One Last Burn Out

This is the end of the car remake series. Through the journey of discovering and researching new cars and ideas of the automotive industry I have learned that any thing can be remade. Now the question that lingers, even now, is who has the power to decide to that the remake was successful? For I am not that person, I stick to my opinions and how I personally examine cars from the inside out. Any person that has a new rendition of a car could love it, enjoy it and appreciate what the car company has done. I am a very critical person when it comes to cars because that is what I want to do the rest of my life is to be involved in the auto industry.

If you have read my blogs I applaud you because I know some of them were long and probably boring if you don't care about cars. And thanks to everyone who commented and gave me their opinions of what I am so passionate about.

Exploring the world of automobiles has taught me a few things. 1) Expect the unexpected; You never know what the future holds for cars when the economy has been on the downfall 2) Stick to what you know and what you like; If you are looking for a car get one that you love and not what other people think, its about you. 3) Wether you know it or not you share a relationship between you and your car, so make it a good one; You rely on your car to get from point A to point B, you have memories that have involved your car, it could be back seat love or jammin' to some music with your friend, so take care of it.

Once again I am signing off waving goodbye to the car remake analysis. Even though I am done people and enthusiast will continue to critique and formulate ideas towards the future.

2010 Volkswagen Beetle

The setting is WWII in Germany, where the holocaust was taking place. Even through a horrible time in world history the Volkswagen Beetle made it through the Nazi's and has survived till today. The Beetle was created during WWII by the german automakers called Volkswagen. WWII did not define the Beetle but it was a past that no one would forget. What did define the Beetle was the 1960's and 1970's a time of love, adventure and whatever people found amusing. People loved the Beetle, also referred to as a Bug, because of its unique styling and simple features. The Beetle was discontinued in 1974 and recreated in 1999.

The design of the exterior of the 2010 Volkswagen Beetle is very elegant. The shape of the Bug has not changed much but the lines of the car have evolved into a much smoother look. The paint scheme has stayed the same offering a variety of rainbow colors to the owner's desire. THe taillights are smooth and flush with the body and the bumper. Volkswagen got rid of the chrome bulky bumpers and redirected their design to be equipped with fiberglass ones. The fenders are hug the wheels and are connected to the bumpers. The wheel design by model but the majority of them are either hubcaps or alloy wheels. The antenna is what makes the Beetle a Bug, its short and is in top of the roof of the car similar to a real bug.

The interior of the Beetle has some features that were carried over form the exterior. The door panels of the beetle is what is unique about the interior. The top of the panels are metal painted to match the exterior of the car, giving it a custom look. The other part of the interior are simple. There is only one instrument cluster but have three different functions. The seats are either cloth or leather and usually match the carpet. The top part of the dash is matches the carpet and the seats. The bottom half of the dash is a light color, either tan or grey. The interior seats four and has a back seat.

The performance of the Beetle has been improved greatly from its past designs. The engine runs more smoothly and is set in the front of the car instead of it being in the trunk like the older styles. The manufactures discovered having the engine in the rear is more prone to car fires and explosions. The performance of the Beetle greatly depends on the model. The Turbo Beetle is geared towards racing. The Beetle is known for its small engines and little power. The engine is only 2.5 liters, where a regular car averages about 4-5 liters. The engine puts out 150 horsepower and 170 foot-pounds of torque.

The Beetle is a sporty car that has went through some major changes. I thing that the Beetle remake was perfect, unfortunately 2010 is the last year of the Beetle. I am really fond of this car but I think its downfall was its main appeal was to women and most men refuse to drive it because it questions their man-hood. I hope that Volkswagen once again recreates a Beetle for the future but the way the economy is no one knows for sure.

NewBeetle.org: Turbo Lemon:

Sure people call it a girl's car.

Sure there are cars that are much faster.

Sure the engine bay is obscenely small to work in.

Sure your friends tease you and call it "Herbie".

But...

What other car makes you smile everytime you see it?

What other car makes others smile from just one glance?

What other car makes WWIII come about on the playground?

What other car is as unique as a Beetle?

We are Beetle drivers. We are Beetle owners. We are the ones who take the image society wants us to portray and draw mustaches on it. We do not conform to the norm. We drive cars that are just as much fun to drive as they are to look at. We bring the sunshine to an otherwise bland day for many people. We understand that modesty is more important than glitz and glamour.

2004 Pontiac GTO

Who would have thought that Americans would steal from Italians? Yes, the name GTO was stolen form an Italian automaker named Ferrari. Ferrari had a car named the Gran Turismo Omlogato. Pontiac thought they were smart and stole it right from underneath their noses. The GTO is one of my "must haves" kinds of car. I plan to own a GTO in the future. This car was resurrected for the newer generations from the movie XXX staring Vin Diesel. The car in the movie was unforgettable, it had rocket launchers, flamethrowers and just about anything a person can imagine. This movie is what made me salivate over owning one.

