The Gearhead Thread (updated title)

[SnakeCharmer]

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 arrives at $37,995

Goddamn that car is so understatedly sexy....






KITT to played by a Mustang

Everytime I see one of these GT500KR's, I just want to hump it in each exhaust pipe.



If I didn't think my wife would divorce me, I'd have a deposit on one right now.

Wait.....

[Yegolev]

The first pic, he looks like he's saying 

[stray]

Uh, almost 40k for a Challenger. Boo. That's not in the spirit of the Duke boys. Hell, the new Vettes start around 45-46. They should have targeted the Mustang crowd. GT's start at like, what, 25-30?

[edit]

Almost looks like they took some cues from Joe Rogan's Sickfish (Cuda, same difference..)... Err, except that car kills just about everything.



Edit: Ookii fixed your broke ass image

[Paelos]

I picked up my 97 GT Mustang for $24k with most of the options. Obviously, I got it in manual because automatic sportscars are for pussys. I'd imagine a new model today would be about $30 with similar options.

[Bunk]

KITT to played by a Mustang

As the proud former owner of an '82 Firechicken, I say that this is just fucking wrong.

[SnakeCharmer]

Yeah, I have to agree.

You don't replace KITT with a Mustang, even if the Mustang is sharks with frickin' laser beams in their heads cool.

[Nebu]

While the new Mustangs LOOK very nice, they handle like garbage.  I had the opportunity to drive one over the weekend on a recent work trip and it made me really appreciate my GTI.  Too sloppy into corners, sluggish out of them, and braking that made me cry.  Hell, I think my 69 mach I handled better.

[SnakeCharmer]

That's odd.

Most magazines rated them very highly in the handling department, especially considering the old tech involved with them (live axle rear).  I think the live axle is what contributed to some of the slop you felt, along with the overall weight of the car (they are h e a v y). 

Totally different experience than wrong wheel drive and all independent suspension.  But then again, the Mustang was built more for straightline than the curves.

[Nebu]

All I can say is that I felt a lot of understeer and plow as I came hard into corners and a loose rear as I came out of them.  It was as if someone had used marshmallows as bushings. The car has some power and looks/feels great on the highway.

I guess I am more of a rally-car kind of driver and prefer a tight and torque-y driving experience.  Perhaps the new mustangs just aren't for me. 

[SnakeCharmer]

They're designed with alot of understeer, actually, mostly to help keep inexperienced drivers from spinning them around like tops.  They're a bit heavy on the nose.  It can still be done, just with a bit more liberal use of the throttle.  The 3v 4.6L V8 develops it's horsepower and torque at higher rpms than older V8s, and needs a bit more aggressive right foot to play around with.  But like I said, it's a totally different feel than what you're used to. 

You'd probably feel more at home in my Pontiac GTO than a Mustang, which incidentally wasn't built or designed by Pontiac.  It's a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia.  Very BMW / Mercedes-ish feeling with a Corvette motor.  Also, a very heavy bitch (3,700 lb pig).

[SnakeCharmer]

WTS: One wife, child, dog, soul.

WTB: 2009 Corvette ZR-1

Freaking sex on wheels....

[Yegolev]

Mmmmm.

Isn't 100hp per liter the limit?  Or am I thinking cylinder?

[SnakeCharmer]

Mmmmm.

Isn't 100hp per liter the limit?  Or am I thinking cylinder?

Neither.

My '03 Cobra dyno'd at 522 rwhp (or about 600ish at the crank removing parasitic losses) with a 4.6L V8.  Figure about 15 percent power lost due to accessories, tranny, etc.

[schild]

My car has more than 100hp per liter.

So does the S2000.

[SnakeCharmer]

S2000.  Nice car, if a bit odd looking, but too much like a garden variety Civic.  I need my cars to have some quirks, some personality.  Hondas/Acuras, whilst being very well built cars and very good at what they do, just have none.

[schild]

I like my RSX Type-S. But then, I'm 25.

[Nebu]

I was floored to know that a) they aren't making the challenger in a manual transmission and b) don't plan to release one with a manual for at least a couple of years.  WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT A MUSCLE CAR WITH A FUCKING AUTOMATIC? 

I don't get it.

[schild]

WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT A MUSCLE CAR WITH A FUCKING AUTOMATIC?

People with boobs might.

[Nebu]

People with boobs might.

Obese men?  You have a point. 

[SnakeCharmer]

I was floored to know that a) they aren't making the challenger in a manual transmission and b) don't plan to release one with a manual for at least a couple of years.  WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT A MUSCLE CAR WITH A FUCKING AUTOMATIC? 

I don't get it.

Quicker and more consistent at the drag strip usually, which is where you will see alot of these.

Manuals = bragging about dyno numbers...
Autos = bragging about e.t.'s... 

Edit:  Also, it's likely that development on that is a bit slow and they want to beat the Chevy Camaro and Pontiac GTO to the market.  That Challenger is priced waaaaay too high, though.  After the initial rush to buy one by the hardcore (read: old) Mopar fans, the next model year is going to sit on the lots and then be sold with deep discounts.  So, if you want one, wait a couple years and you'll be able to pick up a brand spanking new one for dirt fooking cheap.

