Detroit playing the horsepower game
11-17-2003, 11:36 AM
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Detroit playing the horsepower game
Monday, November 17, 2003
Playing the horsepower game
By John McCormick / Autos Insider
Playing to your strengths is an obvious strategy but it's one the American auto industry occasionally forgets. In 2004, however, it appears Detroit is revisiting one of its historical specialties; putting big horsepower in reach of the majority, not just a wealthy few.
A prime example is Pontiac's new GTO, a two-plus-two sports coupe born of German/Australian parentage. With a 350-hp version of the Corvette V-8 engine under the hood, it is not quite the outright power per dollar bargain the old Firebird/Camaro twins used to be, but at $32,495 it still looks like excellent value and it is a much superior car. Compare Mazda's similarly priced two-plus-two RX8 coupe. The Mazda is an impressive sporty car, but it offers just 250-hp and a lame 159lb ft of torque versus the GTO's 365lb ft.
What's doubly impressive about the new Pontiac is that its horsepower output, while numerically lower than some of its production forebears, actually makes it the most powerful standard model to ever carry the GTO name. That's because horsepower figures from the '60s and '70s were notoriously exaggerated. GTO program manager Bob Reuter reckons that the new car's 350-hp would have been equivalent to 412-hp in 1960s terms.
The GTO is just one of the horsepower heroes emerging next year. The sixth generation Chevrolet Corvette is due in the summer, along with the all-new Ford Mustang. Both are expected to have significant horsepower increases in their base models and even more impressive power boosts when ultra-high performance versions are released. Though pricing on the new Corvette and Mustang has yet to be decided, one can predict they will remain in the same ballpark as current models and represent extremely good value when compared to cars of similar horsepower levels from European automakers.
Although not exactly in the affordable category, Ford's limited volume, 500-hp GT supercar, due on sale next summer for around $150,000, will still be a relative steal next to competitive models from Ferrari or Lamborghini.
Within the Chrysler Group stable, the 500-hp Dodge Viper continues to be the horsepower king, but Chrysler is bringing beefy V-8 muscle to its new large sedan and wagon, the 300C, for 2004. With 'well over' 300-hp from a new Hemi engine, the 300C will be the most powerful mainstream model Chrysler has offered in years.
Beyond these vehicles there are other performance vehicles either in production or coming from Detroit automakers, such as Cadillac's 400-hp CTS-V sedan. And this list doesn't even touch on the performance gains being made in the truck side of the business.
So far, only one Japanese automaker, Nissan, seems to have decided to play the horsepower game, with the recent release of a series of unusually powerful sedans, sports models and trucks in their respective classes. That competitor aside, Detroit remains the clear leader in the affordable horsepower market.
John McCormick is a columnist for Autos Insider and can be reached at jmccormick@detnews.com
Playing the horsepower game
By John McCormick / Autos Insider
Playing to your strengths is an obvious strategy but it's one the American auto industry occasionally forgets. In 2004, however, it appears Detroit is revisiting one of its historical specialties; putting big horsepower in reach of the majority, not just a wealthy few.
A prime example is Pontiac's new GTO, a two-plus-two sports coupe born of German/Australian parentage. With a 350-hp version of the Corvette V-8 engine under the hood, it is not quite the outright power per dollar bargain the old Firebird/Camaro twins used to be, but at $32,495 it still looks like excellent value and it is a much superior car. Compare Mazda's similarly priced two-plus-two RX8 coupe. The Mazda is an impressive sporty car, but it offers just 250-hp and a lame 159lb ft of torque versus the GTO's 365lb ft.
What's doubly impressive about the new Pontiac is that its horsepower output, while numerically lower than some of its production forebears, actually makes it the most powerful standard model to ever carry the GTO name. That's because horsepower figures from the '60s and '70s were notoriously exaggerated. GTO program manager Bob Reuter reckons that the new car's 350-hp would have been equivalent to 412-hp in 1960s terms.
The GTO is just one of the horsepower heroes emerging next year. The sixth generation Chevrolet Corvette is due in the summer, along with the all-new Ford Mustang. Both are expected to have significant horsepower increases in their base models and even more impressive power boosts when ultra-high performance versions are released. Though pricing on the new Corvette and Mustang has yet to be decided, one can predict they will remain in the same ballpark as current models and represent extremely good value when compared to cars of similar horsepower levels from European automakers.
Although not exactly in the affordable category, Ford's limited volume, 500-hp GT supercar, due on sale next summer for around $150,000, will still be a relative steal next to competitive models from Ferrari or Lamborghini.
Within the Chrysler Group stable, the 500-hp Dodge Viper continues to be the horsepower king, but Chrysler is bringing beefy V-8 muscle to its new large sedan and wagon, the 300C, for 2004. With 'well over' 300-hp from a new Hemi engine, the 300C will be the most powerful mainstream model Chrysler has offered in years.
Beyond these vehicles there are other performance vehicles either in production or coming from Detroit automakers, such as Cadillac's 400-hp CTS-V sedan. And this list doesn't even touch on the performance gains being made in the truck side of the business.
So far, only one Japanese automaker, Nissan, seems to have decided to play the horsepower game, with the recent release of a series of unusually powerful sedans, sports models and trucks in their respective classes. That competitor aside, Detroit remains the clear leader in the affordable horsepower market.
John McCormick is a columnist for Autos Insider and can be reached at jmccormick@detnews.com
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