The Shelby will be a Ford sold by Ford dealers and will cost far, far less than the ill fated Series 1.

 

Ford most definately seems to have the "WOW" factor locked up this season so far, and next season as well with the Mustang SVT, F150 lightning, the Futura (which SVT will have a hand in one version).

But looking at performance, it seems Mopar has gone through a complete renissance. We already have the outregous Ram R/T-10, the LS1 F-body challenging R/T-4 Neon, of course the Viper R/T-10, soon a 345 horse Dodge RWD station wagon & Chrysler 300, and in a year we'll see an R/T-8 version of the Magnum wagon and Chrysler 300 that will be "well over" 400 horsepower (and possibly over 450 as well ).

As far as Chevrolet goes, we have the new Corvette later this year, the blown Colbalt SS in about a year, the new Impala & Monte Carlo at next year's show (with optional V8 replacing the blown V6s), and a production ready Nomad-like vehicle providing Chevrolet doesn't torpedo it themselves.

 

SVT Futura...here's a car that people just don't talk too much about. One of the mags had an artist's rendition of one afew months ago.

I'm really looking forward to finding out more about this car. I expect the SVT version to have a 250+hp 3.5 Duratec, six speed manual....and all the usual SVT hardware upgrades.

 

Most everything from SVT seems to be supercharged nowadays (GT, L, Cobra). I think they said something along the lines of F/I will play a big role in future ford performance. Wouldn't mind a blown or turbo 3.5L Futura.

It'd be more upscale than the Focus (which will no longer carry the SVT badge), and offer practicality not found in the rest of the SVT lineup. It'd be a nice addition.

 

While the technical specifications of the GM products (C6, CTSV, GTO, Solstice) are compelling...

...for some reason it is the Ford performance cars that tug harder on my "I-Want-One-Ometer."

The Chrysler crop is similar to GM's. The specs are compelling... but they just don't seem as cool. (However, if they'd build a RWD $18,000 Razor with the SRT4 motor, I'd give body parts...)

 

For 18k, you wouldn't have to .

 

I remember 2002, when the earliest buzz from FoMoCo was that the GT-40 would come in well "under $100,000," and we see how that turned out.

 

Busienss 101, if you have a limited supply, and Demand sure beats the heck out of Supply, why not charge $150,000 for selling 10,000 cars, or $100,000 selling 10,000 cars, point is, if there are enough rich people in the world to ****** up each and every one of them, why not?

 

I'm surprised nobody mentioned th the Chrysler supercar at the show...

 

I was just gonna say that.

If you ask me GM is in 3rd place as far as performance cars go. Sure they have the vette but thats it.

Ford:
1. GT40
2. Stang
3. Lightning svt

Dodge:
1. Viper
2. srt-10
3. srt-4
4. Whatever the hemi-rumbler ram was... but it was drop dead sexy!
5. Magnum(?) / Hemi C (?) <--- not sure about this/these

GM:
1. C6
2. Goat
3. sluggish silvy SS and SSR
4. all the mini SS's coming out like cobalt and whimpala.

 

Still GM though.

 

And it's something Ford's lineup has been missing since the departure of the SHO.

 

But just like the GT they will sell every one that they build.

 

Bingo. They are a status piece that some are willing to pay for. Makes perfect sense.

 

CTSv? GM is coming along and the next few years will move them further ahead.