Brand new 2006 GTO's that are sitting on the dealers lots are going for about 26K.  The tempation KILLS me every time I drive by and see the dark blueish grey one sitting all alone at the corner of the lot.

[lamaros]

So gearhead = someone who likes cars but has no taste?

[stray]

I like monstrously loud engines. That's all I know. And a civic will never do that for me -- ever -- don't give a fuck what anyone says or tries to show me.

[SnakeCharmer]

So gearhead = someone who likes cars but has no taste?

Nah, that's just an ignorant assumption.

I like monstrously loud engines. That's all I know. And a civic will never do that for me -- ever -- don't give a fuck what anyone says or tries to show me.

 

[Yegolev]

Funny you guys mentioned the S2000 since that's what I was misremembering.  It was apparently right at the limit, whatever it was.  Long time ago, when I was actually looking for a nice car.

[Righ]

[DarkDryad]

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 arrives at $37,995

Goddamn that car is so understatedly sexy....






KITT to played by a Mustang

Welp time to go into debt again. I was looking at a 07 Shelby but this thing is 30k cheaper!! wewt!

Everytime I see one of these GT500KR's, I just want to hump it in each exhaust pipe.



If I didn't think my wife would divorce me, I'd have a deposit on one right now.

Wait.....

[DarkDryad]

Uh, almost 40k for a Challenger. Boo. That's not in the spirit of the Duke boys. Hell, the new Vettes start around 45-46. They should have targeted the Mustang crowd. GT's start at like, what, 25-30?

[edit]

Almost looks like they took some cues from Joe Rogan's Sickfish (Cuda, same difference..)... Err, except that car kills just about everything.



Edit: Ookii fixed your broke ass image

Just a few notes...
The zo9 vettes rolling off the line for 09 are 125k to start
The picured Mustang is a Shelby GT500 not a GT they start at 67k
All told a hemi equiped challenger at 40k isnt a bad deal and if they follow the trend of all new mopars it will have a lifetime warranty.

[DarkDryad]

KITT to played by a Mustang

As the proud former owner of an '82 Firechicken, I say that this is just fucking wrong.

Would help if they still made a firechicken... Blame GM

[Trippy]

Mmmmm.

Isn't 100hp per liter the limit?  Or am I thinking cylinder?

> 100hp per liter is rare in a naturally-aspirated street car engine. The Corvette is doing it with a supercharger.

[DarkDryad]

People with boobs might.

Obese men?  You have a point. 

Actually most drag cars run autos. My 96 gt has a PA C4 race tranny with a 2900 stall converter. Corse its got a 5.4 liter triton in it with a vortech huffin on it :)

[Nebu]

Actually most drag cars run autos. My 96 gt has a PA C4 race tranny with a 2900 stall converter. Corse its got a 5.4 liter triton in it with a vortech huffin on it :)

Maybe I'm weird then.  When I drive a sports/muscle car I want to feel the car.  I'm more interested in actively driving the car than I am about perfect optimization.  The difference in feel driving a BMW, Porsche, or any of the muscle cars I've owned with an automatic just doesn't compare in pleasure to that of having a manual.  If that costs me a tenth of a second in the quarter, then I'm good with that. 

[SnakeCharmer]

Nah, you're not weird.  I prefer a manual in 99.9 percent of the situations out there for pretty much the same reason.  But people that spend their time at the local dragstrip don't really care about that.  They just want to get from the staging lights to the trap as quickly as they can.

[Yegolev]

Mmmmm.

Isn't 100hp per liter the limit?  Or am I thinking cylinder?

> 100hp per liter is rare in a naturally-aspirated street car engine. The Corvette is doing it with a supercharger.

I was misremembering a legal limit on horsepower from some years back when I was investigating sports cars for purchase.  I will see about refinding that when I get some extra cycles.

[Nebu]

Nah, you're not weird.  I prefer a manual in 99.9 percent of the situations out there for pretty much the same reason.  But people that spend their time at the local dragstrip don't really care about that.  They just want to get from the staging lights to the trap as quickly as they can.

If you're not doing it for a living, then you're doing it for fun.  If having an automatic do all the driving for them makes it fun... more power to them.  I'll still never understand it.  The joy of driving comes from the connection between man and machine.  You can never feel that when you have a computer doing the work for you.  Period.

[Trippy]

Mmmmm.

Isn't 100hp per liter the limit?  Or am I thinking cylinder?

> 100hp per liter is rare in a naturally-aspirated street car engine. The Corvette is doing it with a supercharger.

I was misremembering a legal limit on horsepower from some years back when I was investigating sports cars for purchase.  I will see about refinding that when I get some extra cycles.

Japan used to have a HP limit. Considering that the Bugatti Veyron has a 1000 HP engine that's not something that's generally limited in street-legal sports cars.