Chrysler Going Bankrupt: Fiat Merger Ahead

[ELVIS]

the ACR Neons were set up more as road course cars, weren't they?

Exactly. They were basically base Neons with factory installed Koni adjustable struts and a close ratio transmission. Some say the motors were a little hotter than stock and that mabye, but not much. The factory DOHC put out 150 BHP and the torque comes on strong at low RPM...

I have an aftermarket intake manafold, cold air induction, header, no catalytic converter, Mopar Performance computer and the under drive pulleys...

If I could get it to hook up I could have better numbers than 14 sec. But it's fun fast / quick for a daily driver...

[ELVIS]

And the doctor I got it from also changed the struts to more track oriented Koni's and gave me the factory Koni struts with the car. It handles like a go cart and the ride isn't bad except on some of the terrible roads around New orleans, but i'm south of that crap...

It had only 48,000 miles on it when I got it and it just crossed 75,000 with no real problems, so I like it...

[Big Train]

WTF were they thinking with the Charger?

Uggh! RamWagon.

I remember going to the OC car show in 1999, they had a concept Charger there that was much more along the lines of the classic 69/70 in terms of shape, yet still very modern. I loved it. I told the rep standing next to it, if they built it, I'd put a standing order in right then and there. Then they came out with that box of crap Charger. They must have been dreaming of all the Crown Vic's they were going to replace as cop cars, which never really came true. Not widely anyway, I do see them around.

[Big Train]

0-60 in 10.8 seconds is fast apparently...

I've seen Elvis. Once he gets going down that hill and pops that clutch, that thing fuckin flies!!

[hideyoursheep]

I remember going to the OC car show in 1999, they had a concept Charger there that was much more along the lines of the classic 69/70 in terms of shape, yet still very modern. I loved it. I told the rep standing next to it, if they built it, I'd put a standing order in right then and there. Then they came out with that box of crap Charger. They must have been dreaming of all the Crown Vic's they were going to replace as cop cars, which never really came true. Not widely anyway, I do see them around.

Some of why they haven't replaced the CVPI is cost-effectiveness. They are still in use and very reliable. The big selling point for the Charger as a patrol car was the ability to run on 4 to 8 cylinders to save fuel.....you know they never do it!

Nonetheless, the Charger is a well put-together machine, just in my opinion, too damned ugly to be called Charger.

[Nickdfresh]

I sometimes post at another automotive message board, and the general consensus there is that Chrysler was doing very well in the early to mid-1990s. They had some minor quality control issues, but they also had a diverse line-up of cars that were generally solid. The biggest villains would be the scum that sold them out to Daimler and the resulting meltdown that hurt both Chrysler and Daimler forcing the spin off to Cerebus and the pairing down to a few shitty models...

[Nickdfresh]

So when you say fast you mean quick..

I really hate to see Dodge/ Chrysler take a shit. I have a soft spot for them since 2 out of my first 3 cars were Plymouth and Chrysler.

Trans coolers are a great idea, as well as oil coolers if you do a lot of highway driving like I do. The Merc Sable I had 2 years ago scared me when I drove it like I normaly drive my other car when I'm running late, ang the damned tranny light came on before I reached my exit! It wouldn't have lasted, so we parted ways.

My parents have a Sable (99' I think). The tranny fluid just needs to be changed out more frequently, or a synthetic like Mercon V used and they're fine...

[Nickdfresh]

I remember going to the OC car show in 1999, they had a concept Charger there that was much more along the lines of the classic 69/70 in terms of shape, yet still very modern. I loved it. I told the rep standing next to it, if they built it, I'd put a standing order in right then and there. Then they came out with that box of crap Charger. They must have been dreaming of all the Crown Vic's they were going to replace as cop cars, which never really came true. Not widely anyway, I do see them around.

They're used in a few states on the East Coast. I got blasted by one in Pennsylvania on Thanksgiving Day a couple years back.

[FORD]

Maybe. maybe their the ones buying up the Mini Coopers that you have to sign up on a waiting list for to get? The one that the 500 nearly outsells in Europe...

How about the new Electric Mini?



