[SRTfan]

Quick note.. Ralph is live on Autoline Rapid Fire doing an interview.. at 3:15pm PST

Autoline After Hours

Got questions for Rapid Fire? Put “AAH Question” in the subject line and e-mail it to [email protected]

Or, leave us a message by calling 1-620-288-6546.

 

[MN-ScatPack]

Hmmm... so thats what 5:15 CST?

 

[RoostKing]

Asked him to disclose within ten hp the hp and torque of the hellcat.

 

[hmk123]

Did anyone watch it?
Edit: Ups, just saw that the link also has the video...

 

[MrBelvedere2]

Well I watched it, Congrats SRT Geek for getting your question answered. Although if no one really wants to watch it, everything "Hellcat" Related he pretty much would say "Can't comment on future product" with a smile on his face.

 

[ArcherAce]

"Can't comment on future product" with a smile on his face.

Am I the only one around here tired of that bullshit answer?


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[pdx.challenger]

Am I the only one around here tired of that bullshit answer?

I'm tired of the bullshit... period. :disgust:

 

[TurboAWD]

Am I the only one around here tired of that bullshit answer?


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It isn't bullshit when its company policy that you'll get fired if you do.

Also, Ralph noted that he legally can't even say Hellcat because its trademarked by someone else!

 

[Trimec]

The cat a be out of the bag soon enough

 

[ResumeSpeed]

Am I the only one around here tired of that bullshit answer?

Stay tuned!

 

[pdx.challenger]

Stay tuned!

Alright RS, you I believe. :thumbsup:

 

[shiftintohigh]

Autoline After Hours has a great, pretty much weekly, podcast that will keep you in the know about things automotive. All the big hitters are on there. They even post the taped show on their site (video) but I usually catch the podcasts. Great for long drives. John McElroy be dah man when it comes to automotive news and getting the word out!

They have two editions from Bob Lutz's garage. Ed Welborn head of GM styling has been on there. Last week, they had a guy who had been involved building Fords Racing engine for 45 years. Began in the 60's. Did the tuning for the 66, 67 Lemans efforts. Great comments on all the drivers through the years. Really good stuff here.

So, yes, thanks for posting about Ralph, and I will definitely check it out.

 

[USRWDV8]

I've watched only parts of it because people kept interrupting me at work (the nerve!) and it looks like I didn't miss anything. Ralph seemed mostly there to talk about the new 200. He was his usual charming and somewhat coy self, and he tip-toed around the whole Hellcat stuff, which I can frankly understand since his hands must be tied.
Info about future models was off-limits because it "hurts our dealers", he said, which also makes sense, although there might be more to it because other makes seem to like creating buzz ahead of time.
About the Viper and SRT brand, he said that sales were purposely kept low in order to protect the status of those top tier cars.
And after a few questions of the "Why aren't you doing this" type, he clearly said that budgets weren't unlimited and that Chrysler was still recovering so everyone should be a little more patient. I think we can tend to forget that.

Talking about limited budgets... when someone asked whether Dodge would come up with a sister car for the 200, Ralph said that it's not like back in the day anymore: now the makes are pretty much under the same roof and they can't compete with each other in the same segments. They still have 300 and Charger, for some reason, but there won't be a Chrysler 'Dart' or a Dodge '200'.

 

[aldo90731]

Thanks for that excellent executive summary!

I can understand auto executives being coy about specific future products. But I feel Chrysler needs to outline a future for Dodge as sustainable a brand.

They took Ram and Viper away, now they took Avenger away; there are rumors that the next minivans will be Chysler only; I am afraid Jeep plans for Grand Wagoner will mean the end of Durango; and reports are that Barracuda won't be a Dodge, either.

So, while I understand that Chrysler does not want unnecessary duplication in the showroom, those of us buying Dodges need to feel that we are not buying into the next Pontiac, Saturn or Mercury.

 

[Yellow Jacket 2012]

Thanks for that excellent executive summary!

I can understand auto executives being coy about specific future products. But I feel Chrysler needs to outline a future for Dodge as sustainable a brand.

They took Ram and Viper away, now they took Avenger away; there are rumors that the next minivans will be Chysler only; I am afraid Jeep plans for Grand Wagoner will mean the end of Durango; and reports are that Barracuda won't be a Dodge, either.

So, while I understand that Chrysler does not want unnecessary duplication in the showroom, those of us buying Dodges need to feel that we are not buying into the next Pontiac, Saturn or Mercury.

It's all about the ALMIGHTY dollar. Chrysler bought and killed AMC and kept Jeep, now that Fiat is making the calls, anything goes. What if they killed off the brand name and made it a Fiat Challenger, think the faithful would loyally follw still?
We may look at Chrysler as an American brand but truth is, it's now an Italian owned car company so things will be looked at differently on a corporate level.

 

[TurboAWD]

Dodge sells way too many cars in North America for them to axe the brand. They need those sales for economies of scale to get Alfa Romeo off the ground (by sharing parts and costs).

Dodge is being turned into a sporty, RWD, muscle car brand. Vans, trucks and people movers don't fit that....those are better as Rams or Chryslers.

Jeep is the SUV brand.

 

[USRWDV8]

They need those sales for economies of scale to get Alfa Romeo off the ground (by sharing parts and costs).

This just jogged my memory: Ralph also said that he would love to base an American product on a certain Alfa platform (you guys probably know which one and it may be what was supposed to be the Barracuda's - I don't follow the euro stuff), but that it was too soon to steal Alfa's thunder. Once the model has been out a while it might be again on the table and we might see a more compact and sporty RWD model. Pie in the sky at this point, though.

 

[pdx.challenger]

...About the Viper and SRT brand, he said that sales were purposely kept low in order to protect the status of those top tier cars...

Yeah, but I'm certain they didn't plan or want to keep Viper sales as low as they currently are... sitting on lots unsold & stopping production. :indifferent:

 

[DBDLIVES]

Yeah, but I'm certain they didn't plan or want to keep Viper sales as low as they currently are... sitting on lots unsold & stopping production. :indifferent:

They cant even give these damn Vipers away right now. Just sitting on the showroom collecting dust.

 

[USRWDV8]

Yeah, but I'm certain they didn't plan or want to keep Viper sales as low as they currently are... sitting on lots unsold & stopping production. :indifferent:

I'm just repeating what he said, but you're right that reading between the lines you could hear a lot of other stuff. He did state that too many dealers had ordered fully optioned Vipers to have one on the lot and that few buyers would be interested in those: they want to build theirs. He even said that it was a mistake on the dealers' part (wrong product for that). But when he said that sales were intentionally kept low, like to help dealers move what they have or to maintain the halo status, I couldn't help but suspect corporate-speak.
Ralph has a finger on the pulse of the enthusiast sites and social media, and you could see some frustration on his face here and there as he was repeating the party line. I think that while very able to play the game, he's not all that happy to be turned into a slippery politician.