New Mustang selling big

On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 07:14:28 GMT, "JS" wrote something wonderfully witty:

And if it can't take off it's top, it just ain't sexy enough.

But damn I wanted that car. Tried real hard to buy one as well. Even got the sales monkey to find someone over at the plant to give me their x-plan. Still to damn expensive.

Back in da day, which day was dat Uncle Zomby?, there was almost always a 2-door version and a 4-door version of any particular model of a car. Alias that is no more. Ever see a 2-door Crown Vic?

Reply to
ZombyWoof
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Sounds like the Hemi will be competing in a very tough market segment. There's plenty of four-door performance sedans to pick from in the $40k-$50k price range. I would think they would be better served to go after the Mustang end of the market. There they would have only one real competitor. To do that they would need a two door model though.

You gotta love the return of the RWD platforms sporting V-8's.

Reply to
Michael Johnson, PE

"Michael Johnson, PE" wrote in news:- snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Make that the $35-$40k price range under the Dodge marque. In the $40k and under market, the Hemi will do just fine. The Chrysler 300C is already doing well in the $40k market.

Absolutely! The bummer was seeing cars like the Five Hundred, the Montego, the Zephyr, the Monte Carlo, the Cobalt, etc. Apparently, Ford and GM haven't gotten the message yet.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Reply to
Joe

I do give Ford some credit though. They kept the Crown Vic when GM abandoned the RWD Impala and when RWD was dying fast they held on to the T-Bird through 1997. Plus most all of the Lincoln sedans are RWD now. My guess is the Taurus, 500 etc. will remain FWD/AWD for some years to come. There are many people (like my wife) that think FWD is better than RWD and will buy based on that presumption.

I would love to see some of the smaller cars like the Focus, Eclipse, G6 etc. go RWD. With a 200-250 hp V-6, RWD and a decent suspension they would be some fairly serious performers. IMO, one of the best small cars of all time was the Nissan 240SX. We had a 240 vert until our son totaled it and it was a great handling car and very fun to drive mainly due to it being RWD.

Reply to
Michael Johnson, PE

"Michael Johnson, PE" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Regarding the CV, Ford had no choice. There was/is no replacement for the CV in Ford's lineup. Just saw an '06 Grand Marquis last night. They're still hanging on.

Not the Zephyr. Ugh. Not only FWD but ugly as well.

Apparently that mentality is still alive and well within Ford corporate. Shame.

Yes, the 240SX was a very neat car. Of note at the show last night was the Pontiac Solstice. It's a very neat Miata-killer for around $20k. 2 seats, 2 doors, RWD. Also watch for the Saturn Sky. Should be very interesting.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Reply to
Joe

On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 15:43:29 -0500, "Michael Johnson, PE" puked:

A Hemi powered two seater Barracuda?

-- lab~rat >:-) The less you care, the more it doesn't matter.

Reply to
lab~rat

On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 15:43:29 -0500, "Michael Johnson, PE" puked:

A Hemi powered two door Barracuda?

-- lab~rat >:-) The less you care, the more it doesn't matter.

Reply to
lab~rat

Now that would be a direct competitor to the Mustang. One thing Ford has going for the Mustang is it isn't a rehashed version of a family sedan. There's very little left of the DEW platform from the four door sedans it originated from. IMO, this is a marketing plus and adds to the Stang's popularity. It is truly unique in Ford's lineup. The problem with the Charger is it's just another rehashed 300C platform of which the 300C does a great job with already. The need to at least make it a two door to differentiate it from its parent vehicle. Otherwise, just give me a 300C of the R/T flavor. It's basically the same car.

Reply to
Michael Johnson, PE

"Michael Johnson, PE" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Michael, I think it's the old Chevy / Pontiac thing. Same cars with different trim and whatnot. Why did some people buy Novas and others bought Tempests? Why did some buy Camaros and others buy Firebirds?

The Charger/Magnum is the base car/wagon; the 300C is upscale. DC offers each vehicle with a hi-po option.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Reply to
Joe

I think what everyone's really wishing for is that they'd make Hemi-powered ponycar. The family sedan is wonderful and all... but the other automakers are looking on as the Mustang tears up the sales charts. It's a great car, but some competition wouldn't hurt it any. Sadly, the GTO isn't doing much despite a rock-solid drivetrain. DC really has nothing in the ponycar class. Everyone was hoping the Charger would be another option... something to keep Ford honest with the Mustang. Those looking for one probably won't consider the other... it's not like the Camaro/Mustang wars. Then again, DC was always odd like that, well before they were DC.