In a sign that Americans may truly be ready to embrace electric vehicles, including living with any shortcomings and paying a significant price premium, demand for BMW’s Mini E electric vehicle has outstripped supply by 4-to-1. Unfortunately, the plethora of applicants for the 450 available lease slots has delayed the process by up to four months.

Roughly 1,800 people have signed up to participate in the program. The selection process, designed to help Mini get the most out of its research program, was been slowed considerably by the wealth of choices, reports Automotive News. "We have to make sure their driving style fits with what we want. If you drive 200 miles a day, that's a longer daily drive than our range," Jim McDowell, vice president of Mini USA.

Already the list has been narrowed to about 1,000 people by the 16 dealers that are reviewing and selecting the candidates. The carmaker is looking to see how drivers cope with a limited-range vehicle, and monitor the reliability of the lithium-ion battery, which itself is still in relative infancy for the automotive industry. The company now hopes to have the final 450 selected by April.

The Mini E, which was revealed late last year at the Los Angeles Auto Show has a range of about 120 miles on a 2.5 hour charge and is being leased at $850 per month (about three times the prices of the regular petrol model).

The savings in fuel costs will offset the lease price somewhat, though the recent return to sane petrol prices in the U.S. has lessened that advantage to a degree. A standard Mini Cooper would cost about $350 for a 24-month lease, or nearly $800 for a hypothetical 12-month lease, though Mini's shortest offered term for its standard vehicles is currently 24 months. However, in California, where image counts for everything, the value of an electric Mini Cooper can hardly be measured.

Another key shortcoming is a lack of interior space. The Mini E features a 570lb (260kg) lithium-ion battery in place of the standard Mini Cooper’s rear seat (making it strictly a two-seater), and in the boot there is barely enough space for a gym bag.

BMW had previously planned to lease 250 examples in Southern California and 200 in metropolitan New York and New Jersey by March. The delay isn't expected to affect the allocation of those units, however. For those lucky enough to be involved in the world-first trial, BMW will still require them to document their experience in online surveys and keep a driver’s log. There are currently no plans for mass-production for the Mini E but that may change if the trial proves a success.

Link & more pictures

Sounds promising..... as long as your a short single person looking for a daily commuter vehicle. Definitely not a choice for families or road trips. Let alone family road trips.

[Big Train]

http://www.rm-indy.com/wallpapers/Dodge-Charger_RT_Concept_Vehicle_1999_1600x1200_wallpaper_03.jpg

(kinda huge pic, so I put only the link)

Now THAT car I would have bought....ok, all three.

The 2010 concept is trying to go all "Dukes" on the current Charger frame. Just does not work.

[twonabomber]

Maybe. maybe their the ones buying up the Mini Coopers that you have to sign up on a waiting list for to get?

local Mini dealer has a couple lots full of 'em. can't imagine he's got 30+ cars only as test drivers. seen a few in the used lots around town also.

i'd say it's easier to get a Mini than a Smart right now.

[twonabomber]

http://www.rm-indy.com/wallpapers/Do...llpaper_03.jpg

(kinda huge pic, so I put only the link)

Now THAT car I would have bought....ok, all three.

The 2010 concept is trying to go all "Dukes" on the current Charger frame. Just does not work.

the concept Charger is still very popular with posters at the Allpar forums. it reminds me a lot of the last Intrepid.

i liked the 300 Hemi C concept

[Nickdfresh]

local Mini dealer has a couple lots full of 'em. can't imagine he's got 30+ cars only as test drivers. seen a few in the used lots around town also.

i'd say it's easier to get a Mini than a Smart right now.

My information might be dated. But as of last Fall, the local BMW/Mini outlet basically laughed at you if you wanted one, signed you up to a list, then laughed again if you tried to haggle on the price...

My ex-girlfriend said "fuck-it" and leased a Mazda instead...

[Big Train]

the concept Charger is still very popular with posters at the Allpar forums. it reminds me a lot of the last Intrepid.

i liked the 300 Hemi C concept

If they had built cars like either of those designs, they would be in a different place entirely.

[hideyoursheep]

You LIKE the Intrepid, BT?