What is SRT working on...?

[Muther]

News is coming trickling in, whatever this mystery project is, we won’t see it for quite a while, that much I know (which kinda sorta tells me what it could be, kinda).

 

[Bili]

You mean if you can move the build points you can use the build points???? That not what a platform is a platform is the build points. The idea the just stretching that architecture unchanged would be optimal is also incorrect that is old now Ford Model. The whole idea was by the time you move the build points to properly work with the size and powertrain, you have something brand new, one might as well apply the technology to existing build spots and save the current carriers and millions of dollars.

Stretch for a modular platform is always between front seats and fuel tank. Of course usually a B pillar is also moved backwards. And then more materials to get back rigidity because it's decreased with a stretch. Nowadays there are a lot of examples of this.

 

[TripleT]

They just don't stretch things that is just part of the initial (a starting point). They Computational optimizations to create a optimized structure for each vehicle. Now Topology Optimization early on. To say they are just stretching the G architecture is such a over simplification of the process that it can not be considered accurate. On the L they use the existing build points as one of the hard inputs.

 

[Bili]

No, I wasn't talking about development process. My comment on where is length added for modular platform approach is accurate.

It will be foolish that they will start with clean sheet design for every new product.

 

[ViperDave]

Could they be working on this????

Extreme Jeep Wrangler Prototype Caught Testing

Could this be a peek at a future Wrangler variant with even more off-road capability?

www.caranddriver.com

 

[TripleT]

No, I wasn't talking about development process. My comment on where is length added for modular platform approach is accurate.

It will be foolish that they will start with clean sheet design for every new product.

No one has started clean sheet in decades, but it would be foolish to move backward to the Ford Model. I get it we want to credit the G and Alfa development and it downstream benefits. But one cannot be inaccurate in language in that effort. They wont be just stretching the platform. That would result in a compromised vehicle. They will, let me correct that they are leveraging the Alfa development process and architecture building blocks, with the current computational power to make the best vehicle possible. To say it G platform is incorrect the build points are not common. To Call it the G architecture is also incorrect because the architecture will be specific to the application. I get it people just say just stretch it. Wow that is unimaginably over simplifying the process.

 

[ViperDave]

So... what I was thinking. How hard would it be for FCA to revive the ME412 project? I could see that with a aluminum Hellcat and different bodywork. Like what's on the front of the news page.

The ME412 was already a world beater, supposedly that why Diamler canceled it because it beat there cars. So I would think some of the engineering is already there.












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[TripleT]

Could they be working on this????

Extreme Jeep Wrangler Prototype Caught Testing

Could this be a peek at a future Wrangler variant with even more off-road capability?

www.caranddriver.com

Simulating extra-light resin composite body panels perhaps?

 

[DodgeFL]

FCA has made it quite clear, their main $$ focus is PU trucks, Jeeps, and SUV's, so SRT gets the left over crumbs. Heck Dodge and Chrysler are at the same budget as FIAT. By dropping the Chrysler 200 FCA gave market shares to the Asian brands and screwed themselves on the EPA fleet average MPG standards. Not to mention those wanting a entry level CAR are being turned away at the dealerships. As I see it not much long term thinking going on here ? Just my 2 cents.

 

[VoiceOfReason]

So... what I was thinking. How hard would it be for FCA to revive the ME412 project? I could see that with a aluminum Hellcat and different bodywork. Like what's on the front of the news page.

The ME412 was already a world beater, supposedly that why Diamler canceled it because it beat there cars. So I would think some of the engineering is already there.

Much has changed since those days, so any engineering done would be old news by now. Perhaps some conceptual similarities, but no actual data points.
I would like to see Mopar take it to Chevrolet on the Supercar side of things. GM is going to sell a LOT of Corvettes. They went the opposite direction of the industry trends of more power and ever increasing vehicle MSRPs. Putting that out there for less than a Hellcat was a wise choice. Granted, few will buy such a thing stripped down, but they made it accessible to a much wider audience. Mopar could beat it though, just with parts from the bins thrown together. However, a dedicated two seater would be a nice addition.

 

[TripleT]

FCA has made it quite clear, their main $$ focus is PU trucks, Jeeps, and SUV's, so SRT gets the left over crumbs. Heck Dodge and Chrysler are at the same budget as FIAT. By dropping the Chrysler 200 FCA gave market shares to the Asian brands and screwed themselves on the EPA fleet average MPG standards. Not to mention those wanting a entry level CAR are being turned away at the dealerships. As I see it not much long term thinking going on here ? Just my 2 cents.

Can you leave the garbage on Allpar... The market shifted. There will be no domestic conventional cars by 2022. Only performance and premium. Asians were selling them at a lost and have converted there capacity to CUVs. The GM in Gtown was fired for performance hand strung with only the Camry. The Consumer are unwilling to pay for people mover sedans when a CUV does it better. Buick with the car subsidized by the Chinese market is choosing to abandon the market. All the Japanese are converting their capacity to CUVs... so far the only ones that seem to make it work is the Koreans by boxing them up in asia and shipping them here. GM couldn't even make that work with the Cruze…..