JS

Reply to
JS

What I don't understand about the Charger is why DC is even doing it at all. It's basically a cosmetic variant of the 300C. Making it a two door would give it a little of its own identity on the cheap. I think JS hit it in that I was hoping the Charger would be a viable choice from the Mustang. In reality the two cars aren't even competitors. I also see the four door sports sedan market chock full of competition.

Overall I really hate the way DC will take a car and execute it only 90% of the way. A recent example is the Crossfire. They could have made it a Vette killer (or at least a competitor) but didn't follow through to make it a reality. They are about to do the same thing with the Charger. They could make it a two door and be competing it a market that they and Ford could own. They would have a home run if they cut off two doors, dropped in a hemi making 340-400 hp, made a 6-speed manual an option and priced it between $32k-$35k base and less than $40k loaded. I bet they couldn't make them fast enough to meet the demand.

Reply to
Michael Johnson, PE

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 19:39:56 GMT, lab~rat wrote something wonderfully witty:

But wouldn't that require bringing back the Plymouth brand?

Reply to
ZombyWoof

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 17:50:36 -0500, "Michael Johnson, PE" wrote something wonderfully witty:

Well they have all but said that the Charger is the Dodge version of the 300.

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ZombyWoof

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Wound Up

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 00:11:56 -0500, "Michael Johnson, PE" wrote something wonderfully witty:

I don't know, is it better to compete model to model or care out your own niche market? Apparently what is happening is the Charger is just the Dodge version of the 300. A little cheaper, a little sportier and that's that. DC has already stepped up the 300C with a new version and the Crossfire has recently been given some balls, but still lacks in the suspension compartment.

All in all I think that GM & DC have simply decided to leave the Mustang to it's own devices and not compete in that market at the current time. I've heard rumors, who hasn't, that there will be a new pony from GM. Whether it will be a CamBird resurrection or not who knows? The GTO was/is only supposed to be a fill in until they could cobble up something else domestically.

Reply to
ZombyWoof

On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 14:06:48 GMT, Joe puked:

All things being equal, 2 door cars weigh less than 4 door cars.

-- lab~rat >:-) The less you care, the more it doesn't matter.

Reply to
lab~rat

"JS" wrote in news:KJ50e.13869$aS5.3940@trndny05:

Bingo. Unless they've just plain given up on that arena, it beats me why GM and DC don't have something to go up against the Mustang.

It's got two main problems: marketing and appearance. Both are pretty bad.

I don't know, Dodge and Plymouth had some pretty cool cars if you think about it. In no particular order, Challenger, Charger, Road Runner, Barracuda, Dart GT...

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Reply to
Joe

"Michael Johnson, PE" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Exactly. It's a notch under the 300, and it costs less. If you don't want to spring for the 300C, you'll get the Charger. Unless, of course, you want the wagon and go for the Magnum. Simple.

It looks less like the 300 than the Magnum does IMO.

Indeed. But that's what we were hoping for in this forum. DC apparently doesn't want to compete with the Mustang.

Actually, the Charger is the Intrepid's replacement. Consider this for a moment. The Intrepid was never seriously considered as a performance car, but the Charger immediately gets pigeonholed because of its namesake.

I think you have to look at it from their perspective. They never intended the Crossfire to compete with the Corvette; I think they were more after the Thunderbird niche. Based on what you're saying, you could've said the same thing about the Thunderbird. It falls short because it doesn't compete with the Corvette. But Ford didn't intend it to.

I don't think the Charger is that car. The platform's just too big for a 2-door. A 2-door Charger would've been a DC Monte Carlo. Ugh.

If DC enters the 2-door market along with the Mustang, they're going to have to come up with a smaller platform than the

300/Magnum/Charger.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Reply to
Joe

ZombyWoof wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Bingo. And to boot, the Charger is the Intrepid's replacement.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Reply to
Joe

It's great for Ford, but like I said in another post... it doesn't keep them very honest. They could do whatever they wanted with the Mustang and we'll either buy it or go outside that class. Luckily, it seems they're trying to keep us happy.

Agreed. The appearance isn't that bad, for a Grand Am, but not your performance machine. While the GTO is in the same class as the Mustang and was probably intended to be the direct competitor, the only reason people seem to be buying it is either a die-hard attachment to GM or because they're giving away high-horsepower ponycars. As for advertisement, did they think that one show they were promoting the hell out of was enough of an ad?

I'm not saying they didn't have some pretty cool cars, but they were always different... borderline odd, and remarkably Dodge/Plymouth products. You couldn't mistake it for anything else. They were known to be long and wide... cars that didn't like to do much but go real fast in a straight line.

JS

Reply to
JS

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