General Challenger DiscussionThis section contains general discussion about the Dodge Challenger. If it does not fit into a more specific area, it probably belongs in here. (Dodge Challenger General Discussion)
I'd be more than happy to purchase an all electric car that puts out 400+ horsepower. Electric vehicles don't suffer from some of the same problems that combustion engines do. When you really think about it, having up to 7000 explosions happening every minute inside a small pressurized cylinder is about the dumbest method of linear motion we could come up with. It just happens to be the easiest and most economically feasible method we've got right now. Electrical vehicles have a ton of potential just waiting to be tapped as battery technology catches up. Someday we'll be installing a new 'positron inverter' instead of headers, or a beefed up linear regulator instead of a CAI, and pushing past the 1000 hp mark for the cost we put into getting 50 hp out of a combustion engine, with 90%+ energy efficiency from our solar paint and windstream scavengers. Or, if you need a family sedan, you buy the model with a power limiter that allows your stock battery to go 6 months without needing a single recharge.
These things are in the classrooms and laboratories right now. They're waiting on the chemists to make steps in battery technology to implement them. Imagine being able to sacrifice 100 miles of distance per charge to get 100 extra horsepower by winding a coil a little tighter without worrying about spinning a bearing from redlining. Or plugging in a diablo tuner and having the option to add 200 horsepower in 2 minutes. The Tesla Roadster and the Fisker Karma are just the baby steps into performance electric powered cars and they'll smoke a stock vette off the line. Heck they do 0-60 faster than a Z06 or a Viper for nearly the same price, and you won't even have to turn up the volume on the radio. The Tesla is already reportedly 88% efficient.
Don't be afraid of the future. Electric cars will be even more mod-friendly than what we've got today, and those mods will almost certainly be cheaper than buying forged pistons and crankshafts. Even more silly in perspective is bolting on superchargers trying our best to keep an ideal stoich ratio that only gives us 60% energy efficiency at best (maximum thermal efficiency of modern gasoline combustion engines).
I will keep my KB and Diablo tuner, thank you very much. The whine of a electric motor does not do it for me. I guess I will continue to live in the past and be happy with my in-efficient gas(E 85) Guzzler. I am not afraid of electric cars, but I do have concerns about our future.
__________________ 2008 SRT8 HPP 002 SUPERBIRD, FIRST HPP SUPERBIRD BUILT FOR 200MPH+, Spanking Times Built 870 RWHP Street Tune on E-85, 1/4 mile 10.962 @ 128.92, 190.9 MPH Mojave Mile
CRX specs 88-91...mpg 49 to 52. pretty darn good...options 0..curb weight 2100 lbs
Toyota Prius 2013...mpg 48 to 51 pretty darn good...options power everything nav, tc anti lock brakes, hid headlights, and power steering and power windows
weight 3064lbs using some simple math if the prius lost 1000lbs which is 33 percent of its total weight it would improve the mpg by roughly the same amount adding 17mpg and bringing its average to 68 city 65 highway. Which is about half a mpg per year.
I will not even bring up the fact that the electric vehicles have a mpg price break down that usually is about 100mpg.
__________________
I live my life a quarter mile at a time. Nothing else matters: not the mortgage, not the store. Not the team For those 13 seconds or less, I'm free." -Win Diesel
Great discussion....i do think technology, Superchargers, turborchargers and further fuel tuning with the use of lighter weight components will squeeze more mileage and performance. Also the micro (european style) vehicles will help with CAFE ratings. American engineering is the best of the best and we will come up with a solution. We are a long way from the 55MPG issue and things can change. Remember when we had no internet and cell phones...and look now how much more productive (or stressed) we are since these things have been developed. Hybrids will be better developed to handle city driving when engine load is not needed.....this is already here
I remember when the third brakelight news broke. If everybody believed Hot Rod, Car Craft,
and Motor Trend you'd have thought the world was coming to an end.
