the chrysler paradox

[0h n0 5.0]

is it jus me, or have you guys been waiting for a new chrysler muscle car for a long damn time? i swear.. next to ol ford muscle, the mopars are my next fav. those hemis, challengers, RR, demons..etc. were some nice pieces of machinery.

am I really supposed to beleive that no one at daimler can design a sweet domestic muscle car usng that 5.9? is dodge really that shallow that they have to only make ultra exclusive, you-could never-afford this-aluminium-an plastic- $80,000 coffin rockets for the super rich? what happend to the Big three of racing?
we took chevy out, but not forever. Dodge is the only one we seemed to put out for good..they jus seemed to give the hell up.

correct me if i'm wrong but competition is what drives this world us car guys live in, and without conflict, ford can't improve on what it has accomplished...neither can the others.

why i know its never gonnna be the ol days of mopar, i still wish they'd (D/C) create some kind of domestic musclecar... its loney at the top of the v8 food chain

[polara7777]

Due in 2004 the New Charger. Also a new hemi is already done and being tested.2004 Charger
Lil more info on it:

While paying homage to the muscle car era, Charger R/T produces emissions so low it would meet the California Air Resources Board Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standard. It would also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 25 percent. That's because this Charger R/T is powered by a supercharged, compressed natural gas (CNG) 4.7-liter V-8 engine.

Supposed to churn out 325 HP be rear wheel drive and force inducted. Should be great.

[polara7777]

The next Lil' Red Wagon. Someone at Dodge loves us!
SRT-10

[The Deuce]

I've heard about the 353 cube Hemi that is supposed to go in the 300m and be put into a muscle car. I had my A game on at the LA Auto Show with the girl working the Hemi car. Apparently even with all my charm going, showing me the motor wasn't worth her job.

It's like the loch ness motor. We've all heard about it, nobody's seen it, yet we all want to believe.

[WADS56]

There just using the name Hemi to sell the cars. Think about it almost all new motors today are a Hemi one way or an other. Pretty much anything with DOC is a Hemi. I don't think it will dominate like it did in the old day.
Just my thoughts,
Wade

[Mr 5 0]

The old days of the all-powerful Hemis are long gone for Chrysler. They are the econo-car company now, co-owned by a German company and known mostly for minivans, pickup trucks, the Sebring convertible and the retro PT Cruiser.

I know they could make a real muscle car anytime they wanted to with a careful selection from the parts bin but the demise of the Prowler and the Camaro don't bode well for more real musclecars being developed at Chrysler despite marketing hype to the contrary. Maybe they'll surprise us.

[306bullet]

This is just my two cents..........The new "hemi" will have 350+ horsepower. It will also utilize two plugs per cylinder for better emissions. I have read that it will first be available in the upcoming "HD" ram 2500 and 3500 models. Next year it will be available in the 1500 models. It is going to replace the 5.9 (360) as many of you already know. The next generation Intrepid will be rear drive w/ the hemi as an option.
The link that polara7777 posted for the srt/10 has most of this info listed. That is where I have read about all of this in the past months. That is a great site for inside info and they update it daily.

[Mopar1]

Hopefully Chrysler will get back into the game

[srv1]

Originally posted by polara7777
The next Lil' Red Wagon. Someone at Dodge loves us!
SRT-10

finally, competition for the Lightning! i like it!

[PKRWUD]

I was reading that article on the SRT-10 thinking to myself that this was OLD NEWS, and why were these guys so late with it, until I got to the bottom and saw the date.

lol.

Originally posted by Mr 5 0
The old days of the all-powerful Hemis are long gone for Chrysler. They are the econo-car company now, co-owned by a German company and known mostly for minivans, pickup trucks, the Sebring convertible and the retro PT Cruiser.

I know they could make a real muscle car anytime they wanted to with a careful selection from the parts bin but the demise of the Prowler and the Camaro don't bode well for more real musclecars being developed at Chrysler despite marketing hype to the contrary. Maybe they'll surprise us.

Ahhh, so it might seem, but no, things are about to get very exciting. We are currently on the doorstep to what will be the dawn of a new era in American Muscle. The big three are all working on rear wheel drive sedans that are performance oriented. The F-bodies died, but GM's passion for performance didn't. The 2004 GTO is a fact, not a myth, and will be putting out over 300 hp in it's weakest, N/A form. The rumor mill has Pontiac offering a Judge version by 2006 with a supercharged LS1. My sources tell me the boys in the Mopar camp are hard at work trying to develop something that will beat it. Dodge designed and built an all new 360(+/-) hemi for their use in NASCAR, but the GM and Ford boys cried foul, and NASCAR denied it's use. Still, the engine exists, and they would like to use a detuned version of it in production cars in the hear future.

I see a bright future as far as what will be available. My concern is: will I be able to afford it?

Take care,
~Chris

[Mr 5 0]

PKRWUD:

Well, I don't get to read as many car magazines as I used to so this info is all good news, if it works out.

Unfortunately, I've read similar stuff over the years regarding all three manufacturers and little of it ever comes to pass - or the 'musclecar' turns out to have a V-6 with an automatic.

