Chrysler today released five "teaser" pics of the 2008 Dodge Challenger -- photos depicting little tiny snippets of the car. I'll be honest with you, posting them here on the About.com Cars site makes me feel a little dirty. I hate when we get toyed with like this -- just show us the damn car already! But since we're all friends here, and since we're all anxious to get a look at the new Challenger, I'll go ahead and play the part of Chrysler's little media tool -- here are the pics. And you know what? They're pretty cool -- except for the wheels, the bits they're showing us wouldn't seem out of place on an original 1970 Challenger.
Chrysler plans to unveil the Challenger at the Chicago Auto Show on February 6th. Naturally, I'll post the pics as soon as they're available. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go wash up. -- Aaron Gold
Photo © Chrysler
It’s kinda like going to a peep show but the glass is all foggy with condensate. What you can see looks good, that is, if you’re into the current retro offerings…
It is entertaining to see the three Detroit car companies re-entering the Pony car wars, but I can’t help but wonder whether this car genre really has much of a future.
When I was in my teens and early twenties in the original muscle/pony car era, these cars were lusted after by every guy I knew. And surprisingly, they were pretty affordable to buy and operate by kids like me even with an entry-level job.
But, the now the new Pony cars are no longer affordable for most young buyers, especially with $3+ gasoline. The people who want and can afford these cars are 45, 50 and 60 years old and are buying them primarily for their nostalgia value.
Although Harley-Davidson has made a ton of money selling nostalgia, this market niche seems unlikely to have much staying power for these $35,000, 14 mpg Pony cars.
Foggy windows, covered with condensation at a peep show, conjours up all kinds of lurid, distasteful and disturbing images, none that whould seem to “look good”, but I guess I’ll just take your word for it Sean!
well of talk to some of my friends about the new challenger and they were telling me they’re charging fifteen to twenty thousand over sticker in Michigan check with Mike dealer local and Tennessee and they were going to be 10,000 over sticker list price before taxes .far as I’m concerned they can keep the car.everybody if their smart say pass and let the dealer sit down on for couple years and let them make the payments on the floor plan.and if Chrysler doesn’t do anything with their dealers shame on them .so if the cars don’t sell they’ll be short lived and they’ll be gone in two to three years just like they did with other cars.so the money they spent on research and toollean will put down the drain and no blame everybody but themselves.so right now with agreed they can put the car for the sun don’t shine.that’s my thought that they want buys a car right now they have more money then brains.
I’ve heard it suggested that the dealers may put a crazy markup on a halo car like the Challenger with the intention of *not* selling it — because the car serves as a draw for customers. If a dealer sells his Challenger SRT-8 in the first week, he may not get another one for a long time — so why not price it into the stratosphere in order to keep it there as a showpiece. And if someone’s willing to pay enough for it, then the dealer will want to make enough profit to make up for the potential lost traffic until another one comes in.
Oh, c’mon Maui Don…. Didn’t I see you there last week? Everyone knows getting just a little glimpse and leaving the rest to the imagination is the auto manufacturer’s hook. Anyways, you’re probably right, that analogy does bring to mind a variety of unmentionable visuals, (besides, I don’t think they use the glass any more). And yes, I agree, the main draw this car will generate is attracting nostalgic 50-somethings ‘just to look’ but end up purchasing a Stratus or Grand Caravan or whatever at sometime, which is exactly what Mopar is banking on. Even by lessening development costs by sharing platforms and powertrains with current model brethren there’s no way they’ll ever break even- a domestic V6 or V8 coupe doesn’t have enough of a potential market.
You got it Sean…the ol “bait ‘n switch” …actually they’re hoping to probably sell you a hot Hemi Charger or even worse a Caliber SRT.
P.S. That was me last week, but I gotta be careful, my wife reads these blogs!!!
Sure give us some tantilsing sound bytes and a bit of new car smell to while your at it.
It’s too bad that coupes don’t have a large enough market segment. They’re the only cars I really like to drive. Sedans are OK and so are a few of the truck models, but what really gets my blood pumping is a sweet looking coupe. Problem is, none of the ones worth owning are affordable by the average working guy like me….to include the Challenger. (I stilll think Dodge could make a killing on the Charger if they offered it in both two and four-door versions).
Eric, how about the Mini Cooper s, Volvo c30, Civic si…all generally affordable unless your working the counter at Burger King.