ModernMuscleCars.net - Modern Muscle Cars Archive - Ford needs to step up to the plate....

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Ford needs to step up to the plate....
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Posted by: 99FRC

I was just looking at the new issue of Motortrend and to my disbelief the new 350Z is posting really good numbers. I dont have the article right here, but I recalll a 6 cylinder at 10.3 to 1 compression pushing about 275 HP and 274 TQ. The track times were good also.... I really enjoy my GT, but the aftermarket and Ford needs to give us some good bolts-ons that actually help. I do not want to go the route of a power adder. I guess 4:30 gears will be in when the warranty expires in October of 03......

Posted by: Grape Ape

I'm not sure of the power the new Z will have, but I'm sure they'll rate said power at the crank with no accessories attached up fron either. Meaning? It won't get more than about 220 to the ground.

What I question is, who designed that ugly thing? That's got to be the ugliest Nissan I've ever witnessed, aside from those involved with the ridiculous "low rider" theorems of recent past and present.

Whatever Nissan was thinking, I can only think this car is going to be a total failure. There simply CANNOT BE a large market for that car while looking like it does.

It's also only to be sold (anywhere) as a 2 seater, which makes it a "true sports car," like they wanted it to be. Can you say Corvette? Hah! As IF that car would ever be close. There's simply no comparing them.

Posted by: Tang

The best Nissan Z cars out there, are the older ones sporting American Small blocks

Although a late model 300ZX turbo isnt a bad ride.

Posted by: John

i think the Z-car and the Mustang are in two different leagues. while i do think that Ford is capable of building a Mustang to compete with a Corvette, it is still not in the same category.

the Z-car has impressive numbers but i do agree that the styling is less than desierable. but its in a market that has been dead for a while and is very diverse in body styles. it is actually competition for the likes of a Miata, an MR2, S2000 or the European offerings of teh Mercedes CLK and the BMW Z3. the MR2 is now defunct into that pile of crap call the MR Spyder and the rest are arrayed both behind and infront of teh Z-car. while a Mustang GT could compete with most of the cars there, it will waste anything short of the Z-car's output and capability.

but there are questions to the Mustang's purpose.

what Ford really needs to do is to get a 2 seater going that is NOT on the level of the GT-40. the reason the small 2 seat sports car died is because the competition got really crappy and the FEDS smogged the British cars right out of existence. look at what we had in the 60's and 70's. Triumphs, Z-cars, Austin Healys, MG's, Aston Martins, Fiats, Alfa Romeos, hell, even Volve was in on the 2 seater and teh 2+2 market! then take a look at the 80's and what do we have? OOOOO! the Fiero! there's a hot rod! :roll: or wait, i know! the Buick Reatta! woo hoo. there was the CRX but i mean c'mon, how much potential can you have in a Honda Civic outside of class racing? there was the Miata which was a breath of fresh air but when you are the only game in town, what's the incentive? while the Miata has defintly changed over the years, its teh same car. i know it works and works well but where are the improvements? where is the newer styling change? it has a 15 year anniversary edition but thats about it.

now take a look at the 90's through to the present. sure, the Miata is still around but price has jumped 10 grand in the past 15 years. its still the AFFORDABLE on of teh bunch though! everything else is pushing 40K and up! they are by all means fun to drive but where is teh common man factor? why do rich kids with trust funds get to be teh only ones who can afford one? we all wonder why the Neon has done so well? its teh fun to drive factor coupled with affordability. Dodge hit the mark solidly with teh Neon and beat Honda at thier own game.

what Ford needs to do is expand again and get away from this stifling "world car" concept. they need a quick little 2 seater with maybe a 2+2 body style in there to boot. yeah sure teh Fosuc SVT and teh Escort ZX2 (now just ZX2) have that fun to drive factor and affordability but they just aren't the 2 seat sports car. the Thunderbird fits the bill but its sporty, not a sports car and it routinly tops 40K with the dealer mark-up.

we need a $15-20K 2 seat sports car. out of all the car companies in teh world, the two with the most promise for a ride like that are GM and Ford due to the number of markets they are in and teh number of platforms they maintain. on top of that, thier resource pools are large tha some of thier competitions entire assests. they need to listen to thier customers and give them what they want. and they have to realize that $34K baseprice for a sports car is NOT affordable. neither is $24K for that matter.

i know i sound like a hypocrite talking about affordable an driving a $30K+ vehicle but i hit my absolute maximum ceiling on a new car and i didn't even pay 30K for my ride. i paid less which made it more affordable. but it offered everything i wanted in one package. well everything except a back seat but i have no friends to put in a backseat anyway.