I think a lot of this hype are just trial balloons and teasers that some of the departments want to build but then the bean-counters cut them off, or gut the projects to the point were they ccannot be done right and are abandoned. At least Chrysler still has the 450 HP Dodge Viper V-12. Now that's an audacious machine! Keep 'em coming.

I hope all the hype, rumors and 'you-can-take-it-to-the-bank' promises from the auto companies and the folks 'in the know' who spread the word about future musclecar offerings are all 100% true.

We'll see.

[PKRWUD]

Check this out!!!

Take care,
~Chris

[PKRWUD]

General Motors Press Release 8:00 a.m EST June 20, 2002
ÊPontiac Confirms GTO Production
DETROIT Ñ
General Motors and its Australian division, Holden, have completed an agreement to return the legendary Pontiac GTO to U.S. highways in late 2003 as a 2004 model. Holden will produce up to 18,000 of the modern, high-performance coupes each year at its Elizabeth plant.
Bob Lutz, Chairman of GM's North American Operations, was a key player in bringing back the GTO as a modern interpretation of the legendary muscle car. After he drove the Holden Monaro during a recent trip to Australia, he knew he had found a vehicle to serve as the basis for the new GTO. "I love driving this car," Lutz said, raving about the Monaro's 5.7-liter V8, 6-speed manual transmission. "It shares that V8 heritage and a brawny, muscular stance with the classic GTO, and it will make a fine flagship for Pontiac.
The addition of the 2004 GTO to the Pontiac lineup is a giant step in Pontiac's mission to contemporize the way it expresses excitement for the 21st century. "We want to focus on creating vehicles with a clean, fresh expression of Pontiac styling and provide our customers with a 'total performance' package that delivers both impressive power and superior handling," said Lynn Myers, Pontiac-GMC general manager.
"In the 2003 model year, we have the all-new Vibe¨ and the fresh look of the restyled Sunfire¨ and Grand Am¨ SE. We are following that with the totally redesigned 2004 Grand Prix¨ in the first quarter of 2003," said Myers. "The introduction of the new GTO in late 2003 will be the 'exclamation point" on the exciting evolution of the division, moving Pontiac performance to the next level."
2004 PONTIAC GTO
The 2004 Pontiac GTO will share much of the sculpted and clean styling of the current 2002 Holden Monaro CV8 coupe, with unique Pontiac brand character, including a dual-port grille and powered by a specially tuned version of the 5.7-liter LS1 V8 (shared with some models of the Chevrolet¨ Corvette¨) mated to a choice of either a 6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. The rear-wheel-drive coupe will feature 17" alloy wheels, 2+2 bucket seating, and a premium sound system with an integrated 6-disc CD changer. Additional performance and feature details are still being finalized and will be released closer to the public unveiling of the GTO at the Los Angeles and North American International Auto Shows.
HOLDEN MONARO
The Holden Monaro was originally introduced in 1968 and was immediately lauded as the ultimate high-performance coupe. It was the first all-Australian sports coupe of its type. Strong public sentiment led Holden officials to bring back the Monaro name for its all-new 2001 coupe. Monaro became an instant classic when it was released in Australia last October and has become the most high-profile, sought-after car on Australian roads today.
GTO HISTORY
The Pontiac GTO sprang to life in 1963 as a 1964 model. It has been called the most famous muscle car in the high-performance automobile history. Also known as "The Legend" and "The Great One," GTO is the car that started it all.
Prior to 1964, performance cars were full-size hardtops and sedans with the largest displacement engines available. But, hot rodders had known for years that they could go faster if you put big engines in smaller, lighter cars. Engine swaps were standard operating procedure for this level of car buff, but that was backyard tinkering, not corporate engineering.
Driving enthusiasts' dreams came true in October of 1963 when the $299.95 GTO option, RPO W62, quietly joined the 1964 Pontiac Tempest¨/LeMans¨ option list. The heart of the original GTO option package was a 325-horsepower 389-cubic-inch V8, a Carter AFB four-barrel carburetor, rear-wheel drive, a hydraulic camshaft, and impressive torque. Other standard features included a heavy duty clutch, heavy duty suspension, dual exhaust, US Royal red-line tires, a 3.23:1 rear axle ratio, twin hood scoops, and an assortment of GTO emblems.
Before Pontiac ceased production after the 1974 model year, nearly 700,000 GTOs were sold.

[srv1]

Originally posted by PKRWUD
Check this out!!!

Take care,
~Chris

AHHH! ITS ABOUT TIME THEY MADE THE PONTIACE GRAND PRIX IN V8 FORM! OOPS I MEAN gto!

im sorry. the GTO and Judge are what made Pontiac. so what do they do? make them look like a FWD grand prix and make it rwd and use a CHEVY mill to power it and call it a GTO! NOT! yeah its a nice car and powerful, but any true car nut would know its just another marketing skeem to use an old popular car name to make sales. call it whatever you want, but dont call it a GTO or a "Judge". im am not a total Ford lover, by far im not. but i will say one thing. at least Ford kept the Mustang, looking like a Mustang for over 37 years.

Whats next, a 4 door Modern Muscle car with an old muscle car name? OOPS! I guess Chrysler hopped on that band wagon as well.

[PKRWUD]

It's a Holden, James. Don't let the trademark Pontiac grille fool you.

Take care,
~Chris