Dream on! Last I checked, dealers are the ones that sell the cars and with the excitement they are seeing, they estimate they can get between 50 and 60 thousand! I have talked with many, some have even said it could hit 70.

 

This all gets back to one point: Why would anyone EVER pay 1 cent over MSRP? Let the $70,000 Challengers sit in the showrooms and after a few months, we'll be buying $31,000 Challengers.

 

because old men who dont have the balls to drive the car like it SHOULD BE DRIVEN will buy them just to stick them in their garage as "collectors items"...but theyll be dead before the car is worth anything.

 

Well, Mirada, hopefully there aren't too many people like that. Again, I think anyone who pays over MSRP -- actually even MSRP -- just to have a really new vehicle is crazy. Look at the PT Cruiser. When they first came out, dealers were getting $5,000 to $10,000 markups. Now, who cares about those cars? The "wow factor" of having people gape at my shiny new car isn't enough for me to shell out any extra dough. Cars are expensive enough already.

 

unfortunately, i expect to see a great many of the first run challengers going to people willing to pay a HUGE markup...if the car is going to be at all limited production in its first run, youll see the same thing that you saw with the GT500, which is morons paying 20,000 dollars to get on a list, to get one eventually...now, there are gt500s sitting on lots...

dodge had better get their ass in gear, or one of those gt500s may be scooting from the lot, into my driveway. they drove away MANY long time dodge enthusiasts, and they will force away a HUGE segment if they screw up the launch of the challenger. i currently have 7 dodge products in my driveway, but im getting tired of waiting and having to face the option of buying a "performance sedan" (no car that doesnt offer a manual transmission can be taken seriously as a performance car, imo), or paying 80,000 for a viper that costs more and is slower than the Z06.

 

Let the mark-ups wear off. I'll wait until MSPR (or less).
I'm just a common consumer that digs the concept car; for me, the Challenger is the 2 door and the Charger is the 4 door. The Challenger should only be about $2K more than the Charger MSPR. I compare those cars to each other. Then I would compare the Challenger to the comparably equiped Mustangs... although I wouldn't buy a Mustang.

 

You're probably right, Mirada. I'm already beginning to think the '08 will be a write-off for me, cause they'll probably be so overpriced. I'll wait till '09...the same year the new Camaro comes out. You know, I was looking at one of the models of them at Wal-Mart (Johnny Lightning brand, I think). If the final produce looks like that model instead of the original concept car, I might be willing to consider one of them -- if they've got a decent price.

 

Great! Sounds like many of us may be getting the 2009 version which will probably have better options available anyway.

 

are you talking about the camaro? ive seen it in person in silver and red, hard top and drop top...i dont really care for some aspects of it. the interior is way too "blingy" for my liking..i would rather have an 02 SS...

another good point is that the challenger sales are likely to drop when the camaro comes out, forcing dealerships to deal them off the lots...

 

Dont you think Dodge knows this?

Just another reason that we will hopefully see a $30,999 6.1 Hemi Challenger in 08.. with a 6.4 500hp SRT in 09.

You mentioned that the Challenger will cost more than the equivalent Charger; 5.7, 6.1

I agree. My main point was just that the 5.7 will probably be replaced with the 6.1 (as the Challenger base Hemi)

Base Hemi Charger = Base Hemi Challenger.. hopefully thats how they will justify the $30,999 "Low" price tag for a 6.1.

Limited or not, the Camaro is very real.. and if they want to keep people on Challenger lists for 2009 rather than picking up a Camaro, they better offer the 6.1 425hp motor for 31k

For the casual muscle car enthusiast, I imagine they would not want to wait on a 5.7 Challenger list for an extra 12 months if equally powerful Camaro's are readily available.

Another question I havent seen asked, is what motor the Camaro will get. If the base "V8" Camaro is the LS2.. 400hp.. for probably $26k, they could easily release an LS3 Camaro (430hp) for $31k. I would hope Dodge would plan for that, and release the 6.1 Hemi in the Base Challenger.

Its obvious a Camaro SS with the LS7 will happen eventually (consider that when you mentioned Challenger sales hurting the Viper.. Camaro SS / ZO6.. same motor eventually?)

I'd buy a Viper for the look, not the performance differences between it and the Challenger. You could put a 600hp Viper motor in the Challenger.. but it still wont have the look of the Viper.

Anyways.. I see Chevy releasing a roughly 26-30k LS2/LS3 Camaro.. 400-430hp (maybe both). Dodge would be smart to use the momentum of the 2008 model to drive 2009 pre-orders. If you get 20,000 people to pre-order a $31,000 425hp 6.1 Hemi 2009 Challenger.. theres 20,000 sales potentially stolen away from the Camaro.