What is SRT working on...?

[AlexB]

Kiss the FCA Italian premium brands good bye. GM has under taken a big gamble with a clean sheet of paper new vehicle. Now lets see how the market place responds. After all it's all about $$$ and image.

First of all those statements are mostly insane, first Ferrari and FCA are separate companies.
Ferrari is a once in a lifetime lifestyle brand who have long waiting lists, and whom buyer doesn't want to "rub eblows" with Chevy's clientele.
Even GM internaly is having that discussion.

 

[TripleT]

First of all those statements are mostly insane, first Ferrari and FCA are separate companies.
Ferrari is a once in a lifetime lifestyle brand who have long waiting lists, and whom buyer doesn't want to "rub eblows" with Chevy's clientele.
Even GM internaly is having that discussion.

Think belongs on Allpar, Ferrari customers would only be interested in the Corvette as a delay driver to toss around. They aren't even in the same realm. This is more in the 4C territory then anything with a prancing horse.

 

[Ryan]

Think belongs on Allpar, Ferrari customers would only be interested in the Corvette as a delay driver to toss around. They aren't even in the same realm. This is more in the 4C territory then anything with a prancing horse.

How? It's got a V8 and can go 0-60 in under 3 seconds with the Z51 package. It sure seems like a super car in every metric but price and brand name.

 

[TripleT]

How? It's got a V8 and can go 0-60 in under 3 seconds with the Z51 package. It sure seems like a super car in every metric but price and brand name.

construction, engine, appointment, dynamics, exclusivity …. next Charger will do the same... doesn't make it Supercar … if the can keep the thing from twisting in 2 it cool car. But it not a competitor for McLaren or Farrari

 

[Ryan]

construction, engine, appointment, dynamics, exclusivity …. next Charger will do the same... doesn't make it Supercar … if the can keep the thing from twisting in 2 it cool car. But it not a competitor for McLaren or Farrari

Apples and oranges. The Charger is a full-size sedan, of course it's not going to compete with a Ferrari. Corvette is a mid-engined 2-seater coupe/convertible with a similarly exotic design and performance that seems to match much more expensive cars.

Just because it doesn't have the price, exclusivity, or brand name doesn't mean it's not a competitor. That's what makes the Corvette so special. It's a step or two above anything offered by Dodge or the other mainstream brands with performance and design to match far more expensive supercars, but still for a mainstream price.

 

[Bili]

To compete with Ferrari you must add Z51 package and on top of that FE4 trim level for magnetic ride. And yet you wouldn't have an exclusive engine... Not to mention exclusivity and showroom experience.

I can see capable driver opting for Corvette and using it on track but it won't be cheap with all those options mentioned above.

For example Porsche is making 911 in various forms but their performance is vastly different.

 

[VoiceOfReason]

Apples and oranges. The Charger is a full-size sedan, of course it's not going to compete with a Ferrari. Corvette is a mid-engined 2-seater coupe/convertible with a similarly exotic design and performance that seems to match much more expensive cars.

Just because it doesn't have the price, exclusivity, or brand name doesn't mean it's not a competitor. That's what makes the Corvette so special. It's a step or two above anything offered by Dodge or the other mainstream brands with performance and design to match far more expensive supercars, but still for a mainstream price.

There may be equivocation on the word "compete". Vehicle performance is competitive, but it won't be competing with the same customer base. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mclaren, Bugatti, et al are cars for people who have money to show off. It isn't always about technical performance, but - mine costs more than yours. Corvette will never compete on that level - nor should it. It is a Plebeian dream, not the intentionally out of reach fantasy that the other brands represent. Those high end buyers won't even consider a Corvette because it fails in the "look how much throw away money I have" segment. There are multiple arenas in which products compete. Technical performance is only one such realm. Style, exclusivity, outright snobbery, etc. are others.
Corvette does not address those markets - respectfully.

 

[TripleT]

They have competitive performance but not from a product perspective. Ford GT and the Honda are more competitors.... There will be very little cross shopping. The Demon was more of a exotic then the Corvette will be. It was a purpose built vehicle. The Viper ACR was one of the best track cars ever made. Still wasn't a competitor for the Prancing pony. Don't get to excited about the Corvette it still has some teething to do .

 

[Ryan]

There may be equivocation on the word "compete". Vehicle performance is competitive, but it won't be competing with the same customer base. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mclaren, Bugatti, et al are cars for people who have money to show off. It isn't always about technical performance, but - mine costs more than yours. Corvette will never compete on that level - nor should it. It is a Plebeian dream, not the intentionally out of reach fantasy that the other brands represent. Those high end buyers won't even consider a Corvette because it fails in the "look how much throw away money I have" segment. There are multiple arenas in which products compete. Technical performance is only one such realm. Style, exclusivity, outright snobbery, etc. are others.
Corvette does not address those markets - respectfully.

It does at least look the part, thanks to mid-engine proportions and sculpted bodywork.

