Originally posted by MadMerc97: 1. Chrysler TC by Maserati 2. Corvette ZR-1 (engine by Lotus) 3. Dodge Viper (Chrysler V10, modified by Lamborghini) 4. Cadillac Catera (badge-engineered Opel Omega) 5. The New-World engines (DCX, Hyundai, Mitsubishi) 6. Delorean DMC-12 (Lotus Esprit with Renault V6) 7. Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220 (Lotus Elise w/diff engine)
So really, the "oh they don't own them anymore" argument is a fat load of BS in itself. I think that Dodge and Jeep will finally bring some fresh competition to a series chock-full of retarded versions of Swedish, Spanish, and Japanese cars. I want retarded versions of American cars gosh darnit!
Ok - lets break down this argument: 1. Chrysler owned maser at this point. It also explains why they claimed to have used lambo to modify the viper engine. In fact the only substancial differences between it and the truck engine was block material. 2. The ZR-1 was a farmed out developement project. This is very common practice ummongst manufacturers. Let someone else have the headache - when they have solved the problem we will use their solution. Example: Roush for Ford, etc etc 3. see #1 4. The same car you see in the US as a GM is an Opel in Europe and a vauxhal in the UK - whats your point? Same company = same car. 5. new world engines? or rather powertrain development on a budget 101. If they already build it - lets just buy it. Standard practice in many areas of manufacturing - its called off the shelf and is 95% of the time cheaper than doing it yourself. 6. HA ha - Do I even have to go into this one? 7. I need a flagship fast sports car - do I spend millions developing one - or a few hundred thou buying a design? you think about it.
Cooperation is a very valid and precise argument, but there have to be many many factors in-line and in agrement before anything of the sort can happen. Your argument that we are saying it doesnt or cannot happen is wrong - it does and it happens a lot. Mitsubishi built Volvo S40's in holland as rebadged mitsu carismas - does that make the car japanese or swedish? cooperation is the lifeblood to manufacturing, you use as much as you can that is already out there, this is the only way to make it competative. you also dont go into battle wearing only your panties because you would die, so why pray tell would you make a car that is not completely engineered for a specific area of performance when your parent company owns a subsidiary who specializes in that area?
And to finish your commentary- does jeep even make a car? Does it even have a model that COULD be WRC legal? NO! it could make a Raid effort for Dakar, but that is proverbial Mitsu and Nissan country and they would get wasted. The last time a mainstream american manufacturer went into competative racing IIRC was the caddilac LMP project. (not counting the extreamly well done effort by pratt on the vette cars) GM pulled the plug after 3 years of zero success. Only Panoz and barely Saleen are still alive in Lemans competition. American manufacturers are not very willing to sink untold millions into racing programs that in effect provide the common american with any sort of urge to buy the car. Why do I spend millions on a Raid Jeep in Dakar? Well that would make sense because its a rough and tumble event that would make Jeep look great. The only problem is that for at least 1 year their team would look like a bunch of pansies getting wiped around the god forsaken african desert. ot to mention that your average expensive Jeep owner has no clue what the Dakar even is, again round the circle to NPV and ROI. Its just not financailly viable.
