Challenger and Camaro start their showdown a bit early
Chrysler picked a pleasant midsummer afternoon on Tuesday to show off its upcoming Challenger pony car to the media, but the party was briefly interrupted by the appearance of its soon-to-be showroom rival. The boys from Chevrolet picked this moment to roll through with a car transporter carrying its Camaro concept, which was on its way towards a media event of its own.
Jason Vines, Chrysler's VP of communications, dismissed the "lameness" of what he claimed was a "wuss" stunt, and pointed out that his company's muscle car didn't need to be brought to the event on a trailer. The Camaro is very much drivable, as we know, so maybe the best way to handle this little squabble would be for each automaker to stop jawing and head over to Milan Dragway to settle the dispute like real men. We'd pay extra to see the PR guys take the wheel and line 'em up; that'd be some quality entertainment.
[Source: Detroit News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Juan 10:41AM (8/16/2006)
There's nothinig "lame" or "wussy" about some playful competition. Chrysler should suck it up and fight back.
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HemiDakota 10:47AM (8/16/2006)
Problem on having the manufacture to settle the scrabble at the drag track, the Camaro wouldn't not be able to make it to the end of the track. It is not a full running concept like the Challenger.
It is the same approach that was used on the Imperial. think about the 25-MPH capped speed? Guages that didn' work...LOL
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Ken 10:49AM (8/16/2006)
I couldn't have said it any better myself Juan. I can understand Chrysler being upset, but from GM's side it was a brilliant move. Let's face it, DCX has had the upper hand by successfully marketing the Hemi. Ford and GM are the ones who have to play catch up in the horsepower wars.
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fasttie 10:54AM (8/16/2006)
I think the competition is good, but I would like to see the camaro roll by a accord debut or camry debut. The way for these cars to make it is to grow audience.
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DollarBill 10:58AM (8/16/2006)
These 2 look like winners . If they have some serious power and actually come out looking like this -they will sell well. Quality would be nice too ,what a novel idea for Chrysler and GM!!
Nice looking rides though ,may even drive people to the dealers to see thier other sorry products.
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Brent 11:01AM (8/16/2006)
CHEVY=Cheap Horribly Engineered Vehicles of Yesteryear
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Steve S 11:06AM (8/16/2006)
Seeing them side-by-side definitely illustrates the design choices made. The Challenger is completely retro while the Camaro is retro inspired. I’d have to give the Camaro the win on styling although I like the interior of the Challenger better myself.
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Richard Warren 11:11AM (8/16/2006)
Let the slugfest begin. Hey, it's business, reminds me more of the old car days. The real wuss? Chrysler for complaining about it. Both of them should try on capitalize on the positive press anytime they can, it can only build more demand.
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Don T 11:16AM (8/16/2006)
Exactly Juan. This is an awesome time for any true car enthusiast. Soon we'll have Ford, Chevy and Dodge muscle cars heating up the streets of America again. Jason Vines, Chrysler's communications VP is the only "wuss" I see and would probably crap his pants if given a real ride in any of these cars.
PS...Congratulations Brent for winning the Lamest Comment of the Year Award.
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mikesright 11:19AM (8/16/2006)
You guys are just jealous. The Camaro can fully run, the speed is governed because it is a concept that costs 500,000 a piece to create. The Challenger is the same way.
The LS2 can smoke the new GT500 motor, and just as well can smoke the Challenger or Charger on the same dragstrip. It won't likely be used as the top motor though, as the LS3 will be coming out with 450+ hp and the LS7 will be getting a power boost. If they want to start screwing around there is a 900 hp blown small-block in development right now, codenamed LSX, that will blow all of Dodge's engines away worse than they ever dreamed, all while being the smallest, best displacement, lightest V8 in the market, something that will help around curves, not just a straight line. The smallblock has a way flatter powerband and revs 1600 rpm higher, and gets 25-40% better fuel economy. The 400 hp Camaro will be able to get 30 mpg+, while a similar Charger SRT-8 can only get 20 mpg highway, which will be close to what the Challenger will get (both are fat, overgrown pigs for weight).
BRENT- Bitch who should Really shut thE f*** up before he gets his braiN beat out of his head for being reTarded.
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laserwizard 11:46AM (8/16/2006)
Typical of GM these days - they tease us with their toys and deliver us something else. GM has to keep the Shamaro in our face because it has nothing else to offer. Once the Shamaro is readied for production, it will be yet another letdown in the endless string of pathetic products Lutz and Wagoner are shoveling like cowpies.
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Peter 11:46AM (8/16/2006)
It just proves that "tacky" and "Chevy" go hand in hand.
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Ben 11:46AM (8/16/2006)
is it me or those 2 cars looks really similar ?
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MCS05 11:47AM (8/16/2006)
The article says the "wuss" comment was said jokingly.
I think the Camaro should have done a 80' burnout in front of Duggans. This is great fun.
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Brandon 11:52AM (8/16/2006)
Maybe next time the Camaro just needs to do a 100 foot burnout while driving by the Challenger display. Can you say Challenger = OWNED! j/k though.
I would pay to see them at the dragstrip against each other though. Maybe they should be on Pinks, except just for bragging rights instead of pink slips.
For HemiDakota: There are all kinds of vids of test drives of the Camaro at camaroz28.com It is a fully functional vehicle and has an awesome exhaust note.
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Scott 12:22PM (8/16/2006)
Who cares about either of these cars? I can go down to my local Ford dealer right now and plunk down cash on a Mustang, neither of these will show up for another 2-3 years. They can pretend they're competing against each other all they want, the only American muscle car I currently know of is at the Ford dealer.
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salguod 12:23PM (8/16/2006)
Is that Chrysler VP saying he drove the Challenger *concept* (I assume that's what it was, right?) to this event on public roads? Really? Did he ask the company lawyers first about that? Legal or not, I bet the lawyers would frown on the liability of a untested concept car let loose in the wild.
He needs to lighten up.
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Shawn C 12:40PM (8/16/2006)
There's nothing wrong with a little good-natured ribbing back and forth. It shows that Chevy and Dodge guys are proud of their new babies. This is a good thing for everyone thinking about purchasing either one. It shows that they both care about their new cars and hopefully that pride will show in the production models.
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Christian J 1:02PM (8/16/2006)
These two cars (if the Camaro ever comes out) will suck and be stupidly expensive for the power you want. They will be gimicky rides like the Plymouth Prowler or SSR. Neither have the low-brow sales appeal or pricing of the Ford Mustang.
Can't wait to see them languish.
-C
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Alex 1:13PM (8/16/2006)
Your comments: I think that was great!That's what I love about Domestic cars, they are proud of their vehicles and want to compete.
You would never see a Corrolla roll by to an unveiling of the new Civic.
Not that many reporters would be there...lol
Fun stuff aside, the car business is a competive market.
May the best product win!
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