Only question is, why?

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosins...b01-226132.htm

Who's got a spare million laying around?

 

I think for the same reasons we wanted Caddy to build its supercar.

 

Ok, if Chrysler builds this thing, then the Cadillac Cien MUST be built!!!

Didn't Cadillac get like 25 pre-orders for the Cien before they decided to not build it?

 

True, but Chrysler (Dodge) already has its supercar in Viper, and we're talking about a million dollar car here. I understand the logic of "trickle down excitement" to other products but wow, that's more like Niagra Falls!

 

It's intresting to see how each automaker tackles their corperate "Halo" car.

Ford does a crash program and brings out a modern version of the GT40. The new GT, like the GT-40, is designed to outdo Ferrari at half the price.

Chrysler, owned by Mercedes, one of the world's renouned cars, creates the world's quickest and perhaps most expensive production supercar (that million dollar pricetag is only if 7 per year are made. At 14, the price should drop to at least $6-700,000).

Meanwhile, GM creates a $100,000 Corvette that won't hit the streets till after the Ford GT's production run is over and quite likely after the Chrysler ME Four-Twelve goes up for sale.

This is despite that GM is basing their supercar on an existing model that is already being produced, and an engine that is currently being made.

 

This is would be sooooo outstanding.

I still can't see a way I'd ever be able to buy a Cien, but it still stands as perhaps the greatest concept of all time!

 

They've got serious *****, gotta give them that. They are doing what Ford and GM couldn't do with their GT90 and Cien concept. Lately, they've been at it like they're trying to prove a point.

 

Wouldn't the Super Vette go by the theory that high performance models should come out later (C6 = '05, Z06 = '06, BD = '07) You said in the Solstice thread that you think this statagy is ok for just about every other GM car.

 

Mmmm, GT90. Strange looking, but badass. Didn't it have something like 720 HP and go 220 MPH?

 

Yeah, 720 with the potential to go upto the 900’s with an increase in boost. Topspeed was actually 235mph, and the ¼ mile was around 10.9@134mph. Back in 95, the cost estimates thrown around was close to a million as well, and that is probably why it stayed a concept.

Chrysler is crazy if they think they can charge 1 million dollars for that. Maybe $350,000, but nowhere near 1 million. That car makes the Porsche Carrera GT seem like a bargain. It’s even more expensive than an Enzo, and in the realm of the 1000bhp Buggati. Will people buy?

 

People are paying $1.6M for used McLaren's. I would almost guarantee they could sell at least 5 in a year, maybe 10. I definitely don't see them selling as many as Ferrari does the Enzo model.

 

McLaren is a legend that has mystique and history. The names goes back and carries tons of weight, and so people will dish out whatever crazy sum of money to get their hands on one. That is why used F1’s cost more than they did when new. If the car industry where like the fashion industry McLaren/Ferrari would = Armani whereas Chrysler would = JC Penny. Even if it’s as good as the other brands, us consumers just expect the Chrysler to cost a lot less.

$350-400k would have been perfect for this car imo. Look at the 242+mph 808hp Koenigsegg CCR, I think it’ll cost under 400g’s. I was hoping for something like this.

 

So true. Either way, I don't see myself purchasing one anytime soon

 

The strategy is great for a performance version of an existing car, ie: the Z06.

But this is an entirely different market with these cars.

The Ford GT is an individual car which served as a world showcase for the best Ford can do. It was made from scratch using the best technology ford could muster, and the car was ready in a jaw dropping 18 months from it's start.

The ME Four-Twelve represents DaimlerChrysler's top effort. The car is also a "ground-up" made from scratch vehicle that DC is using as a world showcase car for the corperation.

At General Motors, the "Blue Devil" is not a all new vehicle made from the ground up. It's based on an existing Corvette.

One would think that this approach would bring the car to market quicker than what Ford and DaimlerChrysler could do starting from a clean sheet of paper, but it isn't. The Four-Twelve is likely to show up in 2006 if not sooner and Chrysler started working on getting it to market right after the auto show season.

I feel GM should have made the Cadillac Cien. It was a showcase of the type of engineering GM could do. It could have been the example of how GM's "new" design & engineering process could get a car to market quickly, and it would have defined General Motors (not to mention Cadillac!) . Even if GM brought out the Cien now alot would have been lost. It's been what? 4 years?

Instead, the best GM can do is a $100,000 Corvette. It may be a great car & all, but it's still a $100,000 Corvette. And it's coming out as the last.

 

You're kind of contradicting yourself a bit here, though...

Saying

"The strategy is great for a performance version of an existing car, ie: the Z06."

and

"At General Motors, the "Blue Devil" is not a all new vehicle made from the ground up. It's based on an existing Corvette.

One would think that this approach would bring the car to market quicker than what Ford and DaimlerChrysler could do starting from a clean sheet of paper, but it isn't."

... kind of the opposites of each other.

I do agree on the Cien though!