The Following User Says Thank You to Freddy For This Useful Post:
I remember when the third brakelight news broke. If everybody believed Hot Rod, Car Craft, and Motor Trend you'd have thought the world was coming to an end.
I believe the '85 Cadillac was first to have them.
Look, the future is going to be smaller, more economical cars. There will still be performance cars and Im pretty sure SRT will still be around but all cars are going to be smaller and more economical. The days of 15 mpg V8s are going away soon. Yes, CAFE standards are across the an entire company so they may be able to keep making Vipers and Vettes in very small numbers but if anybody thinks the new Cuda is going to be anything like the Challenger you are delusional. Think Subaru BRZ, that is a glimpse of the future I believe. Im not a fan, thats why I jumped on my RTC this year. The sun is setting.
Also; Ive had plenty of cars and been a member in lots of different forums. Sometimes they get ruined by BS political crap. Speaking for myself, I really would like all the politics stuff to go somewhere else. This is a car forum, isnt it?
__________________ ZardozSpeakstoYou
2012 Dodge Challenger R/T Classic 6 spd
Look, the future is going to be smaller, more economical cars. There will still be performance cars and Im pretty sure SRT will still be around but all cars are going to be smaller and more economical. The days of 15 mpg V8s are going away soon. Yes, CAFE standards are across the an entire company so they may be able to keep making Vipers and Vettes in very small numbers but if anybody thinks the new Cuda is going to be anything like the Challenger you are delusional. Think Subaru BRZ, that is a glimpse of the future I believe. Im not a fan, thats why I jumped on my RTC this year. The sun is setting.
Even before the BRZ came along, Fiat/Chrysler/Dodge was already targeting the Hyundai Genesis for the next generation. This isn't simply my opinion, it was mentioned in a couple of articles some time ago.
Seems there's a lot of confusion about CAFE in this thread.
The CAFE standard varies depending on a vehicle's footprint (wheelbase x track). Larger vehicles are subject to lower CAFE requirements. Smaller vehicles are subject to the higher requirements.
CAFE requirements are VERY different than the EPA estimates and even the real-world fuel economy numbers we see. They use a different formula to determine whether or not a vehicle meets the requirement.
CAFE doesn't force manufacturers to produce vehicles that meet or exceed the requirements. They are more than welcome to produce and sell vehicles whose CAFE numbers are below the requirement, the mfr simply has to pay a fine per vehicle sold for every mpg under the requirement. All things considered, it's a relatively small fine and the mfr could offset the cost by raising the price of the vehicle. The fine at this time is $55/mpg/vehicle. If a mfr's CAFE rating is 3mpg below the standard for a given category then they will have to pay of $165 per vehicle sold in that category.
Mfrs can also earn credits for exceeding the standard and they can also trade credits from one category to another. In recent years, Chrysler has actually exceeded the requirements and has earned credits that can be applied in the future (Up to 5 years) should they end up below the requirement.
There's a lot of BS around CAFE, IMO. Any mfr claiming a model can't continue due to CAFE requirements is full of it and is just using it as an excuse.
Yahooligan there is too much information in your post it makes it really hard to cry and claim that the goverment is going to send its Special forces team to take back our cars....
I think engines are becoming more efficiant and V6 engines are going into supercars. Porsche, GT-R. it only makes sense to go lighter in cars it performs better when you do that. So many people on the site complain about the weight of our cars.
It is the future and it is one where Naturally aspirated V6's are getting 350 to 400 hp and still getting 31mpg. If they would of offered a twin turbo V6 that put out as many hp as the SRT that I bought I probably would of went that route. It would of been 200lbs lighter and perform better.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
2008 SRT8 HPP 002 SUPERBIRD, FIRST HPP SUPERBIRD BUILT FOR 200MPH+, Spanking Times Built 870 RWHP Street Tune on E-85, 1/4 mile 10.962 @ 128.92, 190.9 MPH Mojave Mile
Linear Mode
