I agree with Roswell Grey what he is meaning is the price of cars now are rediculous. Look at the price of 70 - 71 Challengers brand new they were what around 4500 for a 426 Hemi. With thicker metal bodies, chrome bumpers, now cars have a lot of plastic on them. The price of any new car in my minds eye is way out of control. The average person who the muscle car market was aimed at back in the day could afford a new car just about of there choice. Now look if the average person tried to get a new Challenger there chance isnt too good. I beleive the car should be around 30 to 35. The new Charger Daytona is going for 36 so i dont see why not.

 

I'm not arguing with you, but let's put this into perspective.
While a '71 Challenger went for $4,500.00, my parents built a house in July of 1971 (exactly like the one I have now - same layout, same sq footage) for $28,900.00. The house I'm in now (let's theoretically say it's my parents' house built/paid for in 1971) values at $294,500.00 now (we had an appraisal done two years ago). That's roughly ten times the cost/value in 1971.
Now, that 1971 Challenger priced at $4,500.00 - times ten - would translate to $45,000.00 in current dollars. Likewise, our incomes have increased (respectfully) to the same level.
AND as much as I HATE to say it, gas (in 1971) was around $0.43/gal. Do the math.... (doesn't matter, I'll STILL complain about THAT!)

We have a stigma about numbers, thinking we pay entirely too much for everything. BUT in all reality, we're pretty close to the same standard of living that we were in 1971.
I'll stick with my original estimate of $44,000.00 - $49,000.00 for the MSRP on the car I want. They'll make them, price them and sell them at that level. The dealers are STILL listing Shelby Mustangs at $15,000.00 OVER MSRP on Ebay and people are STILL buying them! What do you think will happen with the Challenger?

 

BootCamp, what you're saying is exactly correct: Many things indeed ARE about 10 times the cost of 1971 (although Wrigley's chewing gum is only 7 times what it was then). However, the price you're quoting for the 1971 Challenger was ALMOST the TOP OF THE LINE (the 440 Magnum being the true top) model. You've got to remember that back in the day, consumers had a CHOICE of options -- everything from a slant 6 to the 440 was available -- that was the prime consideration in the development of the E body. And the slant 6 model was about $2,900 -- or $29K now. What really irritates me about the way Challenger situation is shaping up is that it's likely to be priced WAY out of range of the average person by only being available in the R/T and SRT versions. Look, for example, how many people on this board are either in college or just out of college. I'd sure hate to be them being saddled with a car payment that rivals that of a small house along with having to pay off thousands of dollars in student loans. For myself, $30K represents half a year's gross income. As much as I loved my 1970 model (which, for the record, was a 318 and cost $1,600 in 1974), I have to draw the line somewhere. Half a year's salary is it.

By the way, BootCamp, where were you buying gas in '71? There used to be two stations right across the street from where I went to high school (1970-1973) and the price was always 28.9 or 29.9 cents per gallon at both of them. It wasn't till early summer '73 when I started working at one of them that it topped 30 cents per gallon. And, yes, people b****ed like hell about that.

 

Upstate NY, Bud. Not the highest in the nation, but right now gas is $3.09, $3.19, and $3.29 a gallon for regular unleaded, blend, and premium - respectively. I THINK the price in Jersey is still somewhere around $2.64 for regular unleaded, so yeah, we pay higher taxes/prices on gas here.
I remember my Dad complaining about Mobil being SO much higher than Shell and Texaco gas in the late 60's (I think Mobil was about 2 or 3 cents a gallon higher at the pump) and my "best recollection" was that the price was $0.29/9 a gallon at the Texaco station across the street from where he worked back then.
I started driving in the mid 70's, not long before "Odd-Even Gas Rationing" started with those wonderful 1/4 mile long waiting lines. I recall the price being somewhere around $0.65 a gallon then.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying ALL Challengers will be in the mid-forties. I'm just making estimates based on market trends and the competition (Ford Mustang & GM/Chevy Camaro). But referencing the Mustang/Camaro vs Challenger might be "comparing apples to oranges" since the Mustang and (as far as I know) Camaro AREN'T limited production cars, and do/will offer 6 cylinder powerplants with considerably lower entry-level prices. You'll get MUCH more car when you buy a Challenger.
I expect you'll be able to get a "base model" with very few frills in the low-to-mid thirties, but I can't see them being "under $30,000.00" at all - especially if they're going to be a "limited production" with a 5.7L V8 base model in the first year, and Ford dealers are STILL shafting the Shelby customers a full year after the car became available for $15,000.00 - $20,000.00 over MSRP (a production limited to 7,000 cars per year, I believe).
To be honest, I have a limit on what I'm willing to spend on this car too. If the car sells for more than what I'm willing to pay (because of dealer greed/over MSRP markup), I'll wait until the second year when the demand drops a bit (not to mention there'll be more options/colors/powertrain combinations to choose from anyway). But if the MSRP is too high, I'll get a "beater" pick-up truck for every day driving/work, and a very nice older/restored muscle car (to satisfy my need for speed) for what I'm willing to spend.
I think there are a LOT of reasons why DCX is tight-lipped about EVERYTHING regarding this car right now, and pricing strategy is just as important as keeping the competition from getting a leg-up on them. So you (and everyone else) are correct for letting DCX know in forums like this what you want to pay for the car. I expect how many they actually sell depends on how closely the production car is to the prototype, and what it sells for.

 

You can blame the auto unions for the exuberent amounts of money it takes to buy a working man's hot rod these days. In Canada these working stiffs at these auto plants are making well in the excess of high 20's to low 30's for running an air ratchet where guys like myself make less and I'm the guy that builds the lines and robots that they use to make the production auto's that roll off their lines. Go figure. Who said life is fair. Along with the dick's at the fuel companies and the government that tacks on the tax on fuel, you can't win.

 

I think the topr rate is about $38.00 per hour.