Does anyone else feel like

"BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather" (bugeyedacura)
07/18/2014 at 23:34 • Filed to: None

The money spent on the Hellcat would have been better used building a decent platform for the Challenger?

DISCUSSION (36)

EL_ULY > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/18/2014 at 23:36

weight reduction (a lot) , suspension, brakes, and light engine mods.

But that Hellcat tho

PatBateman > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/18/2014 at 23:40

Why not both?

Brian Silvestro > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/18/2014 at 23:41

That's a good fucking question actually....

There is no wrong answer, it was either go all out muscle or make a better all around performer. I'm not disappointed with what they went with.

Crest > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/18/2014 at 23:42

Why? No. Simply because no matter how decent they make the platform, no matter how much they improve the handling and everything, you're still gonna hear some fool compare it to the germans and talk about how much better they are compared to American cars, even when they're not, see(CTS, ATS). After all it is an American car…..albeit a lil Italian.

So they made the right choice improving what it's known for; a big engine, stupid power, aggressive looks, a sound that could start earthquakes and just that all round badass Mopar feel. Win win

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > EL_ULY
07/18/2014 at 23:44

I mean I get the appeal, but the 6.4 woulda done wonders if it wasn't toting around 4k lbs+

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > PatBateman
07/18/2014 at 23:45

Money. They need it to make other cars too lol

EL_ULY > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/18/2014 at 23:45

100% true. We were talking about this exact thing at work today 6.4 vs 6.2

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Brian Silvestro
07/18/2014 at 23:46

I dunno man. Just feel like the smart thing woulda been platform.

Dr_Watson > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/18/2014 at 23:59

no, because dat monster will fit in other platforms.

JR1 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/19/2014 at 00:14

Are we talking better platform like all new car or just something to handle the twists and turns. I'd love a corner carver but at the end of the day Gilles and his team have created a Mopar and muscle car legend that could go for hemi cuda money in 30/40 years.

blacktruck18 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/19/2014 at 00:30

I feel like the money spent developing the drivetrain, would be wasted if it didn't end up in every RWD vehicle Chrysled produces. Ram hellcat (just a little reminder Chrysler I guarandamntee you will sell at least one) Jeep Grand Cherokee Hellcat, Charger Hellcat. Seriously this drivetrain cannot be used in just one vehicle, put it in everything.

camaroboy68ss > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/19/2014 at 00:44

since the Camaro and mustang have went more all around performer or something that can handle I guess dodge thought it would be better to do the opposite and make a pig fly in a straight line.

Cherry_man1 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/19/2014 at 00:47

Na kill the Viper or make the baby viper outta the challenger and call it the cuda.

j.davism5 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/19/2014 at 02:10

Nope. Cheap and batshit crazy. That's what the muscle car is/does. Performance to the masses in a compromised package at an outlandishly cheap price. If you want a finished product that is purpose built, get a porsche and marvell in it's engineering and perfection. Otherwise, sit down, shut up and ride this bad boy all the way to hell....

DanZman > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/19/2014 at 02:33

bolting on a supercharger is really cheap. designing a new platform is extremely expensive, especially when you didnt even pay for the one your using

DanZman > Cherry_man1
07/19/2014 at 02:35

I unfortunately have to agree... its time for the Viper to die. It either needs to move down market or WAY up market. At its current price point its just not even competitive.

DanZman > blacktruck18
07/19/2014 at 02:37

grand cherokee hellcat would get me to ditch the c6z...

DanZman > JR1
07/19/2014 at 02:38

nope, they are going to sell for $60k... cheap. They will be plentiful

Old-Busted-Hotness > DanZman
07/19/2014 at 06:29

DING DING DING! We have a winner!

Old-Busted-Hotness > EL_ULY
07/19/2014 at 06:39

Challenger and its platform buddies are big cars. Big cars, especially those with the coveted 5-star crash rating, are heavy. I'd be real surprised if a bare body (no drivetrain, suspension, interior or glass) comes in at less than 2,000 pounds.

The OG Challenger weighed 3,006-3,650, depending on the engine, so it wasn't exactly petite.

