Say goodbye to the wimpy 500 hp Viper

[G.Irish]

And say hello to the monstrous and totally uncalled for 2008 600 hp Viper! Ludicrous speed!

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Supposedly there's that supercharged Vette in the works so the Viper may only have the largest penis on the block title for a limited time.

[Goodspeed]

Very cool...the Detroit muscle car wars are back...and yeah, the 650hp "Blue Devil" is supposedly going to be produced, as the Z06R or Z07. Things should get interesting

[Andy]

I've also heard that GM was considering making all potential owners of the ZO6R/Blue Devil take a weekend driving school so they cold learn how to drive their car.

[BLINGMW]

Very cool...the Detroit muscle car wars are back...

I kind of disagree! The common man could buy a muscle car back in those days, but this is just a rich guy penis competition isn't it?

[Kaan]

It only has 10.2:1 compression.... they need to put some good crap in it and bump it to like 11.5:1 or 12:1.... lets put some real power down.

[Maengelito]

lets put some real power down.

haha, its no crx, but i guess 600 hp aint too bad... :wink:

[Evan]

interesting how the law of diminishing returns kicks in. All of those upgrades for "only" 90hp

[BLINGMW]

Evan, the article clearly states that is "A lot more power". :wink:

Whatever.... it's the '00's baby. 8.4 Liters should be making 840HP. Minimum. 8)

[CaptainHenreh]

I don't know how I feel about the Viper.

On one hand, it's an absurd take on a sports car. It's fast, it makes no apologies for its few shortcomings. Burn your legs on the doorsill? Suck it up, pansy! More power? More power?!? FINE! How's 600? I like that attitude, I like that philosophy, it's very American. Leave the pushrods, add more cubes. You can't not love that.

On the other hand, 76,000 dollars is alot of coin. I mean, instead of a Viper, you can buy a (faster) Z06, and like, a Yaris to drive every day to work.

So, I guess, in my heart, that the Viper is like an annoying body builder, puffing out his chest "Can you tell me where the Gym is?" The Corvette is that crazy friend your wife hates, that's probably going to end you up in jail someday, but you're having so much fun it'll be worth it.

Of course, I could be abusing my analogies. And WTF, I can't afford either anyway. Hooray horsepower!

[Goodspeed]

Very cool...the Detroit muscle car wars are back...

I kind of disagree! The common man could buy a muscle car back in those days, but this is just a rich guy penis competition isn't it?

I suppose, with 50k being the entry price tag for any of these new super muscle cars...but with the new Challenger/Camaro coming out, hopefully prices will come down from the stratosphere when it comes to V8 RWD performance cars. Apparently enthusiasts have been throwing a fit over how they don't want IRS, navigation, techno this and automated that, they just want a bare bones muscle car for under 30k. Hopefully GM will listen

[ScottyB]

enthusiasts have been throwing a fit over how they don't want IRS

i will kill these enthusiasts

[CaptainHenreh]

enthusiasts have been throwing a fit over how they don't want IRS

i will kill these enthusiasts

Show me these "enthusiasts"!

Probably the same guys who complain about the 'vette's "truck" rear suspension. HAW!

Anyway, GM gave enthusiasts a 6 speed 400 horsepower muscle car for 30 grand and it didn't sell. So what do they do now?

[Mike]

Anyway, GM gave enthusiasts a hideous 6 speed 400 horsepower muscle car for 30 grand and it didn't sell. So what do they do now?

fixed.

[CaptainHenreh]

... they just want a bare bones muscle car for under 30k...

I didn't see "pretty" in there, Mike.

I personally think the Monaro is a good looking car, and the GTO is bland, but not really ugly and certainly not hideous. PT Cruiser is Ugly. Aztek is Ugly. Prowler is Ugly. GTO? Bland, sure. But ugly? Whatever. I wouldn't buy a GTO because it was pretty. I'd buy it because it was the cheapest way to 400 horsepower around.

Just like *gasp!* an old muscle car! ZOMG!

[BLINGMW]

GTO = hideous? :?: They don't jump out at you like an STI or sliced up BMW, but IMHO, they look pretty sweet. And at least they're not overstyled. I didn't realize they weren't selling. That's too bad.

[Goodspeed]

GM teamed up with HOT ROD magazine and offered exclusive surveys in the Nov. 2006 issue concerning the 2009 Camaro, apparently GM execs are seriously listening...and the results strongly favored an inexpensive, simple V8 RWD option for under 30k. IMO if they don't offer a V8 with a 6 speed for under 30k, they will fail

[CaptainHenreh]

And in my opinion, they already did V8, Rear Drive, and 6 Speed, for under 30 grand, and "failed".

The enthusiast market is fickle. What "they" say they want and what they are willing to pay for are very, very different.

"They" want Porsche Performance, Pininfarina looks, Lotus Weight, Yugo Prices and Ferrari Exclusivity. (But not for them, of course!)

Oh, and get Geo mileage on water and sunshine.


Edit: Forgot "Rolls Royce Luxury", for RJ who hates the "Chevy Blazer Interior" of the Vette.

[BLINGMW]

[ScottyB]

i also think the majority of HOT ROD readers own hot rods that are based heavily towards street and strip driving, not autocross and road coursing. so of course a straight axle, V8 saloon that harkens back to ye olde days is their cup of tea.

i really wish someone out there would make a modern, cheap, IRS, V8 saloon that weighs less than a dump truck and could haul 4 people in a pinch. i don't think that will ever happen though, the way the market is.

[Goodspeed]

"They" want Porsche Performance, Pininfarina looks, Lotus Weight, Yugo Prices and Ferrari Exclusivity. (But not for them, of course!)

Oh, and get Geo mileage on water and sunshine.

:lol: You're on fire today. Anyways I don't really remember what the attitude was towards the GTO before it came out in 2004, but I'm pretty sure people were rather disappointed with it even before it came out, simply because of the looks. You're right, people are stupid and choose cars based on irrelevant qualities ("the GTO doesn't look pretty" etc)...but I think with all the exposure the 2008/2009 Challenger/Camaro concepts have had, with all the positive response (I don't think anything negative has been said about them, including their looks), GM would have to work hard to screw this up and have a failure like the GTO. They just have to get the prices right. If all goes well and they offer an inexpensive V8 muscle car, theres no reason why they wouldn't sell like crazy like the new Mustang