will this stump on the new challenger??

[MikeM]

I've been away for a bit, so I've missed this debate...but let us jump in with both feet.

1. What the hell does Ford have to offer? A $60,000 Mustang with 500 hp? They've been relagated to Subaru WRX SRI territory...300 hp AWD will school anything Ford can make...for half the price...

IDK Jeff, I drove a friend's 2006 Mustang w/the 4.6. I really liked the ride, handling, & interior styling . . . it's just such a wuss in the power department, I can't defend it.

2. Calling the new Camaro garbage is...well...idiocy. You don't like how it looks? Fine...I agree. But performance is a whole 'nother issue. From a performance standpoint, it will not disappoint...regardless of engine. Props to Bob Lutz for that. You don't bring the Camaro back to be a POS. The heritage and following is too demanding.

x2 . . . I personally don't care too much for the styling either, but I think the 5th gen will be a real performance machine, GM certainly has all the pieces to make it so.

3. Chrysler has been bought out...they're looking for any cost saving measurable they can get. As much as I like the Challenger, they WILL fall short of what a unified and economically healthy GM can bring to the table. The SRT Challenger may make headlines out the gate (the SRTs will be released first), but the big Camaros will run them down.

Here's where I have to disagree. I have been in the meetings. For every other car Chrysler is making right now I would agree that cost is king, but for this one car, they are making decisions in the opposite direction. I've personally watched the senior management make some decisions to spend lots of extra money on this car to get it right. They are looking at this as a true "halo" car which is all about re-establishing Dodge as a performance brand to the everyday consumer. I think they are going to spend the bucks and get it right. I just hope it is executed cleanly with no quality problems . . . it only takes six months to ruin a car's reputation in this market, if you mess it up you may as well stop making them because no one will buy them. Here's hoping they launch it well . . . you can bet I will do everything I can to help!!

And most of all, here's to the horsepower wars!! We can only hope that ALL these cars succeed, as then WE (the buyers) will benefit most from the ensuing race to build the fastest car!

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

Here's where I have to disagree. I have been in the meetings. For every other car Chrysler is making right now I would agree that cost is king, but for this one car, they are making decisions in the opposite direction. I've personally watched the senior management make some decisions to spend lots of extra money on this car to get it right. They are looking at this as a true "halo" car which is all about re-establishing Dodge as a performance brand to the everyday consumer. I think they are going to spend the bucks and get it right. I just hope it is executed cleanly with no quality problems . . . it only takes six months to ruin a car's reputation in this market, if you mess it up you may as well stop making them because no one will buy them. Here's hoping they launch it well . . . you can bet I will do everything I can to help!!

I'm not saying it won't be a good car...it will.

But Chrysler just doesn't have a powerplant to compete with a LS7/LS9 variant that will likely see it's way into the Camaro.

GM will be detuning one of those to get 450-500 hp, while Chrysler will have to create a "new" upgraded variant of the SRT Hemi to get close to that.

GM just has the advantage of time, money and product base to pull off a bigger trump card than anything that Chrysler or Ford could offer.

But I'll still be looking for a Challenger...will be much more scarce than even the top line Camaro.

[WMCCjames]

I'm not saying it won't be a good car...it will.

But Chrysler just doesn't have a powerplant to compete with a LS7/LS9 variant that will likely see it's way into the Camaro.

GM will be detuning one of those to get 450-500 hp, while Chrysler will have to create a "new" upgraded variant of the SRT Hemi to get close to that.

GM just has the advantage of time, money and product base to pull off a bigger trump card than anything that Chrysler or Ford could offer.

But I'll still be looking for a Challenger...will be much more scarce than even the top line Camaro.

You hit the nail on the head Jeff!!!! Low production numbers will make it a more collectable car in the future I think. It's been working for the Viper so far

[meissen]

I wouldn't mind if it's collectible or not. When it comes to having a car that you can mod and style as your own, that's what makes me love the Camaro. I love the looks of Firebirds but I don't like the fact that if I wanted to start modding the appearance I barely have any options to do it. Everyone says "Well, the Pontiacs weren't made as much as Camaros" Camaro may be dime a dozen, but that just means there's that much more I can do to it because more companies make stuff for it.

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

I wouldn't mind if it's collectible or not. When it comes to having a car that you can mod and style as your own, that's what makes me love the Camaro. I love the looks of Firebirds but I don't like the fact that if I wanted to start modding the appearance I barely have any options to do it. Everyone says "Well, the Pontiacs weren't made as much as Camaros" Camaro may be dime a dozen, but that just means there's that much more I can do to it because more companies make stuff for it.

Uhm...what do you mean by barely any options?

There's a bizillion options for either car, regardless of generation...

[Redd8407]

I've been away for a bit, so I've missed this debate...but let us jump in with both feet.

1. What the hell does Ford have to offer? A $60,000 Mustang with 500 hp? They've been relagated to Subaru WRX SRI territory...300 hp AWD will school anything Ford can make...for half the price...