A lightweight corner-carver with a Hemi would be nice, but it wouldn't be a Challenger.

Old-Busted-Hotness > EL_ULY
07/19/2014 at 07:02

Also, remember the last lightweight Challenger?

Kinja'd!!!

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > DanZman
07/19/2014 at 07:17

I feel like the Hellcat is a bit more than a bolt-on supercharger...

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > EL_ULY
07/19/2014 at 07:19

I guess it really depends on the application. I think the 6.4 was kinda made to be all it could be, as is. They probably woulda had to go back to the drawing board on it anyway to get it where they needed it. At that point, just make the new engine anyway.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Old-Busted-Hotness
07/19/2014 at 07:20

Yeah, but when the new Mustang is ringing in at 3500lbs, and the new Camaro will probably be under that, a 4200 pound pony is just not that impressive. No matter how many HP is has.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > JR1
07/19/2014 at 07:24

My main concern was something that didn't weigh 4200 lbs. For the cost of development, they could have pulled quite a bit of weight from the car. The only way I can think that the Hellcat was better is if they start using it in everything else. But how many cars foes Dodge want in its lineup with 700hp and getting 10 mpg?

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > blacktruck18
07/19/2014 at 07:25

They literally can't put it in anything else. I'm sure that the engine will get abysmal fuel economy in the Challenger, let alone in a truck or heavier sedan.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > j.davism5
07/19/2014 at 07:26

But I don't like Porsches... How about a Vette instead?

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > camaroboy68ss
07/19/2014 at 07:27

Thats the next logical step I guess. They were never gonna beat the Boss and Z28, so I guess they had to do their own thing.

Old-Busted-Hotness > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/19/2014 at 08:17

Not much more, and still ridiculously cheap compared to an all-new platform.

1: Bolt on supercharger, turn it up to 11

2: see what breaks, run cost-benefit analysis. Beef up the parts that are cost-effective to do so.

3: Turn supercharger down to 10, repeat process until drivetrain lasts 36,000 miles.

4: Hoon, shoot video, sell eleventy billion cars.

Hellcat's real mission in to get people into Dodge showrooms. They'll see the 60K MSRP and leave in a Challenger SXT or worst case, a 200. Mission accomplished, they sold a car.

Old-Busted-Hotness > j.davism5
07/19/2014 at 08:20

Exactly. It's not a Corvette, it's a throwback to old-school American muscle, full stop.

JR1 > DanZman
07/19/2014 at 10:31

If ehow is correct adjusted for inflation the Hemi Cuda cost 26k in 1970.

JR1 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/19/2014 at 10:34

You make a good point it will hurt the overall fleet average mpg. I suppose they are banking on the Hellcat selling in small enough numbers it doesn't affect the overall fleet average a whole lot.

blacktruck18 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/19/2014 at 12:07

I don't think it will be the fuel mileage will be abysmal, I am sure the 8 speed and 6 speed will end up like the Vipers which have a a super high top gear just for highway mileage. Granted the challenger weighs a lot more but I wouldn't be surprised to see mid-twenties highway and mid-teens city. The weight difference between the Challenger(4170 per cars.com), Charger (4371 for the SRT8 according to car and driver) and a RCSB Ram 1500 ( 4320 with 1/2 a tank of gas per me when I got blacktruck weighed) is basically nothing. The Grand Cherokee SRT is pretty fay at 5150 (according to cars.com) but they are still managing to get 13/19 out of it. I feel like the could get something similar from a Hellcat Jeep. Since I didn't work it into this post yet, Chrysler build a Hellcat Truck.

Stephen Krogmeier > DanZman
07/19/2014 at 12:22

No way Fiat is going to let them move too upmarket and step on Ferrari's toes. The only direction for the Viper to go is down. Make it a realistic Corvette competitor. I'd love to see more options in that market.

DanZman > Stephen Krogmeier
07/19/2014 at 17:57

as a corvette owner, I completely agree

j.davism5 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
07/19/2014 at 20:00

Only if lotus engined C4 ZR1 with speed key.