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 2 of 2)
Alex @ Aug 16th 2006 1:13PM
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!
Joe @ Aug 16th 2006 1:38PM
DCX calls that lame? What about when DCX fabricated the story about some chick posing nude on the Challenger concept during the off hours of the 2006 Detroit Auto show to take some of the press from the Chevy Camaro?
Suck it up DCX :D
Mike @ Aug 16th 2006 1:54PM
The problem with having them go to the drag strip is that both of these cars are still in concept form. A drag race will only settle the battle of the concept cars, and show which company made their concept more like the real thing, or less like the real thing depending on how you look at it.
Jason Vines @ Aug 16th 2006 2:34PM
As MCS05 stated, I was quoted as "jokingly" saying it was a "Wuss" move on GM's part. I actually applaud them for bringing out the Camaro again, albeit one year later than our Challenger. Bottom line: this is good clean fun for people that love cars. 'bout time. Somebody said a few years ago that America has lost its love affair with the car. Wrong. It's there. I have it. Your readers have it. My teenagers have it. Oh, go to a Dodge dealer and then on-line to sign up to win one of the three Challengers we will be giving away.
Jason Vines
Don T. @ Aug 16th 2006 2:47PM
Gulp...My bad Mr. Vines. I guess you really are a car guy. I think its awesome that guys in your position actually read this stuff. Great way to keep in touch with consumers and hear what we have to say about your products.
PS...You're not sending your henchmen after me are you??
Ken @ Aug 16th 2006 3:02PM
Mr Vines (if it is indeed you:)
I applaud your efferts in bring out the Challanger. My question to you is when is DCX going to start putting a little effert into the interior of their vehicles? Although I know a lot of effort goes into the mini vans, I am talking about the Magnum, Charger, etc. They are Rubbermaid knockoffs. Did you read the reviews on the Jeep Compass interior in C&D? I applaud DCX's move to RWD and Hemi V8's, but maybe it's time to move past the drivetrain.
glacia00 @ Aug 16th 2006 3:04PM
Mr Vines. I assume your oppinion is that these retro cars are the saviors of the US car industry and that US car makers can simply rest now? Mission acomplished as it were?
You're in a way comfirming the real problem with the US car industry. Car makers are in love with cars but only this type of car and view anything else as an afterthought that isn't worth the time it would take to engineer.
Why no car for the other 75% of Americans who aren't in love with cars? That 75% comes from a recent poll btw. I've bought exclusively US cars for 30 years yet the last was very grudgingly purchsed to support an industry that doesn't seem to care. I'm in the market now and as far as US cars it's a wasteland for the rest of us.
Jason Vines @ Aug 16th 2006 4:21PM
Response to a few questions, if I may:
To Don T.: No henchmen on their way.
To Ken: On interiors, we're constantly looking at ways to improve. I'll pass your comments along to the design folks, although I say some of our interiors are damn good.
To glacia00: Where did I say this car, Challenger, was a "savior." Those were your words. All I said was it was nice to see companies and fans mixing it up with a passion over two offerings -- Challenger and the towable Camaro. We have 10 new products this year. I'm busting my butt to launch each one of them with success. Now, do we happen to be particularly proud of the Challenger? You bet. Especially considering the response we've received from folks on the net. Now, are we excited about the Dodge Caliber? Yes, yes and yes. It is selling like hot cakes. We have an all new Wrangler, including a four door version, that I will be driving on the Rubicon Trail in four days that I believe is the coolest vehicle we've come up with in years. So glacia00, please don't narrow us down in your own mind cuz we love a good street fight.
glacia00 @ Aug 16th 2006 5:16PM
Mr. Vines, I didn't claim you did say it however that seems to be the implied message when US car makers focus so much of their efforts toward these retro-cars. Even you say that you're 'particularly' proud of this one.
I understand you're entirely the wrong person to ask since in your position you must paint a rosey picture but I wonder how long the US car industry can ignore the majority of the market? How far can loyalty be stretched?
I'm not someone who criticizes a company I would never buy from. On the contrary I think everyone should be most critical of those products they might actually buy. As someone who has given a great deal of loyalty to American cars in the past I have to say I don't see US car companies offering anything new to anyone except the minority of people who like yourself who as you put it "love a good street fight." I don't expect you to believe it but the majority of people don't want a muscle car.
And it's no surprise that more and more people are looking elsewhere to companies who are interested in meeting the market needs that the US car makers are ignoring. I suppose I was just slow to realize that the US car industry doesn't want me as a customer.