The Pontiac GTO was born in 1964 to rival the Ford Mustang that was so popular. The GTO was decommissioned in 1974 and reborn in 2004 after many different concepts and renderings. But times have changed and so did the design. The exterior of the 2004 GTO was vastly different and did not resemble any of its older brothers. The new design was sleek and aerodynamic. The GTO remained a two coupe with a long nosed front end. Everything was different. The head lights were very slim and streamline, the bumper hung low giving it an aggressive stance, and the trunk came equipped with a spoiler. The tail lights looked off of a Corolla, it was just out of place. The paint was also different; there were not any special paint codes or packages like the past, just one solid color. I wish they had implemented in a Judge package that Pontiac did in the '70's. Also the rims are nothing special, just plain 5 spoke design. Overall the new GTO seemed like another import Japanese racer, with no American history, so I did not like the design.

The interior of the GTO is very unique. The GTO seats four, in four specially designed racing seats. The seats are leather and match the color of the car. If the GTO is purple, then the seats are purple as well. The color coordination carries over to the door panels as well. Pontiac implemented suede inserts to match the seats on the door panels as well as the dash. But, the color coordination continues because the gauges in the dash also match the exterior. The steering wheel is small, compact and meant for racing. Everything in the interior flows excellent and it flirts with the idea of being over the top.

The GTO engine also fits with the car beautifully. The engine is an LS1, which is straight out of a Chevrolet Corvette. The engine measures 350 cubic inches and is married up with an automatic or manual transmission. The engine puts out an impressive 350-horse power and 365 foot-pounds of torque. The engine performs great and it handles like a true racecar. It’s equipped with anti-lock brakes and four-wheel disc brakes for the ultimate stopping power. The proof that the GTO is a muscle car is in the gas mileage rating. The GTO gets 16 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway. This is a downside of the performance rating because my truck gets better mileage.

The GTO remake was dismissed in 2006, and I have not heard of anything in the works for the future. I particularly did not like the design but the performance outweighed everything else. I drove a new GTO and nearly bought it because of its power and potential. But I guess the enthusiasts agreed that this car should have not been labeled GTO but something different. Pontiac made a wise decision to forget the past and move on.

GTOforums.com : Coreytravis;

just purchased my 06 gto 3 or so weeks ago. I love everything about it! the 04 has a different engine than the 05-06 models so i can not speak for his gas mileage but i can say that i was actually surprised by mine. The car is still new to me so I am constantly beating on it and leaving rubber everywhere i go, all that to say that I am not trying to drive for great gas mileage and i have been getting 18 mpg city!

As far as major problems, i have not had any so far. But i do hear a lot about whining rear ends, and strut damage.

There are more parts for this car that you could ever imagine seeing as it is a corvette engine, but they are all expensive.

Anywho i hope you choose the Goat because i know you will love it! Good luck with your decision!

Corey

Superbird Concept Car

The Plymouth Super bird was considered ugly when it was produced in the early 1970's. People hated the long nose, the high wing, and the elongated. The Super bird was created to race in Nascar events or any event that there was not a limit on what kind of car that was to be used. After a few years of pure domination the Racing league put restrictions on certain cars, and the Super bird was one of them. The restriction was that each car raced must be produced and provided to the public. So Plymouth did just that. It was originally not a hot item until it's rarity became apparent decades later. This car is weird, plain and simple. It goes fast and looks ugly while doing it, but once again its weird and everyone some how like the weird. But in the May 2009 issue of Hot Rod Magazine they featured a concept of the Super Bird.

The concept was described as taking Dodge's Challenger and making some simple modifications and that is it. The picture featured in the magazine was stunning and made me wonder what it was and when does it come out. There is no set date for release or set schemata for the build. The designer's took a Dodge Challenger and added the infamous long nose that made the older version not so attractive. There is not paint scheme because the car is not in production. But I'm sure if Dodge does something like this that they would keep all the classic stripes and badges. There is a wide hood scoop with the respective engine badges parallel to the scoop. The greatest part of the car s the huge signature wing fits amazingly. The wing really does not function much but looks great on the new one. I really hope that Dodge will follow through with the design or at least consider it.

The interior is still in the works because there have been no releases of pictures yet. Dodge's past would make an enthusiast like me think that it will be simple and underdone. Every car that Dodge has remade thus far has had a poorly designed interior. The interior has been simple and plain. Most likely it will have an interior out of a PT Cruiser with a couple poorly designed badges that say Super bird or Daytona.

