Don't be surprised if we see this in 2007 or around then. My Chrysler guy who use to work at GM says the biggest difference between them is how fast things get done.

 

 

Gotta love bowing to the lowest common denominator.

 

I think Ill just buy an M1A1 and be ahead of the curve by 2025

 

Could there be some loophole that could keep cars out of that rule. I was just reading a car that is sold in two pieces. You buy the chassis, then you buy the engine seperately. Because of this it is labeled a kit car and doesn't have to pass the crash safety/emmisions laws.

I know that it isn't a practical solution, but maybe there's some other loophole that could be exploited.

 

That's government in a nutshell.


I would really hate to see the hp wars get killed due to even more robust safety regulations.

 

Sorry, but I disagree with your view.

I can be the safest, most attentive, (and non-fat for that matter) driver in the world, and get blind sided by someone who has a heart attack at the wheel or a million other scenarios.

If a few extra pounds can save my life. I'll gladly take them.

 

No, what I gotta love is how much worse American drivers seem to be getting at the wheel of a vehicle. Maybe people should start taking driving more seriously, and hang up their damn cell phones. Maybe you treasure the thought of driving around in a 2 1/2 ton protective bubble, but not me.

 

I think you misunderstand my point. The lowest common denominator are those who, through irrepsonsible actions and just plain stupidity, force ever more "protective" measures on the rest of us who actually take the time to learn how to drive properly.

This lowest common denominator are the same people who try to sue the gun manufacturers when someone gets shot, who sue Mconalds because their coffee is too hot, etc. I could go on, ad nauseum, but I think you get the point.

 

But these people should not be driving in the first place if they do not have the skill or talent. It is a failure of the government licesnsing and training programs.

 

There is a point of diminishing returns though.

Millions of people have lived through car accidents while not wearing seatblets in cars designed before air bags, crumple zones, etc. How much safer do they really need to be?

Besides, the point of this post is that it is not just "a couple" pounds added for saftey. These guys are talking about potentially hundreds of pounds. You really want to take that penalty in acceleration, handling, mpg and also wear in brakes, tires, transmission, etc in the name of a small chance you might survive an accident you otherwise wouldn't have? And even if you are really that convinced you can control your fate, you really want to legislae that cost and decision process on everyone else. It's one thing to make such saftey available for those that want it. Not everybody wants to drive a volvo though

 

And don't forget, Europe has new bumper standards (read higher bumpers) in order to protect the pedestrians when they get hit.

BTW, when (if) the new Challenger shows up the base prices will be: base V6 - $24,995; Hemi V8 - $29,995; and SRT8 - somewhere north of $37,000. DCX thinks we are all made of money over here.

 

Sorry, I did completely misunderstand your point, and it was through no fault of yours. I just immediately assumed that since I used the bowing/praising icon and read "lowest common denominator" that it meant it was bad, since there were negative comments made a week or two ago about using the bow icon when one doesn't have an actually opinion of their own.. Don't get alot of time to read through a whole post on a work break.

 

DCX is money hungry BUT they are not stupid. Pricing that car that high against the Mustang would be suicide before it hit the market. As well as run into more over lap and steal customers away from their other products while again missing that more mid tier market(guys who can afford more than SRT-4s but don't want to drop cash on an SRT-8.
I can see the 6er coming in at 22 the Hemi at like 27 and the SRT-8 around 35k. That will price it right at or below in some cases the comparable Mustang and Camaro. These cars will NOT be more expensive because they are trying to fight into a smaller market that is already dominated by one brand. And when the Camaro returns they will have name recognition as far as nameplates at number three on the list. Everybody has heard of a Mustang and Camaro. But some folks won't associate "Challenger" with anything more than a shuttle blowing up.

 

Thats true, maybe DCX should rethink the name Challenger after what happend with NASA. It was one thing back in the 70's, but now its a different world.
As far as name recognition, the people that are going to buy it will know what it means, and thats pretty much all they need. How many people know, or remember what a Charger looks like? Maybe with the Dukes of Hazard movie, it brought it into the limelight again, but most enthuisasts know what it is. Same could be said for a GTO.