Will USDM step up?

[northendtrooper]

Will the domestics bring something to the table that will compete once again with the JDM hotness? I've yet to see a good sport compact that is RWD from the domestics, or possibly a Turbo AWD?

[InSepsis]

No, this is america... everything has to be a big and heavy and not be reliable for shit....

I can only hope they bring out some of the euro models that chevy and ford make to this market.

[bcool]

If anything were to do it, it would have been the gas prices. Now that those are back down and the big 3 need our help. Its just not going to happen. I will say though that i'm fully impressed with what GM did with the Corvette ZR1 and the Caddy CTS-V. You can't say anything back about the performance and engine reliability of those 2. Other than that everything else i've seen so far is pretty much trash. I doubt they'll change their ways but we'll see.

[208Soarer]

I truly believe that the days of the "hp wars" is over! For now anyways. The 90's was the highlight. IMO.
Chevy-SS Camero, Vette
Ford- Cobra, and if count Saleens?
Dodge- Viper
Honda/ Acura-NSX(oh yeah!!)
Toyota- Supra, Soarer, Aristo
Nissan- SKYLINE (enough said!), 300zx
Mazda- RX-7
Mitsu- Evo's
Those are the cars that were constantly caught up in the "hp wars". That's why it's hard to say "will". It's more of a "why" did they all stop?

[HighBoost]

I'm not sure really..... with this economy, None of the companies are going to have the money to think up/build something that could beat the JDM vehicles .

[Squarl]

u.s. companies need to be smart like i hate to say it, but hyundai is doing with there genesis coupe. make something with decent hp and and rwd on a cheap platform. in my eyes the genesis IS the new 240sx. or bring cars like the ford falcon and focus rs models to america. i mean it is an American company right?

American companies can play ball in this market. they just choose not to it seems. i mean i wouldn't mind getting hand outs for being bad. and im sure gm doesn't either.

[northendtrooper]

Fully agree ^^^
I just wish that the big 3 three would at least throw out a concept of a RWD 2 coupe concept for under $25k. Turbo'ed not v8'ed.

[isboosted]

If only my car was RWD. . . and fast. . . fail.

[Sean]

They won't do anything. All the tree hugging hippies will complain like mad if they make a car that isn't a hybrid. Not to mention the government is going to almost tell them what they can and cannot do.

Shoulda just let them file Chapter 11, then they could get things right the first time and not burn 25 billion dollars.

Anyone wanna toss money in the money hole??? :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnX-D4kkPOQ

[580z]

the srt8 jeep grand cherokee has a 6.1L hemi in it, and hennesse offers a turbo version....its faster than a viper, and 4wd, but it isnt cheap.......

[Rob]

The big 3 combined with our ridiculous government have doomed themselves to failure pretty much. What really disgusts me is that intense resistance to change to make themselves marketable companies anymore when companies they own use their own equipment that already exists in better ways. Take GM's 3.8l v6 for example, not a bad motor but could be better... alfa uses that block and puts direct injection heads on it, allowing for much leaner burn ratios etc... but gm wont do the same and certainly wont offer it here.

Also, right now, since gas will go back up, people want smaller more efficient cars, companies like toyota and nissan and honda offer a large variety of small efficient cars where the big three seem to think that simply offering the malibu or whatever crap box they're pushing as efficient these days is sufficient. People want choice and fun to drive even in economy cars, and detroit doesn't seem to understand or be capable of providing.

Lastly, the artificial security blanket created by our government's archiac standards about cars has, in my opinion, put detroit at least a decade behind of it's real competition.

[580z]

detroit has the capability to produce great things, they just dont because of market research........they need to aim for a younger crowd, with lighter wallets. It would also help if they hired some different design firms.

[Tom]

They won't do anything. All the tree hugging hippies will complain like mad if they make a car that isn't a hybrid. Not to mention the government is going to almost tell them what they can and cannot do.



Not true. As an environmentally minded person, I realize that making hybrids (Mining the ore, making the placstic, shipping them to the United States on extremely dirty ships etc.) is much worse than buying a relatively efficient car (VW tdi that are made in Mexico) and using it less. Plus, where urban areas stretch for miles (LA, Chicago, Miami, Sacremento, Boise etc) public transportation has legitimacy.

So the next time you see a Prius, think that the owner either wants good mileage in town or is a trendy environmentalist. Hippy's drive old beat down car's because they don't believe in supporting a system of consumption.

[daveyg]

I think the us automakers deserve all the shit they're getting. I mean, I love my domestic vehicles, I dd a Ford F150, and have a 63 GMC 1/2 ton that is my baby. But new GM vehicles especially suck major ass. Even the fuckin ZR1 has painted plastic interior panels. Like I'd take out a mortgage for a car, that after 3 years has peeling latex on the dash. I drove a 05 Malibu for 6 months, and that was my biggest peeve! And then, oh, lets make a new Camaro concept, and then take 5 years to let Ford kick our asses with the pony car market sales. If they came out with the 2.0 turbo ecotec Camaro in 06, like they're thinking about doing in 2011... they would've taken every V6 mustang sale, hands down. Puts out the same power, with 1.4 liters less displacement, and lets not forget about the possibility of import buyers that would consider it (a domestic RWD turbo 4, that is) I think US automakers dug their own graves, and I can't wait to see which one tanks first.

[peels2g]

Sorry guys but I would take a new Dodge Challenger SRT8 anyday over any jap car. Go to nampa take a look and fire one up and you will see why. It might not be the fastest or most nimble but it is 100% about american muscle.