Now the engine package upgrades the stock Challenger Hemi by adding a Vortech Supercharger. The supercharger boosts he engine from 395 horsepower to 600 horsepower. The engine was designed to emulate a Nascar racecar because that is where the Super Bird's heritage began. I think this is very suitable for a car that was once involved in racing. But this is simply a concept and the final product is most likely to change. Also the design is by a person that is not involved with Dodge but thinks the Super Bird would be a great car to re-release to the public even though its past sales weren't so great.

Plymouth Road Runner SUPERBIRD Concept: http://throttleblips.dailyradar.com

Worldcarfans — Artist Michael Leonhard first tipped us off to his design sketches of the Plymouth Road Runner Concept back in June. He has now kicked his drawings up a notch with these renderings, dubbed the Road Runner Super bird Concept. In Leonhard's mind, he sees his version of the Super bird as a late 60's NASCAR killer. With a HEMI engine (of course), the artist wanted to create an American style sports car that has muscle and reduced drag. "[It has] a sleek nose cone that slips into air like a knife through butter; incorporating a spoiler below the centered grille opening," writes Leonhard. He also integrated an exhaust system into the rocker panel.

Plymouth Super bird 1970

The Plymouth Super Bird was created for the same reason as the Dodge Daytona -- a full on high-speed race machine designed for the NASCAR races, but available to the public.

Plymouth Road Runner Concept (video)

Resurrection of a muscle car legend. Plymouth Road Runner Design Concept for 2011 by designer Michael Leonhard. www.michael-leonhard.com

2010 Dodge Challenger

The Challenger is about to be challenged. The Dodge Challenger is another iconic muscle car that help define an era. As the 70's were all about going fast and looking good doing it. The Challenger was near the top of the most popular muscle cars because of it's good looks and its high output engine. So, when the Dodge company decided to bring back the Challenger they had a lot of expectations to live up to. People in the muscle car community are very particular about car modifications, how the work is done and the potential of a car. But after many different drawings they came up with a final product that is simply amazing.

The design of the 2010 Dodge Challenger is very complete and I think it meets expectations. The exterior of the Challenger is what I would consider an amazing remake. The Challenger is just like the older version from the 70's but it is modernized. Modernizing a car and keeping the heart and soul of such a car is what makes it successful. Everything down to the tail lights are similar to the older version. The grille of the 2010 Challenger is what I think symbolizes an icon. The paint schemes of the 2010 are very similar to the 70's versions. They have a simple but bright paint followed by the basic racing stripes or Challenger badges. It's got 20 inch wheels that are a shiny silver.The only thing that I do not like about the exterior of the exterior is the low laying rear bumper. I think this makes the car look blocky, it does not flow as well as the rest of the car does. But besides the rear bumper I think that the exterior was redone brilliantly.

The interior is not everything that I expected and I'm sure I'm not alone by thinking this either. Similar to the previous blog of the Dodge Charger, the interior of the Challenger is basically the exact same. I think that if a company is going to remake a car than they need to do it right down to the bolts they use. It seems that Dodge focuses only on the exterior of a car instead of the car as a whole. The interior is nice, it has simple gauges and GPS just like any high-end car would have. Dodge do one thing right and that was only improving on the efficiency of the interior, but that is it. As far as I know there were not to many Challenger badges in the interior like it should. The seats are a basic leather, a leather console and that really is it.

The engine of the Challenger is as respectful as the exterior is. The options include a V6 to a V8. The V8 option had different options such as getting the SRT package. The SRT package belts out a huge 375 horsepower and 404 foot-pounds of torque. The SRT package is rated at 18 mpg and 25 mpg on the highway. So Dodge did serve some justice to the classic version of the Challenger. The engine compartment is designed very well and is very clean. Everything under the hood is concealed very well. The transmission options include manual and automatic. The horsepower out-put varies depending on the transmission. The engine and transmission of the 2010 Challenger are a great married pair that Dodge has done well.

Overall my impression of the 2010 Dodge Challenger is that I like it. I think the exterior of the Challenger is done very well. The interior needs a lot of improvement and Dodge needs to reconsider the design because it sucks. The engine helps pick up the slack that the interior creates. The engine and transmission are a good pair. I am glad that Dodge re-made the Challenger but there is plenty of room for improvement.

Challengertalk.com; Marauder_Pilot:

Currently, the R/T I'm looking at, with some options, will be running me in the realm of $40K (Canadian). An SRT-8 with the manual would come out to a hair over $50K for me (And these are internet MSRP prices, not dealer quotes). Obviously, the SRT-8 has some more stock interior options and such, but the big question, for me, is-will the 6.4L SRT-8 be worth $10K for someone DD'ing and casually racing? Or am I better off going for an R/T?

Challengertalk.com; cubsfan74:

I have been driving a 5.7L Magnum for 3 yrs and love it, the current iteration of the 5.7L is even better. I bought a SRT as a DD and have no regrets. I kept the magnum for a reason too, though

Unless I am missing something in your scenario, the 6.4L isnt available yet so that part of the argument is mute. Drive them both and make the decision for your self. The brakes, suspension, interior, and hp differences are worth the extra cash...in my opinion.

