Good Price, I thought it would be around 40-45 for one. I love all the LX cars except the perceived quality is not there when I went to the dealer both times, first for the Magnum, second for the Charger. The Magnum I looked at briefly and it had some paint goobed on top of the door and the "HEMI" name was not very accurately painted on the cover. Then I went to see the Charger a few months after I saw the Magnum and it also had a problem with the engine cover, it was loose and will not stay put and the "HEMI" was all smudged up and the interior looked so bland and econocar like.

The SRT-8 looks awesome to me. The only problem with it is just that, it's just all looks to me. I feel the GTO was engineered better and has better quality. A GTO with a Charger SRT-8 body would be perfect for me

 

A certain person once used that to describe some fixed misconceptions.

1. The Chrysler 300 is shorter than a Chevy Impala, and smaller than a Bonneville via exterior mesurements. The perception that the 300 & Charger are large are a very clever design illusion.

2. MN12 Ford Thunderbirds & Cougars were the same size as Monte Carlos, but weighed nearly 3800 pounds. Cobra's IRS is actually not bad weight-wise. The iron arms do't do it any favors, but going by half the weight rule of thumb, I'd say switching to alumunum would have reduced the assembly's weight about 15 pounds. Not worth the extra cost, Ford decided.

3. Say Chrysler went with a live axle in the LX. The work of the subframe would be carried by the simple rear axle. Since the solid rear axle probally weighs about the same as the Diff, U-joints, halfshafts, & knuckles on an IRS system, we've just tossed away a pretty heavy subframe. In tossing away that subframe, we dont need as much structure enforcement to support it. Altogether, probally around 150 pound minimum savings.


Take a look at the entire subframe assembly that's needed to mount the IRS under the tail end of the Sigma Cadillacs. The Chrysler LX cars. The Mustang Cobras. The Lincoln LX. Then take a look under the tail end of our F-body. Not much to it



The Holden VE and the Omega cars used what was perhaps the lightest version of IRS, the semi trailing arms attached directly to the body. But there was still a sub assembly needed to attach the differential to the body. This version compares somewhat more favorably to live axles. Unfortunately, this isn't the IRS we're talking about.

 

Clever? It used to be that a clever designer could make a bigger car look smaller and sportier.

I don't think the LX "largeness" is mostly an illusion, though. It may not be much longer in overall length, because the long wheelbase allows for a good sized interior, and the long wb and rwd allow for shorter overhangs. The car is rightfully considered a large car. It is decently long, it is wide, tall, and HEAVY. Why they decided to make it look even bigger than it may really be is beyond me...

Eric Bryant has mentioned that perhaps they wanted to cash in on the SUV and truck craze in this country, figuring a fat looking car would fit in with the mentality of big vehicles that is still very popular here.

 

Yep, I know what you mean........

Sorry bud, I'm unconvinced.

 

You know, this isn't the first time I have heard this. I remember reading straight out of MM&FF that the IRS in the 05 Mustangs would incur little to no weight penalty, as the car was designed for it in the beginning. If/when Ford moves to the IRS on the Mustang, it will be interesting to see how much more/less the cars weighs with it.

 

Your comparison is ridiculous, as is your demeanor. How do you know what the Charger SRT-8 will and won't have to worry about? I have heard of no one that has run their 300C SRT-8 on a road course. Not to say that is hasn't happened, but there are so few that do that even if this was an issue it wouldn't see the light of day. Yet another assumption that has no credence in reality. Your exaggeration is quite evident as well, as fuel starvation is definetly not nearly as big a deal on these motors as you play it out to be, and the "axle hop" you speak of actually has a GM notice sent out to all Caddy dealers on a fix for it should the owner be interested in it.

Its amazing that you can manage to test drive all the limited run vehicles that come out, because when ever I have gone to a dealer and tried to they always want a very serious commitment in the vehicle before hand.