[northendtrooper]

ROFLCOPTER!!!
The challenger is a fucking tank! Sure it puts down 425hp, but have you noticed how much it weighs? The power to weight ratio is fuxored right there. The challenger puts 9hp per lb where the mustang puts down over 10hp per lb. Not worth it. Blah blah blah.

[peels2g]

ROFLCOPTER!!!
The challenger is a fucking tank! Sure it puts down 425hp, but have you noticed how much it weighs? The power to weight ratio is fuxored right there. The challenger puts 9hp per lb where the mustang puts down over 10hp per lb. Not worth it. Blah blah blah.

Not everything is about speed and power to weight ratio my friend. I have a love affair with the Challenger simply because its badass. I love the look and the spirit of the car...

For speed I will stick to turbocharging my hondas.

[northendtrooper]

For looks. Yes they are sexy.

[Jdmitr]

Not everything is about speed and power to weight ratio my friend. I have a love affair with the Challenger simply because its badass. I love the look and the spirit of the car...

For speed I will stick to turbocharging my hondas.

With absolutely no disrespect to you and your tastes....I dont blame you for liking the new challenger. We saw some very nice ones at Sema this year. But (like I said no offense) people like you (people that love the retro look) get sucked in all the way to their assholes into buying a poorly built poorly engineered car that happens to have some cool retro styling. I agree with the previous statement that they could do better, but choose not too.

Bottom line is, that if it wasnt for ALL of the nostalgic ol' school domestic lovers or Nascar brand huggers "I'll only buy chevy cause Dale does" or "I only buy chevy cause my father did, and his father did...it's in our blood" the Big three would have been DEAD decades ago! That is why they build shit! Because they can and it will sell because Americans wont stop having the "deer in the headlights" "look" everytime ford chevy or dodge comes out with something new which is every other month. They dont care that the domestic vehicles hold value like digested food! They just buy it and bitch and moan that it is worth a 10th of what they paid for it in two years when they trade it in on another "new improved" domestic pile. I will never ever buy a new domestic car again.

In 97 we bought a new Cavalier for my wife at $15,700. In two years it NADA booked at $8,995 with normal miles. At the end of two years we owed more than it was worth making normal payments. In 99 we bought a New Civic EX coupe at $15,600. At the end of three years it NADA booked at $12,900 with average miles. I only owed about $6,000 on the car and I sold it for $11,900 in no time and pocketed nearly $6000!!! yeah...makes sense to buy crap. Just my $.02

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hijo5i1xXc

[Tom]

Brand loyalty plays into it. But really. Who in their right mind buys a New lincoln over a German car at similar price?

535i V A6 4.2 V DTS v. Town Car (http://www.kbb.com/KBB/CompareCars/Report.aspx?CompareCarsVehicleIds=248286-176709-235123-237083&YearId=2009&Path=Compare&VehicleClass=NewCar&ManufacturerId=5&ParentView=CompareCarsReport&ModelId=12547&SelectedTabIndex=3&VehicleId=248286&SelectionHistory=248286%7c29834%7c97504%7c0%7c0%7c&trid=37)

[biz-ill]

I agree with 90TSIAWD. It really boils down to American mfg's resistance to change. Simple as that. Now that they've totally F'D up, *then* gotten bailed out why would they change at all. Ever?

[THERB4U]

Anyone who thinks the SRT-8 Challenger is poorly designed hasnt driven one. They are easy to drive, power on tap, and they ride much much better than the mustang.

[e2blade]

What about he cobalt SS turbo? that thing was intense at autocross
or fords eco boost?

and whos that chick in your avatar thats dancing and shit

[MacDrizzle]

The thing the govt. is overlooking is the cost it takes to get rid of a hybrid. Call in hazmat! As long as guys are not satisfied with their penis size horsepower wars will continue! It never really stopped, looking more closely you all will see that it adapted to its environment, yes even in the '80s ex. Nodestiny's chome van! Quit all of this pussy bullshit and go make some HORSEPOWER!

Overlooked GM hotrods: G8, Trailblazer SS, Silverado SS, Joe Gibbs Silverado, etc...

Look at what the big three are doing once again, factory drag cars: 09 CobraJet, Hemi Srt8 Challenger, GM get in the fuckin' game. Big $$$$$ is to be had!

You can never tame the BEAST!

$The Mac$

[DICKARM]

Not true. As an environmentally minded person, I realize that making hybrids (Mining the ore, making the placstic, shipping them to the United States on extremely dirty ships etc.) is much worse than buying a relatively efficient car (VW tdi that are made in Mexico) and using it less. Plus, where urban areas stretch for miles (LA, Chicago, Miami, Sacremento, Boise etc) public transportation has legitimacy.

So the next time you see a Prius, think that the owner either wants good mileage in town or is a trendy environmentalist. Hippy's drive old beat down car's because they don't believe in supporting a system of consumption.

very true. they'd rather drive an old beat up car, even if they had means to buy a nice new car. i know people like this, they mean well.....but they are still hippies.

[5pointSlow]

Will the domestics bring something to the table that will compete once again with the JDM hotness? I've yet to see a good sport compact that is RWD from the domestics, or possibly a Turbo AWD?


solstice, sky, prowler (sourt of LOL), I think the solstice/sky is RWD but not really sure


but you're right, they mostly stick to their roots. But, jdm doesn't compete in our big high powered v8 catagory. What does japan make that compares to a ZO6, ZR-1, shelby gt500, Ford GT, SRT-8's, Viper etc.....