 

[Jared B]

While the C8 is very impressive, (I've actually gone from hating it the day it was revealed to loving it by now), it's possible that it could compete with Ferrari on a performance metric but it won't compete with Ferrari in showrooms. On those types of vehicle, prestige is just as important as performance metrics and someone that can afford the Ferrari is going to go pick it every time over the C8 that regular joe blow can afford.

 

[bluskye]

It does at least look the part, thanks to mid-engine proportions and sculpted bodywork.

I totally agree with your mid-engine looks, improved interior accommodations, and other new features of the C8.

I live in a small town 300 miles from the nearest Ferrari dealership. Knowing that I could purchase this vehicle and take it to my local Chevrolet dealer for service would be a big attraction for me. I am sure many other people that are not close to a Ferrari dealership would feel the same way.

 

[sjon]

I totally agree with your mid-engine looks, improved interior accommodations, and other new features of the C8.

I live in a small town 300 miles from the nearest Ferrari dealership. Knowing that I could purchase this vehicle and take it to my local Chevrolet dealer for service would be a big attraction for me. I am sure many other people that are not close to a Ferrari dealership would feel the same way.

a real Ferrari person would prefer to drive 300 miles to a dealer and book a helicopter flight back to the office.

 

[TripleT]

Like I said a great daily driver while you garage your Ferrari.

 

[DodgeFL]

As stated very well above, the Corvette lacks snob appeal !

 

[Muther]

The most commonly owned and driven vehicle among card carrying millionaires is the Ford F-150. Doesn’t make it an exotic car.

The Vette is, was and will always be blue collar, in spite of its world beating performance.

 

[Muther]

The Viper lived in its own little world. It was officially an exotic car, hand-built, with hyper-car and race car beating performance, yet here it was… a plebeian Dodge.

I have seen it so many times. Any Viper could be parked next to ANY… other… car. ALL eyes would be on the Viper. It had clout very, very, very few other cars had.

Vette? Not so much.

So, since Dodge won’t be able to hand built another blue collar exotic, they should go a totally new direction. It will have to be a mass produced car.

Going RMR would for sure be a be new direction. If they go FMR, it could beg too many comparisons to its forebear, and if it didn’t exceed it in every way, no matter how good a car it was, it would never be “a Viper”.

If it were mine to build, I would use the new SuperSlantSix. I would try to price its highest performing version, an SRT no doubt, below the lower end of the Corvettes. $50-55k max, down to $35k on the low end. If you could get it that low at all. It would be as world beating as SRT could make it, and THAT is saying something.

I would also want a sort of Scat Pack version. A successor the spirit of the SRT4. 10 gallons of performance with a 5 gallon MSRP. I’d want adjustable everything, stripped everything else, no leather anywhere except on the drivers hands. The intended customer would be SCCA rats and other wannabe racer boys and girls. It would also have a wing the size of Nebraska hanging off the back.

 

[Mopar392]

@Muther
You have mentioned SuperSlant6 in a couple of threads now.
I suppose this is the version that put the light off of the 426 Banshee

 

[Sickboy]

The Viper lived in its own little world. It was officially an exotic car, hand-built, with hyper-car and race car beating performance, yet here it was… a plebeian Dodge.

I have seen it so many times. Any Viper could be parked next to ANY… other… car. ALL eyes would be on the Viper. It had clout very, very, very few other cars had.

Vette? Not so much.

So, since Dodge won’t be able to hand built another blue collar exotic, they should go a totally new direction. It will have to be a mass produced car.

Going RMR would for sure be a be new direction. If they go FMR, it could beg too many comparisons to its forebear, and if it didn’t exceed it in every way, no matter how good a car it was, it would never be “a Viper”.

If it were mine to build, I would use the new SuperSlantSix. I would try to price its highest performing version, an SRT no doubt, below the lower end of the Corvettes. $50-55k max, down to $35k on the low end. If you could get it that low at all. It would be as world beating as SRT could make it, and THAT is saying something.

I would also want a sort of Scat Pack version. A successor the spirit of the SRT4. 10 gallons of performance with a 5 gallon MSRP. I’d want adjustable everything, stripped everything else, no leather anywhere except on the drivers hands. The intended customer would be SCCA rats and other wannabe racer boys and girls. It would also have a wing the size of Nebraska hanging off the back.

I agree, but two things need to be there
1. Looks. A classic shape made with a French curve.
2. Feeling. Fast or not, it must be visceral. The kind of car where connection is more important than comfort. The kind of car you would but in a radio delete. No power steering. I want to be exhausted after my drive. Definitely not a daily driver

 

[Mopar392]

I agree, but two things need to be there
1. Looks. A classic shape made with a French curve.
2. Feeling. Fast or not, it must be visceral. The kind of car where connection is more important than comfort. The kind of car you would but in a radio delete. No power steering. I want to be exhausted after my drive. Definitely not a daily driver

1- I’m more for a Latina curve
2- I agree it has to be a driver car with the minimum required electronics, but I want to use for a long cruise or interstate travel if I have to

 

[VoiceOfReason]

No power steering

Many power steering architectures now involve electric assist, which can be configured. I'm all for having a power steering delete option, but give people options. They're the ones buying it, it is their car. They should be able to get whatever they want on it (within reason).