----- Original Message -----
I have to pretty much agree with Brent. As with many things, there
are some exceptions. Chrysler has introduced some interesting and stylish
cars, such as the Dodge Viper, the Plymouth Prowler and the Chrysler Crossfire,
but these models were priced well beyond the reach of the common vehicle
purchaser. Of course, none of these models is a "family car".
The PJ Cruiser may have been an exception, but it was a niche vehicle with
limited appeal.
Some may also argue that the new Chrysler 300 broke away from the
current lack of styling. Personally, I like the Sebring
convertibles, but their styling is only moderately different than other similar
cars.
Let's also give credit to Chrysler for inventing the Mopar
minivans. However, after its introduction, all of the other
manufacturers have emulated it to the extent that the Mopar minivans are no
longer distinctive. One minivan now looks like any other minivan.
The remaining (and more common) vehicles do lack distinction, at
least as measured from vantage point of the Forward Look models.
*************************************
(using my best Rod Serling
voice.... )
"Imagine if you will
....." holding a 57 New Yorker 2HT (or insert personal favorite FL here)
in one hand, and ANY other car made by Mopar since 1970 in the
other.
Make it a Viper in the alternate
hand. An amazing car. Amazing that it was ever released to the
public ! Ranking in there with Cobras (for their day) and other exotics
one could actually buy (a 427 Cobra cost around $10,000 in 1967, so I am told,
... when a top-of-the-line Lincoln cost half of that). Not a real even
comparison, given one is a plain old New Yorker and the other is essentially a
barely street legal Le Mans type racer.
A Prowler ? Same kind
of non-comparable. Maybe to a Fire Arrow ? These were concept
cars. I am not saying these cars weren't cool. I am just saying they
are not very comparable (and I'd still keep my DeSoto over any one of
them).
Comparing a PT Cruiser to a FL
production car is fair. Both were mass produced and priced competitively
in the market.
Hmmmm ...... 57 New Yorker
on one hand, or PT Cruiser ?
Sorry, ... gonna have to go with
the NY'er for delivering the most bang for the buck.
How about a 57 Fury vs. any
other "Q-ship" made after 1970 ? How about that stunning 79 New Yorker
convertible ? Or the 87 stretch limo parade Voyager ?
The reality was that Mopar made
little more than plastic Tupperware versions of comparable 61 Phoenix sedans
after 1970. There were no "Holy cow, did you see THAT ?" cars sitting on
Mopar showrooms after 1970. Unless you make that jump into Viper - Prowler
land, and those aren't real work-a-day cars like a 57 Dodge or DeSoto
was.
But getting back to the point,
.... Gettin' cranky about what is happening today at Mopar HQ is about as
relevant to real steel, chrome and fins American cars as Ipods and
celfones. Chrysler gave up on us FL followers the moment they saw a
quicker buck and gave America the old snake oil huckster song-n-dance about
improved fuel economy and increased safety to downgrade their product and
upgrade their executive bottom line. Dumbass Americans just swallowed it
whole and sent their real steel cars to the junkyard, trading in their 57 or 67
NY'er for a smart and sassy new Reliant K. Excellent trade off, I say
! Thank God everyone wasn't so stupid !
Chrysler Group can go stew in
the cesspool they created, for all I care.
Since my DeSoto will run with
the higher half of new cars for gas mpg and would handily crush any of them
in a head-on (safety considerations), I'll keep my old battle wagon
and hold nothing but contempt for the pitches of how far technology has
taken us since emission controls and seat belt regulations were
implemented.
Yeah, .. right
!
B.
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network