Dodge Challenger @ Aug 16th 2006 5:33PM
Its going to be interesting to see the sales numbers.
http://www.challengertalk.com
JSM @ Aug 16th 2006 5:48PM
Mr. Vines, if you're still checking this - and I would understand if your not - a thread about the challenger is not the place to discuss the industry-wide malaise, or lack thereof - a couple of Challenger related questions from a current 06 mustang gt convertible owner
1) Convertible has been talked about - will there be a convertible from year one?
2) I have been calling for a convertible 4 door (ie asc) of the 300 and a challenger vert seems a reasonable substitute - the mustang is just a little too tight in the back seat and and couple of cu. feet too small in the trunk for the 35-45 yr old buyer with some kids, the desire for a car you can love, and the money for the 440hp version. Not really a question I guess, but can you confirm that you folks see a market, not just to play to the mustang/camaro street racer crowd but to the, shall we say, GTO/442/(challenger) folks.
3) Interiors - tell your design folks, yes, people bought the mustang, but that was DESPITE the interior - not a option when you're competing for the muscle car dollar. And that's even with the chrome and red leather options. Play to the grown-ups, kill the hard plastic and give us something an adult can be proud of.
4) As long as you're going full retro - take a look as some of the paint colors from the old days - see if your guys can come up with an enamel-looking black, a candy apple red, and that 70's purple - you folks have done a nice job with the retro cream on the 300 and the orange on the charger, is there any reason you can't take the next step and duplicate the look and textures of the old stuff?
JSM @ Aug 16th 2006 5:52PM
"I would understand if YOU'RE not" geez, you'd think I'd hadn't graduate elemetary school.
Oh, one more thing - please tell me you're keeping the butterfly valves on the hood - the 13 year old in me just has to have them.
SpecialK @ Aug 16th 2006 11:12PM
Honestly they are both trying to work together to build hype I believe. Both car's promise to be real beasts when rolled off the assembly line. Chevy might have a better powerplant in store (LSX) but I doubt it will ever be shoehorned into the Camaro from the factory (Copo Camaro anyone?)Sure Dodge has it's hemi campaign going harder than ever but a name doens't win a race. Just ask any Civic driver, just like a redneck asking if it has a hemi they ask. "EY that thign got v-tek in it?"
Tommy @ Aug 17th 2006 8:53AM
To Mr. Vines (and anyone else in DCX) - My father's a production exec at the Brampton assembly plant (making the 300, Charger, Magnum, and soon Challenger), and I worked on the line part-time while in school (making Intrepids, Concordes and LHSs). So I know what I'm talking about.
The comments about the interior are bang on. A Civic has a comparable interior to a 300C. The use of the silver plastic is excessive in all Chrysler group models. And the use of a corporate stereo system in every car from the Caliber to the 300C really cheapens the feel when you step into a more expensive model. They just look/feel too much like the cheaper ones. It was the same problem with the last generation. The Neon had an almost identical looking radio to the 300M. And there's way too much hard plastic and acres plain, boring surfaces... And that goes all the way from the Caliber to the new Nitro to the 300C. The Nitro is intriguing because it is the first time Chrysler group has modern EL guages - found in Camrys, Civics, Mazda3s, Elantras, etc.
The Imperial and Challenger do have much nicer interiors - but how much of that carries over to the production cars? And how much is it going to get copied and mass-produced into every single type of car and cheapen the whole feeling of having something special?
[/rant]
Barbara @ Aug 19th 2006 6:38AM
Details, please pay attention to the details guys and gals!!! First on your website,, are you giving away nice cars or NINE??? both probably but the wording is incorrect. Second., I had a Challenger in the early '70's it was gold with a black vynal top... wow I loved that car!!!!
risingsun @ Aug 19th 2006 4:47PM
Little late, just wanted to say that the Challenger is a damn good looking concept. Some things that I think you just CAN'T get rid of for production: Jewel headlights, the clean flushed look of the side reflectors, door handles, and don't change the front bumper at all. Oh, and I think badging is actually one of the most important subconscious elements of a car's look. Quality badging is one less thing on a car to look tacky. One piece badges with the small visible bridges between the letters look like crap. Crisp, clean badging with individually affixed letters looks very up-market, and makes the car seem more special. Look at the new Tahoo/Yukon, and actually a lot of Chevy products recently. Oh, the flat wide exhaust tips have to go. They've never looked good on any car.
salguod @ Aug 21st 2006 12:30PM
I doubt he's still checking in, but I'm going to ask anyway. You said the 'towable Camaro'. I think you know that the Camaro, like the Challenger, is a drivable concept. But since you insist on continuing to rib the Camaro guys for not driving their car, was the Challenger driven or towed/trailered to your press conference?
If you're going to dish it out, better be able to take it. :-)