RLSH700

Cutting the weight would help, but the problem is how do you do it without cutting safety, quality, or increasing the price? The real solution is the manual transmissions and using a line of engines using VCT in them.

Riptide

Well jeez I hope they aren't equal when you consider how much more the SRT-8 costs in the first place.

Most likely 4.9 with the GT was about as perfect a run as they could have under perfect conditions. I understand that. 5.0-5.2 is going to be more common. The SRT-8 accelerates faster. Just not by much IMO.

wallstreetman

Look at the books of past muscle cars and you will notice that most stopped at 425 HP, this was for insurance purposes. A 426 Hemi that was rated at 425 HP actually put out 512 HP.

RLSH700

I will agree that under absolute perfect conditions, 4.9 might be possible; however, what you're again forgetting is the price difference between the GT500 and GT. By the same token, you could claim the same about the GT500 as it costs $15-20K higher than the GT without dealer mark-ups taken into the equation while being not that much faster either. As I said earlier (and possibly in a different thread), anyone can easily modify the GT to be faster than the GT500 for much less money that the GT500 costs. The issue is that you buy cars like SRTs and GT500 because they are a stock performance package, not because they provide better bang for your buck. When the Challenger is in full-production, the R/T will compete against the GT. The SRT a full-performance does not compete against the GT a budge performance, it competes against the full performance GT500.

JJMPB

get back to basics thats how offer crank windows manual locks get rid of the IRS and A/C and alot of the saftey stuff in cars today i doubt is really needed if my 93 ford probe doesn't have it you don't need it i am sure that would cut down some of the weight

DSkippy

I hear that JJMPB. It's too bad they don't really give this muscle thing a true run.

Why not have some econo-muscle in the works for those who just want some good old fashioned straight line go fast action! An effort to where any one wild enough of spirit can have a little fun within the limitations of their paychecks!

Strip it down, take some of the finesse and gadgetry out and leave a strong engine, reasonable breaks and some real raw performance, no frills.

mopar2ya

There was a show a while back, think it may have been SPEED channel where they dyno'd some of the old muscle V-8's. All seemed to be understated by the factories but the Mopars were WAY understated. Some of the original equipped Mopars were producing close to 800 HP as I recall. Far more than the Chebys and Ferds of the day... BTW...

Guess that's why I catch myself grinning whenever I see talk of the SRT8 6.1 putting out the same HP as the old 426 HEMI... just makes me grin... marketing is a funny thing.

Cuda340

Sometimes the factory purposely underestimated the horsepower ratings of its cars to receive favorable drag racing brackets. They couldn't lie, so they gave horsepower readings before the engines reached their peak rpm.

A good example was my 1971 340 'Cuda. It was rated by the factory at 275 hp at 5,000 rpm. However, the engine would rev to over 6,000 rpm. At the higher rpm, it produced 325 hp.- a 50 hp difference!

DSkippy

18 percent more? What's a fifth more power amongst friends right?

Hmmm.....18 percent more than 425.......502.......hmmmmmmm

RLSH700

I can see your point, but the problem is good luck getting people besides hard-core enthusiasts to buy it. People complained a lot over it lacking more expensive interior, how do you think they would react without the feature comforts they have been spoiled with having for the last 20+ years. The change to the solid rear axle for the Mustang has been blamed on why it has failed to surpass the benchmarks made by last generation's Cobra R and 03-04 Cobra despite producing more power and having an upgraded transmission. The safety stuff, they pretty much have to have; otherwise, they will get sued and/or people won't buy it because "it's unsafe!"

There was a test a while back on the Magnum SRT-8 that they found that the engine was producing about 467hp which they said that the 426 produced 467.3hp so they are supposed to be pretty close from what I understand.