SRT has had plenty of money spent on it just where it counts in powertrain.

 

[Ryan]

FCA has made it quite clear, their main $$ focus is PU trucks, Jeeps, and SUV's, so SRT gets the left over crumbs. Heck Dodge and Chrysler are at the same budget as FIAT. By dropping the Chrysler 200 FCA gave market shares to the Asian brands and screwed themselves on the EPA fleet average MPG standards. Not to mention those wanting a entry level CAR are being turned away at the dealerships. As I see it not much long term thinking going on here ? Just my 2 cents.

FCA couldn't compete with the Asian brand anyway in that segment. They just accepted their loss and moved onto more profitable segments where they have more to offer (Jeep, Ram). In an ideal world, the new generation 200 and Dart wouldn't have been released at all, at least not as sedans. A 200 CUV would still be in production and would likely have replaced the Journey by now.

SRT has the advantage of having high margins. A base Charger is around $30,000 and an SRT Hellcat can be optioned to above $70,000, before considering that the Widebody will be standardized on the Hellcat for 2020. There's not a $40,000 difference in development/engineering between a Charger SXT and Charger SRT Hellcat, so a large portion of that is profit for the company.

 

[Bili]

FCA couldn't compete with the Asian brand anyway in that segment. They just accepted their loss and moved onto more profitable...

That's not a loss. Brands which kept sedans are at loss. Both Toyota's and Honda's margins had deteriorated in the recent years.

 

[Freshforged]

Would love to see a mid-engined hellcat, but there’s just no way to make it affordable. I mean if you want to build a dozen and sell then for >$200,000 then yeah, by all means, but that’s nowhere near Dodges mission statement.

 

[Mopar392]

Not going to be a negative person, but I sure hope Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler do tease us with some new and fresh products that would cone in the 24 months. And I’m not talking about a Charger Widebody.

 

[TripleT]

That's not a loss. Brands which kept sedans are at loss. Both Toyota's and Honda's margins had deteriorated in the recent years.

They were caught in a Trap both Honda and Toyota were heavily investing in that capacity have plant in Marysville, Greenville, and Georgetown almost exclusively in producing in that class. They had a choice of idling the plant and losing billions in shutdowns, and billions in restart costs..... or putting the pedal down full producing as many as possible to fully use the capacity and lower costs. But at the same time that eroded margins even more. So their sales numbers were good but the margins actually turned upside down. Had FCA chosen to hold out through that they would have had to give away 200 sedans. While that might have been awesome for consumers it would have been horrible for the company.

My only fear is that is has soured management on the brand itself not just the segment. We know both CUVs are developed so it is curious why they haven't been launched.

An the SRT side Ralph keeps saying the Cuda is coming and I got to wonder way with both the Camaro and Mustang struggling..... I would like it but stills seems odd.

 

[TripleT]

Not going to be a negative person, but I sure hope Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler do tease us with some new and fresh products that would cone in the 24 months. And I’m not talking about a Charger Widebody.

Well Winsor is tooling up for something if I understand that right.

 

[bluskye]

Not going to be a negative person, but I sure hope Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler do tease us with some new and fresh products that would cone in the 24 months. And I’m not talking about a Charger Widebody.

I have to agree that the stripes, new colors, and wide body flare additions on the existing Challenger/Charger products are not very exciting. I have read on this forum that new Challenger/Charger product introductions are constantly pushed back to a later date. A couple of years ago the new Challenger/Charger products were expected to come out in 2020, but now I see introduction dates of anywhere between 2022 to 2024. And there is no specific date even mentioned for a Viper type product or even if there is going to be another Viper type product. It looks like it is going to be a long wait. Moreover, making the wait even more frustrating is when you see the recent Corvette introduction with innovative technology, exciting styling, and at a base price less than a Hellcat.

 

[Mopar392]

... I have read on this forum that new Challenger/Charger product introductions are constantly pushed back to a later date. A couple of years ago the new Challenger/Charger products were expected to come out in 2020, but now I see introduction dates of anywhere between 2022 to 2024...

This is what worries and frustrates me. Again I wanna still be positive. Maybe the next Charger/Challenger are going to be leaps ahead of the competition.

Moreover, making the wait even more frustrating is when you see the recent Corvette introduction with innovative technology, exciting styling, and at a base price less than a Hellcat.

I like what the Corvette C8 came out with, but that doesn’t bothers me a bit because I’m not in the market for such a car.

 

[TripleT]

This is what worries and frustrates me. Again I wanna still be positive. Maybe the next Charger/Challenger are going to be leaps ahead of the competition.



I like what the Corvette C8 came out with, but that doesn’t bothers me a bit because I’m not in the market for such a car.

IDK there is a lot of excitement about the WIdebodies in the LX world..... The new Charger and Challenger are the most potent in History. They been spending money where it counts the drivetrain. The new for new sake stuff doesn't always work out. What can be expected in the new Chassis is lighter and more interior room, better handling. But the widebodies are putting up great numbers in handling.

C8 yeah dont thing there isn't some problems with that. Will need to make sure you weight and see on that one especially the hot ones. Hopefully they have the twisting apart issue resolved.