Re: OT Dodge's New Super Bee

Michael Johnson <cds@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:NZednbjZEdWCMHfbnZ2dnUVZ_hmtnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxx:

Joe wrote:
Michael Johnson <cds@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:p7OdnadqycAOYnTbnZ2dnUVZ_gWdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxx:

NoOption5L@xxxxxxx wrote:
On Sep 13, 6:22 pm, Michael Johnson <c...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Joe wrote:
Don't get me wrong, I love a good thundering V-8 as much as the
next guy. IMO, the reason Chrysler had to give it all that
horsepower and torque is because it weighs over two tons.
Mike,

Remember, the beloved Hemi 'Cudas of yore also weighed about 2
tons.
Sins of the past don't justify sins of the present. Chrysler had
little to do with the design of the 300C's bones. It was a MB
brainchild which is why it is heavy. It is also, IMO, the main
reason it is a good solid car.

I see this as a good thing. Maybe I'm old school, but I like mass
and weight for safety. If a 300C meets a Mustang in a collision,
which car's occupants will come away with fewer injuries? Sure,
that's a glittering generality, but I'd rather put my wife in an SUV
than a Honda Fit.

In the computer age we should be able to have our cake and eat it too.
I think the larger luxury cars need the weight to provide sound
deadening, allot for all the options etc. If a 300C collides with a
GT500 I don't think we can call a winner as they both weigh damn near
the same. ;)

Interesting point. ;) BTW, there were ads in last Sunday's paper for
GT500s at a local dealer. I think the ad price was around 50k+ or
something.

For whatever reasons it seems most automakers
have trouble putting full sized cars on a diet. Just look at the
Mustang, it is a relative pig for its size.

I'm starting to look at the
300C platform as Chrysler's new K-car chassis. They at least need
a two door variant of it to give us a different look.
I'm afraid many enthusiasts won't know how good these
300Cs/Chargers/ Magnums are until they're gone.

They're very popular around here, although a lot of them sport 22"
dubs and whatnot...

I hope Chrysler replaces them with something better when they do
give it the axe.

Everyone who says they don't like them need to rent one (with a
Hemi) for a weekend, put it on the highway and then eat up about a
1,000 miles. Try it, and I'll guarantee you won't want to take it
back to the rental company.
I have no doubt it is a nice car. It just seems to me that Chrysler
is letting it get dated and not improving it in any substantial way.

I see it as: Why mess with a good thing?

The trouble is that they need to do this to keep the public's interest
and to not get left behind as technology advances. The Big Three
tried this approach before and damn near became extinct back in the
1980s.

IMO it's a balance that has to be maintained. Makers have to know
what's currently selling and what's going to sell next year. I'd
imagine it's the same in your field, Michael. Your designs have to be
current (i.e., what works) but timeless to the point where they'll still
be popular and functionally viable in 5 to 10 years.

Maybe the car is too heavily dependent on MB R&D to modify in any
meaningful way. This is also one reason I think the Challenger will
never see the light of day. I hope I'm wrong.

Same here. The market needs that car.

I think it would sell. I just think Chrysler doesn't have the money
or the ability to bring it to reality.

If it stays relatively close to what we've already seen, it will be a
runaway hit.

The 300C is a MB design and I
wonder if they have the in-house ability to redesign it or even the
legal rights to do so.

I'd have to think that Cerebus took care of all that stuff with the
buyout. So far, Chrysler's design team's doing just fine IMO.
Certainly no worse than anything Ford or GM is coming up with.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: OT Dodges New Super Bee
    ... the reason Chrysler had to give it all that horsepower ... the beloved Hemi 'Cudas of yore also weighed about 2 tons. ... You don't buy a sporty car to be ...
    (rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang)
  • Re: OT Dodges New Super Bee
    ... the reason Chrysler had to give it all that horsepower ... the beloved Hemi 'Cudas of yore also weighed about 2 tons. ... I have no doubt it is a nice car. ...
    (rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang)
  • Re: OT Dodges New Super Bee
    ... the reason Chrysler had to give it all that ... the beloved Hemi 'Cudas of yore also weighed about 2 ... reason it is a good solid car. ...
    (rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang)
  • Re: OT Dodges New Super Bee
    ... IMO, the reason Chrysler had to give it all that horsepower ... I have no doubt it is a nice car. ...
    (rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang)
  • Re: OT Dodges New Super Bee
    ... the reason Chrysler had to give it all that ... It is also, IMO, the main ... I have no doubt it is a nice car. ... Chrysler's design team's doing just fine IMO. ...
    (rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang)