<VV> The Magnum looks good, but...

[Tony Underwood]

At 11:03 hours 01/16/2006, Vic Howard wrote:
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>. The Magnum looks good, but  here comes Chevrolet!!!!
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>http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/




Trouble is, the Camaro concept is little more than a "me too!" and it 
was rushed, at that.



And has anybody here seen the new Dodge Challenger?    It's not an 
artist's conception or a veiled promise, it's for real and on the 
road and sports a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 450 hp Hemi engine 
with 0-60 times under 5 seconds.

And,  it looks bitchin'.

http://www.seriouswheels.com/top-2006-Dodge-Challenger-Concept.htm


Seems the "charger" that Dodge dropped the ball on hasn't really gone 
over the way Daimler-Chrysler thought it would.   A 4-door sedan cat 
box with a Hemi in it that weighs over 4000 lbs and looks like 
something grandpa would drive.   And then here comes Ford with a 
retro Mustang that *Performs* and sells for a decent price and looks 
just the way a New Millennium Mustang ought to look.     Ma Mopar 
just got caught with her knickers down... once again catering to 
beancounters and that nitwit marketing manager named Trevor Creed.

So:   Chrysler evidently learned a thing or two with the 
"charger",  took the ball and ran with it and they've got Challengers 
on the road wowing people.   Plans are to put it into production 
pretty much as-is, what with the concept car itself being made so as 
to be a showroom version and not necessarily a promotional 
item.   Chevrolet, meanwhile, is still trying to get their pants  buttoned.


...never should have let things get to this point.   They never 
should have relied on beancounters to set policy.


The Mustang is already a hit and the Challenger is gonna be...   and 
here's Chevrolet trying to catch up.    Maybe they should have hired 
Bob Lutz a bit earlier, huh...


...kinda leaves one a bit disgruntled, don't it?


I for one would like to see GM get its show back on the 
road...  because I do NOT much like Toyota and their cut-throat 
attitude towards US car makers etc and the very fact that GM entered 
into any sort of partnership with those backstabbers left me in a bit 
of a quandary as to why GM would do this sort of thing with a 
competitor who would as soon see GM dead and buried as spit on them.

And WHO is currently the largest car maker...?    And who is not 
likely to relinquish that position without a BIG fight...?   And who 
is likely to NOT bend over in order to do *anything* to aid GM's 
recovery...?

And what did GM do?    Listen to the beancounters and kill the 
F-bodys and then kill off Olds...  instead of diversifying their 
product lines and making cars people *want* rather than trying to 
convince people that what they see on the dealer lots is what they 
should buy.

Instead, the consumers went elsewhere...  bought Toyotas.


...and GM is surprised...?    Oh well, they're educated now and I 
suppose they're gonna be trying their best to catch up.


tony..