the old 440 would never run on todays fuel and certainly never get 25-27mpg...I think the LX cars are in much the same boat as the GTO...great hardware, mediocre styling and trying to live up to a legend...the "Charger" would be cool with another nameplate...I'm sorry folks, but park the new car next to that black monster from the "Fast and Furious" flick and I dont see any retro heritage at all.

If you wanted a motor for power and daily driving, then the 440 is the way to go. If you are going for maximum horsepower and quickest 1/4 mile times, then the Hemi is the way to go. If you aren't sure of this, consider the fact that NHRA's quickest 1/4 mile times are obtained through Hemi derivitives. I applaud Phord's application of retro styling with the Mustang. Many seem to have forgotten they they did this first when they brought the Tbird back out. I see no retro in the current incarnation of the Charger except the Hemi powerplant. Now, put a 6 speed pistol grip shifter in it and....... Many would be surprised to find out that the lates 80's 4 cylinder GLHS Charger posted 1/4 mile times as good or better than most the 60's/70's Chargers.

I was comparing old 440 to old hemi.

I really like the new mustang's styling. I liked the thunderbird's exterior but the interior is a joke. It is almost 100% identical to the older, cancelled T-bird. Sheese, upgrade the interior too, guys!!

The Hemi is a great sales pitch for dodge to get people in the showrooms. Good move.

If they really retro'ed the charger like they did the mustang and made it more independent with styling, I would jump on it like a 5 yr old on its parents bed when they are downstairs partying.

I dorve a Charger R/T last Thursday.

My thoughts where

The dash was hidious
Steering wheel from a mack truck
Seats where flat as a park bench
The Hemi did have good acceleration but was not stellar.

I'll keep my Goat.....way better car.

Never saw the new Tbird interior, didn't realize that it was so lacking.

I felt like the T-Birds interior was too similar to the Lincoln LS...I think they share mechanicals anyway so that shouldnt be such a surprise...I think they just made the mistake of putting the car in the Vette price range with nowhere near the performance. I posted over on the LX forums about the Charger nameplate and I got a lot of responses like "what does it matter if it has two more doors?"...my response to that was what if Ford had released a nreplacement for the Taurus and called it the New Mustang?...can you see the present "Five Hundred" with the Cobra V8 being called a Mustang...Dodge has already hung the tape stripe "Daytona" on this new sedan and they dont seem to have a problem with it...can you imagine a four door Shelby...I'll at least give Lee Iacocca crdit for trying to glorify the old "K" car chassis...at least he had sense enough to put them on a coupe.

The "it does it matter" feel is probably because the big charger has been gone for so long. The little '80s chargers don't count

If the mustang was gone for that long and came back as a V8 five hundered, people would complain about the styling vs. the 4-door thing.

Perhaps the charger was more sedan than the mustang.
eh.

the Charger was a bigger car than the Mustang for sure, but it was never a sedan...to me this was as big a blunder as when they slapped the "Charger" nameplate on that Chrysler Cordoba sistership...I'd take an 80s Omni Charger 2.2 over that piece of scrap metal...I just dont understand why they didnt keep the "Intrepid" name...it was at least as popular as the Taurus...and if Chrysler was going to whine about lagging popularity with NASCAR fans, then put something in the showroom to compete with the Monte Carlo...Forddoesnt seem too concerned, but with the Taurus on the way out it will be interesting to see what they replace it with (as far as NASCAR I mean) if they go with the 500 for that then they're as lackluster as DC (except for the Mustang of course)...not that all this really matters that much anymore since its been years since a cup car actually looked like anything we drive.

The new replacement for Phord's Taurus will be the Fusion. It was unveiled a week or two ago. It was in race prep, so hard to say what it actually looks like. Personnally, I feel Nacsar is shooting itself in the foot by having all the makes using virtually the same templates, thus making them all look alike. They will be loosing viewers and sponsors in the near future and run the risk of going the way of cart, irl, and f1. It's time to go back to the rules of the early 70's. Homolugation rules mandated that a certain number of whatever was run on the track be sold at the dealership also. I've yet to see a 2 door Taurus or Intrepid. At least I can get a 2 door Monte if I want one.

Do not foget TOYOTA will be running NASCAR soon.

Just like NASCAR trucks to me they died the day the TOY was allowed to race.

A Damn Shame!

But not until this year with a V8 -- so where does the Hipociticlal (sp?) end? Follow me?
So should NASCAR be V6?

And for the record I totally Agree with you ... should have to race what you sell!

Yes, but... the rules have always stated only cars that are manufactured in the US, they never have said they had to be an American company.
Toyota's are built in America, by Americans.
I do still have a little bit of a hard time dealing with Toyota being in NASCAR, but who knew 50 years ago that Japan would be building cars in the US.

I feel that if the Japanese manufacturers get into Nascar it will force the big 3 to make a better mouse trap so to speak. If toyo or honduh come in and kick the big 3, bad on the big 3. Simply change the rules and make Nascar run on the track what I drive on the road every day. If the street version is a 4 door, so shall the Nascar version also. If the street version doesn't have a V8, then it aint running left turns on Sunday. On a side note, if you's like to see the King, Richard Petty, running at @180 again watch the prerace show on TNT Sunday. He will be doing the "Lap around the track" gig that Wally Dallenbach usually does. Kyle will be riding along with him. The King always loved running as close to the wall as possible and gives Kyle a little taste of it.

Because of Toyota in NASCAR I will never watch a race again.

I am (never was) a really big fan but this is just lame.

Here's your new Ford