Jeremiah 29:11

I am not sure I agree with that one.

I wonder if the 2008 models are LX and the 2009 models are LY. I was thinking the LY models were not coming out until 2010.

Does anybody know for sure?

Hotrod crystal ball percolates with power and prestige

Tom Jensen
Wheelbase Communications


Wednesday, January 02, 2008


Even with most 2008 models still on their way to showrooms, it's not too early to take a sneak peak at the hottest of the hot for the 2009 model year. Final specifications might change between now and the time these vehicles hit the showrooms -- and there will be more detail -- but the production versions will closely mirror what you see here.

CHEVROLET CAMARO

Without question, the most keenly anticipated 2009 model will be the Chevrolet Camaro. Playing off the success of a category owned and operated by the Ford Mustang, the new fifth-generation Camaro will feature styling cues from the halcyon days of the late 1960s, married to state-of-the-art technology. The '09 Camaro will bow as a four-seat hardtop, with a convertible to follow in the 2010 model year. Look for a host of V6 and V8 engine options, likely topping out at around 400 horsepower.

DODGE CHALLENGER

While the current Ford Mustang and the next-generation Chevrolet Camaro pay only stylistic homage to their forebears, the 2009 Dodge Challenger is nearly a dead-nuts-on knock-off of the popular 1970-74 model. The Challenger will be built on an updated version of the LX platform -- the LY, of course -- which comes from the Dodge Charger and Magnum and the Chrysler 300. A sleek two-door, four-passenger coupe, you can bet the Challenger will come with a Hemi V8 under the hood. A tantalizing, but unconfirmed, rumour is the Challenger could have a sister car, the Chrysler 'Cuda.

CADILLAC ESCALADE HYBRID

The Cadillac Escalade enjoys enormous popularity with rappers, rock stars and athletes, but with environmentalists, not so much, just like any thirsty, larger-than-really-need-be display of capitalism. That will soon change, when the Escalade will follow the lead of the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon and adopt a gas/electric powertrain sometime in the 2008 calendar year. Cadillac will introduce the Escalade Hybrid for 2009 as an all-wheel-drive model with an expected 25-per-cent fuel-economy savings. Those numbers aren't exactly in the range of the benchmark Toyota Prius, but a big improvement just the same. The only hybrid markings on the Escalade will be a badge. Proper thing.

CADILLAC CTS-V

The Cadillac CTS is all-new for 2008 and its bad-boy big brother, the CTS-V, will roll out in 2009 armed with the new General Motors supercharged motor said to produce a minimum of 500 horsepower and perhaps as much as 525. With the adrenaline blast under the hood will come a revised suspension designed to better put the power to the ground. Cadillac is expected to limit production of its new hotrod to about 7,000 units a year. Look for the CTS-V to be the most serious rival to BMW's M-Series cars yet.

FORD MUSTANG

Ford has had little, if any, competition in the domestic musclecar category since the current-generation Mustang was introduced for 2005. But with its rivals ramping up with the Camaro and Challenger, Ford has decided to make the Mustang a moving target that will be tough to hit. For the 2009 model year, the Mustang will get a freshened body design on the current platform and GT models are expected to get at least 50 more horsepower under the hood. Ford is also thought to be working on a retractable hardtop for the Mustang -- a technology the company pioneered in the 1950s -- but whether that makes it into production remains to be seen.

FORD FLEX

Yankee

Wow, ya think? Not much gets past this guy, does it.

And I thought that the new "Blue Devil" Corvette was going to be known as the ZR-1... I might be wrong on this one but I'm pretty sure it's not gonna be known as an SS.

kramtrah

This guy has some interesting but not all factual information. I agree that the 09 Camaro may not be the most anticipated vehicle as he believes. And certainly, where does he gleen the info on which platform the Challenger is on. The LY is certainly coming, but I have seen nothing to suggest or say that it will be launched with the Challenger. The Caddy CTS-V, wow, could certainly be a great street rod, but I'm still not a GM fan, other than I am counting on GM to hold off Toyota to keep an American Car company as the world leader in car sales. The CTS is a great car, the CTS-V will be even greater. As for the FLEX, my thought of it at the auto show was that it was an ugly looking thing that won't have any impact. Although, the Prius isn't pretty either, and well, they found the niche, and Honda didn't. Lastly, he has his info incorrct on the new 'Vette. Motor Trend definitely stated it is intended to be a ZR-1, as MT says, to be the spiritual successor of the '90 ZR-1. All 'Vettes are considered Super Sports, so nothing factual there, and lastly, Z07 was only 'one" better than the Z06, which this car is is much more than the previous.

Albeeno

350 HP in the new 2009 Mustang GT? GIDDY UP!!!! I believe 350 HP is the exact same output being forecast for the 2009 Challenger R/T and at significantly smaller displacement (4.6 vs 5.7)! How do those Blue Oval boys do it?

And one other thing - any idea why the "Blue Devil ZR-1" Corvette added a hyphen? Wasn't the 1990 one called a ZR1? What's the deal???

DSkippy

What about that Ford rally car that was 600hp out of 2 litres (120 approx CID), it would only last one race though. I suspect the more HP you glean from a smaller engine, the higher the propensity for maintenance issues.

Think Racehorse...much faster than a draft horse, but more prone to break down! ;-)