Posted by: 99FRC

What is this I can't believe I have not been flammend :flamed: over this,
or is it that many of you feel the same? :patriot:

Posted by: John

[quote:b3d3c5c0a9="Noir01GT"]What is this I can't believe I have not been flammend :flamed: over this,
or is it that many of you feel the same? :patriot:[/quote:b3d3c5c0a9]

no, there are no flames in tech forums. ESPECIALLY this one. if people can't post a civilized response, it gets deleted. flames are for the PIT and thats where they should stay. the occasional deviance is acceptable like teh picture It'llrun posted and so but out and out flames are not.

you posted your opinion and a couple of people gave responses offering differeing points of view. you will not get flamed here for your opinion. you can say what you want to say as long as its not a flame

so lets here what you have to say. there is alot that can be discussed on the matter but you need a second party involved. you can't have a discussion with yourself. well, you can but people think things!

so post away! whatever you have to say, whatever help you have to give or whatever question you have to ask, this is the place to do it!

refreshing change of pace isn't it?

and if you read the posts again, i think there is alot more there then just agreement or disagreement.

Posted by: 99FRC

Yes it is a nice change. I really enjoy the formatt here. I visit Mustang only sites but they seem to have tunnel vision. The interaction with others who lobe the American V8 no matter who makes it is great..... :patriot: I just wish we had more active members.

Posted by: John

[quote:a5898460b7="Noir01GT"]I just wish we had more active members.[/quote:a5898460b7]

as you can tell from posts in the PIT, we are working on that.

and causes for lack of member retention have been being discussed.

Posted by: 65fairlane

i don't want it to have so many members that your posts drop off the face of the earth 15 minutes after you make them.

Posted by: John

[quote:5c10a09016="65fairlane"]i don't want it to have so many members that your posts drop off the face of the earth 15 minutes after you make them.[/quote:5c10a09016]

somehow i doubt that will happen. well, it already happens in THE PIT but in the tech forums, not in a million years!

Posted by: Tang

Some "discussion" is ok in the tech forums, but flames, no.

In Road Kill, flames are to be expected, so thats why we let it slide in there .

If the argument breaks out in here, we simply move it

Posted by: BurnOut

One concept that has me REALLY intrigued is the Poncho Solstice. Small, RWD, light, etc... Could be a hell of an import fighter. Believe it or not, the GM Ecotec engine actually isn't too bad. If they came out similar to the concept cars (with the hard top looking oh-so-pimp, and being offered with a factory huffer), I'd be REALLY tempted to buy one.

Posted by: John

yeah they are nice but they are most likely gonna be 25K or more. its some competition for the Miata and such but, if they don't give any of the GM's any kind of power, the better option would still be a GT with comparable handling and herd more of horses under the hood. especially since there will be a monstrous dealer mark-up.

Chrysler has that Crossfire deal but that is going to be in the 30K+ price range and thats Cobra territory and well, we know the debate behind that.

but that reminds me. remember the Prowler? you know how much it cost when it was new? ~35K. not too outrageous. you know what they were rollong off the lots for? 45K+. no wonder they didn't seel. who is gonna buy a Chrysler that looks like a 34 Ford and is powered by a soccer mom minivan engine? i think the dealers had alot more to do with the prowler's demise than the customer. but thats just my opinion.

Posted by: Grape Ape

The last Prowler made was auctioned in March.....For a mere $175,000, but it came with original sketches and other nonsense too. Starting price for a "normal" 2002 model was over $45,000.

I like the new SRT-4 (Neon) for it's engine, although it's only a 4 banger. They now rate it at 215hp. Funny thing, it's larger than the new Crossfire, has the same power as the Crossfire V6, weighs less (somehow) and has about a 10" wheelbase length advantage. With the build of the SRT4, that car should handle extremely well. In the process, it should pretty much easily kick to the curb, Fords SVT Focus, depending on it's weight. They say it'll go 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds. Quick for a 4 banger, indeed.

Even though I'd never have bought a Prowler, I would like to see them keep it in the lineup. In keeping with the "Dodge tradition," they only sold a bit more than 11,000 in 5 model years though. That should keep it's resale value up.

My favorite Dodge concept is the Charger though. Build that, and I'd consider .....nahhhhhh. Too much money for Dodge cars in general. Not all of them, but the nicer models sem pricey.

Posted by: Tang

Getting about time for Chrysler to go bankrupt again

Should be what ? The 27th time or so

Posted by: mercurycapri

american cars rule. I have a 86 and a 84 mercury capri. Both have 302 s. I just sold my 85 firebird so I can rebuild my 302 in the 84. Mopar, Ford, and GM are great vehicles. Hondas are for girls.

Posted by: An11SecRanger

WOW!!! Talk about a resurrection!

Well, I guess we can see what we thought back then.

EDIT: Welcome,

Posted by: mercurycapri

Im happy up in WA because the import scene seems to be decipering. Im seeing more mustangs, camaros, and firebirds on the road more than the annoying imports. Bring out the capri s too. Oh and mopar products too.

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