2. Calling the new Camaro garbage is...well...idiocy. You don't like how it looks? Fine...I agree. But performance is a whole 'nother issue. From a performance standpoint, it will not disappoint...regardless of engine. Props to Bob Lutz for that. You don't bring the Camaro back to be a POS. The heritage and following is too demanding.

3. Chrysler has been bought out...they're looking for any cost saving measurable they can get. As much as I like the Challenger, they WILL fall short of what a unified and economically healthy GM can bring to the table. The SRT Challenger may make headlines out the gate (the SRTs will be released first), but the big Camaros will run them down.

This is just me personally...but...I expect GM to up the antes on quality, comfort, and performance on all their vehicles across the board.

The other two of the Big 3 are wounded...and GM knows it...and is the healthiest of the bunch to do it.

I cannot agree more with you, Jeff. Especially the final point on Ford and Chrysler being wounded.

[Orange Terror]

My complaint has always been the looks of the Camaro, never the drivetrain. I agree with Jeff the one thing that the Camaro will have going for it is the powerplant, hands down GM is the best in that department.

To each their own, but regardless I'd rather have the more rare car than having to try to spend hundreds to thousands of $$$ trying to make my car look different. That's what I loved about the 99, even though it was just another LS1 Z28, the Hugger Orange made it a much more rare car. So, If I am in the market I will definitely be looking at the Challenger.

[meissen]

Uhm...what do you mean by barely any options?

There's a bizillion options for either car, regardless of generation...

Aftermarket wise, there seems to be quite a lot more options for a Camaro than there are for a Firebird/Trans Am. Granted, I only look for Camaro stuff, but I've found it a lot harder to find Firebird/TA stuff when it comes to Angie's car.

For example, I was able to purchase an aftermarket bumper cover and fender for my car. When Angie's front bumper got hit in the parking lot, I went on ebay to find her a replacement bumper. Couldn't find one for the life of me.

Firebird Bumper search returns 137 at moment of posting:
http://search.ebay.com/firebird-bump...sooZ2QQfsopZ34

Camaro Bumper search returns 477 at moment of posting:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...e=search&fgtp=

Firebird Bumper Cover search returns 11 at moment of posting... None of which are new:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...e=search&fgtp=

Camaro Bumper Cover returns 59 at moment of posting... almost all of which are brand new aftermarket:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...trypage=search

Firebird search in Car & Truck Parts returns 4859 at moment of posting:
http://motors.search.ebay.com/firebi...chiZQQsaprcloZ

Camaro search in Car & Truck Parts returns 10541 at moment of posting:
http://motors.search.ebay.com/search...e=search&fgtp=

[BP_Z28]

well i like the challenger..but wouldnt chose it over the maro ...period.

[Lucky SOB]

What are you talking about? Challenger is not even on the same level as z06.

Viper already has 600HP btw, 95 more then the z06, so if chevy bumps up to 650HP what makes you think dodge wont go to 700?

You could say the ZO6 and Viper SRT-10 are on the same level horsepower wise but c'mon the ZO6 is the all around better car for $20,000ish less. Now I don't know how much the SRT-10 is but I'm guessing around $85,000. You can grab a ZO6 for $62,500, still take out Ferraris, easily hang with the Viper and probably beat it! Plus with the extra cash in your pocket you could dump it into your ZO6 and make it so quick the SRT-10 looks like it's standing still and then go play with the Lambos, or buy a nice LS1 TA!!

[ZeeVert]

... What will they do next? Mustang II again? ....

Oh God! Nooooo! They wouldn't, would they!
That means they'd have to bring back the Pinto first.

[g-boi83]

dodge though?

For real though dodge come out on top....hell naw...da challenger is another ride that has a body that look like one of the mustang gts. What is a dodge again?? I'm sorry hands down I'm behind the 09 maro about to be out even though it reminds me of a mustangs body too.Mann, I think I'd be down for a mustang before I ever looked at a dodge though.Oh yeah whoever hates on GM desrves to be burned at stake :ha ha ha:

[ws6transam]

Has anyone mentioned that there's a possibility of three passengers actually fitting in the back of the Challenger? A five-passenger sedan is pretty important if you happen to have three children! If I had to choose between the two cars, I'd be pretty tempted, especially since I haven't had a chance to cruise with my whole family since the summer of 2000 due to my current ownership of a FOUR passenger musclecar...

[CHEV 383]

Rumor out there on the web is that the new Challenger will still have the 5.7L RT hemi motor, which only puts out 350 hp. The SRT, will be a new 6.3L Hemi motor, that is specked to do some serious damage. I guess Dodge is tired of hearing about the GTO 6.0L pounding on the SRT at a fraction of the cost. The new Camaro, will whoop them all, except maybe the SRT, but at what cost???

Just my two cents....

[Thedon619]

i love the new challenger but ate the new maro, idk, the engines in both r petty bad ass, however i dont like the looks of the new maro and the challenger looks almost exactly like they used to.