Directly from the DaimlerChrysler Pacifica Design Studio

[Derek69SS]

Here's my take on the Camaro/Mustang/Challenger thing...

Challenger: A bit "too retro" for me, but they got it pretty close to "right" for what a new Challenger should be. The Challenger only ever had one basic style, so building off that one style was the only way they could go with it, other than just putting the challenger name on something totally new and nothing like the original, like they did with the Charger. I haven't seen the sales figures on the Charger, but there seems of complaints about the number of doors from the enthusiasts... something tells me the people buying these aren't enthusiasts though. The Challenger was a pretty short-production run then, and I'll bet if it comes back, it will also be intended to be a 3-4 year run, with no intention of making a return after that. (just my take on it, correct me if I'm wrong) They didn't leave much to be changed without upsetting the look of the original style they based this one from, so I doubt this car will go through any major styling changes before the model is dropped.

Camaro: first-gen enthusiasts want "more retro", but they seem to forget that the first-gen was only 3 years of the 35 years the camaro was in production. There was some pretty cool styling in those other 32 years too. It appears GM might want to bring the Camaro name back for another 35 years, which is why they designed it to allow for styling changes to stay fresh. If they made it look like a '69, the first time they'd change something, it would just look like something that didn't fit the '69 styling. The design, as-is, can be changed dramatically without redesigning the whole car through a 7-8 year production run. The next style could build off this one, or go completely different, without something looking out-of-place in the evolution of the Camaro. It might not sell as well for the couple years a full retro would, but this appears to be a long-term design, not a "Jump on the retro fad while it lasts, then kill it again" design.

I know a lot of you have said something like "I'd buy one if it was a fully-retro '69 style", but they don't want you to buy one. They want you to buy several... one every few years when the new design makes you want a new one more than the one you already have.

Mustang: Where does it go next? 2010 Mustang II? They got this design out way before the others, and it was a hit. The problem is, much like the Challenger, there's very little room for change without upsetting the whole retro look. People won't buy retro forever, but the one thing the mustang has going for it, is the hype of the retro Challenger and semi-retro Camaro. This hype will buy the Mustang a couple more years of reaping the "retro" fad. My question is, what do they do when sales fall off? (and they will, you know they will)

[srh3trinity]

I think that the concept was well executed and it is cool to see the early drawings. The exhaust tips are sweet.

[RussMS]

I am impressed with Chrysler and it's efforts.

I have to admit I am too.

I like the new Challenger concept a lot. It is great to see a car company that actually listens to what the consumer wants and has the guts to deliver it.

I became very discouraged a few years ago while searching for a 4 door sedan and realizing that there were no good alternatives to the front wheel drive foreign cars out there. Domestic front wheel drive cars had earned the distinction as being the less desirable, less reliable alternative. I settled for a 4 door front wheel drive foreign sedan that I hate. It has good gas mileage, it’s reliable, it has no power and it’s utterly boring.

Now we have the 300, Charger, and the Magnum. V8 power in not only 4 doors, but a wagon as well. Bravo. (Though I have to admit I was hoping for a 2 door Charger as well.)

As to the Challenger, to paraphrase a movie “If you build it, we will come.” So build it as we see it there, not some water-downed version, placating to the opinions of focus groups made up of people who will never buy the car anyway.

Keep in mind we are also a group that appreciates performance, not just appearance. Things like 0 – 60 times, taking 1 lateral g on the skidpad and braking will matter to most of us. “Bling” (I hate that word) is important to some but not to all.

For me, the following will be considered in my next vehicle purchase, in order of importance:

1. Performance
2. Price
3. Appearance
4. Reliability
5. Fuel Economy

Its about time we had a Musclecar Revival in this country. If Dodge leads the way then there will I go.

One other thing I would like to see, Bring back the Barracuda under the Dodge nameplate. Give it some retro styling and design it to compete with the Corvette Z06. Make it light, low and mean.

My .02

[Speedster]

The design of the new Challenger is awesome. The '70/'71 are my favorites. If they make the new version like the drawings Scott posted, here, we will have a new company car.

[clill]

Per Derek69SS

"Camaro: first-gen enthusiasts want "more retro", but they seem to forget that the first-gen was only 3 years of the 35 years the camaro was in production. There was some pretty cool styling in those other 32 years too. It appears GM might want to bring the Camaro name back for another 35 years, which is why they designed it to allow for styling changes to stay fresh. If they made it look like a '69, the first time they'd change something, it would just look like something that didn't fit the '69 styling. The design, as-is, can be changed dramatically without redesigning the whole car through a 7-8 year production run. The next style could build off this one, or go completely different, without something looking out-of-place in the evolution of the Camaro. It might not sell as well for the couple years a full retro would, but this appears to be a long-term design, not a "Jump on the retro fad while it lasts, then kill it again" design.

I know a lot of you have said something like "I'd buy one if it was a fully-retro '69 style", but they don't want you to buy one. They want you to buy several... one every few years when the new design makes you want a new one more than the one you already have."

Build me a 67-9 and I will buy it. Then progress to a 70 and I will buy it. Just because nobody has done such a repeat does not mean it wouldn't work. 35 years later those first Gens still look killer. Build a 69 and you don't have to compare it to anything and the design is timeless. Build their current concept and throw it in the pot with everything else that looks similar and outdated in a couple years.

[nvawgn]

i agree, if they build this bugger along with the new camaro it will awaken the sport of hot rodding again but not just now you have to look 20-30 years down the line when kids will want to build something cool and they only have 2-3k in their pockets and an imagination to work with.

[Hdesign]

I know that us car guys would love to relive the glory days of the big 3 duking it out again, with the same brutish RWD V8 musclecars but times have changed. There is a huge amount of exciting "performance" cars in the $20K-35K range from overseas that all the 20 and 30 somethings are buying. Why style and build a car to compete with only 2 other opponents? For the most part, kids buying cars now don't have a clue about American musclecar history and really don't care. They are the future of the market. Wouldn't it be a better idea to market to everyone looking for a performance car, import or domestic, rather than just musclecar enthusiast?

I think you can have a clear evolution of product styling while staying heritage conscious.

[Musclerodz]

I agree with Charley's philosophy. The Challenger has undeniable character that most of the new car do not have. So does the new Mustang to some degree. In thirty years, i can see someone going back to restore the "new" Challenger. The Camaro looks like another step in evolution and isn't what i would consider a trend setter. Someone mentioned the hood earlier like the new hoods on the SRT line. That already existed on the AAR Cuda and was used on "SICK FISH", so the trend is already there. I can just see the 3 levels of the new Challenger, base model 300 engine, mid level with a HEMI, and SRT with a detuned Viper V-10. That would get me fired up!

Mike

[zbugger]

Originally Posted by Ummgawa

Steevo, I have a suit that weighs as much as you do, dude. Now I can lose weight and make up for the difference. You however, are a skinny smart dude. Only way you can lose weight is to drive nekkid and none of us want that. Allen maybe, but not the rest of us. OK maybe Bill too....

Ummm.... Never mind.

[Bill Howell]

Funny this thread is here right now. My wife and I went out for dinner this evening and she was telling me she had had lunch with a friend of ours that owns a 300 Chrysler. She said for a car, she really liked it. I was explaining to here that the new challenger would be "Just Like That" except two doors. Hell let it weight 4k, just build one and we will have one in the garage. I got mama's ok right now.

OH, and Jim, I will just add a blower to mine to make up for the weight difference. I got too much invested in my weight to lose any of it.