one GM model that he was praising as looking sharp does remind me of the Chevette, how about you? Ford was doing well with more practical models back in the 90s, but in the process they destroyed their reputation with those models as they were badly plagued with weak transmissions (Taurus), bad head gaskets (all Ford 3.8L models), weak paint, and eventually catfish styling (Taurus & Contour). The Mustang is the only one that has remained successful as it is unique...for now...

I really get tired of those people as well. They tend to be as you put it self-righteous and self-important. I wish they would get a life and let us enjoy our cars while they putt around in their hybrids.

[IMG]local://upfiles/22/7E72D85EF0F6420891D7EDEA3100F6F0.jpg[/IMG]

Jeremiah 29:11

He must work for one of the imports.

I would not hire him for my marketing department.

stevelegel

He's not a car guy. So how does he end up writng an automotive article?
Steve

Plum70Rag

Well, yeah... But I sure wouldn't want to have to do it all the time!

joeyr

Agreed tdub . Funny no mention of the retro VW bug, rabbit, or the mini, of the Fj cruiser, or the Skyline GTR,.

Sounds like half written car brochure. where do they gets these guys from? Better yet how much do they get paid? If they have an room I would love to send them a resume. I can write bull all day (just check some of my posts, lol[sm=icon_rofl.gif])

lear4406

You have to feel kind of sorry for the guy. He is so dumb, he answers his own question by talking about the feel of a powerful V-8. Americans save money and blow money on so many things, its the continual persuit of happiness thing. And the cars like the Challenger and Camaro are rich in each one of our minds with our youth and bygone simple days. I long for the simple times and when I ride in my Challenger its a stress reliever. Wonder what thats worth in dollar and cents. I don't need a shrink and pay $100 hour for my therapy, just $65 in gas and I'm all fixed up... back to my sweet loving self And the real "My Space" is the seats I sit in on my way to work and back. So join me my friends and lets all get back to the basics of life... see you on the streets