Challengertalk.com; Jonw:

It's a matter of personal preference and what your priorities are. I didn't get an SRT when I bought my Charger because it's the car we take on highway trips and I didn't want to spend the extra money on fuel. Plus, I think the Charger Daytona seats are more comfortable than the SRT seats, and we spend a lot of seat time in the car when we're on the road.

2010 Dodge Charger Review

Charger, not as amped up as it sounds. In this week's post I am going to take a different approach to reviewing the car and labeling it as a successful remake of a older iconic car. This week I am just going to review the remake only. I am doing this to go in more depth with the newer version and still rate it. This week I am going to review the remake of the infamous Dodge Charger. I am going to decide wether I like the remake and does the remake do any justice to their older counterpart.

In the last 5 years the Dodge Chrysler Corporation has released their new rendition of the Dodge Charger. When you here Dodge Charger I think of Dukes of Hazard, jumping bridges and outrunning cops all while sporting the rebel flag on the roof. The 2010 however I don't get so much excitement, but get more limp. This car is very disappointing. At the first glance I see my grandmother driving this car to church on Sundays, and no my grandmother is not a hot Roding, tattoo-wearing grandma either. I feel that the crushed '70's Chargers are rolling in their car graves. Dodge remade an iconic muscle car into a sedan, seriously?

The exterior is mainly disappointing because it has four doors. The '70's models had two. The front grille does not look bad but it does not scream muscle car power like the Charger name does. The '70's grille had hidden headlights that rotated out when the driver decides to. The '10 version has headlights similar to a Toyota Camary, which is what my grandma drives. Dodge tried to redeem themselves by offering different exterior badges that say HEMI that are flat black that extend to the rear spoiler. The wheels are all right, like I said before nothing special just a 5-spoke design that Dodge could have slapped on any car. The taillights barely emulate the iconic version but Dodge missed by so far on this car so what the hell, throw whatever on it. I feel like dodge completely failed with this remake, put it in the trash, F.

The poor craftsmanship carries over into the interior. The interior looks exactly out of Chrysler's PT Cruiser. I mean it look nice and everything but this is supposed to be a sports car. The seats are one color, high-back design for support but I think every car has that now. Other muscle car remakes have custom designed seats and upholstery throughout the vehicle, but no the Charger. I do have to say that the special edition cars come with a little fancier interior but nothing like a Camaro, Mustang, or '70's Charger. The dash is nothing special either; it has white-faced gauges and a regular steering wheel. The only real improvement from the '70's Chargers and the new ones are airbags and better air conditioning. I really did not like the lack of attention to detail that Dodge has done.

The performance aspect of the '10 Charger does not disappoint as much as the interior and the exterior. I was actually impressed with the performance packages that Dodge offers. They offer anything from a semi-powerful V6 to a pavement pounding V8 Hemi. The V8 Hemi option is called the SRT8 package. The SRT package comes with 425 horsepower and 420 foot pounds of torque. It is very impressive but, they also throw the same packages in trucks, so its not unique to the Charger which is disappointing. To sister up the engine Dodge only offers an automatic engine, which is also disappointing to all the people who like to slam those gears. The appearance of all the engines is very good, and there is nothing out of place, at least in my opinion. The 2010 Charger also gets reasonable gas mileage depending on the package, ranging from 18 in the city and 26 on the highway. Overall I'll be nice to this area of the remake and say that Dodge did alright.

My whole conception of the 2010 Dodge Charger is that it sucks compared to the iconic one that we all know and love. I feel and wish that Dodge would start over but they won't because it is a hot seller to all the soccer moms and the dads who have kid to transport in a sporty kind of way. I did not like their four door design or the copied design from the PT Cruiser. In my book Dodge failed to meet the expectations of the older counter part. Dodge gave the old counterpart a kick in the nuts, or in this case the tail pipe.

'73 Pontiac Trans Am vs. '11 Pontiac Trans Am Concept

The Trans Am carries a name and a history that is famous throughout the United States. To decide which Trans Am to compare with the concept was very hard. There are so many different Trans Ams that help define muscle cars, so I decided to choose the 1973 Trans Am because it closely related the concept version.

We are going to start with the concept this week unlike the previous posts. I stumbled upon the Trans Am concept car in Hot Rod Magazine, February 2010 issue. The picture immediately caught my idea and is what sprouted the ideas of my postings. The '11 Trans Am concept is a '11 Chevrolet Camaro with extreme modifications, to get things straight. Pontiac does not make any Trans Ams anymore and I far as I know it is not on the drawing boards, but may be after they seek their eyes on this one.

The exterior of the '11 Trans Am is very similar to the Camaro. The first thing that catches my eye when I look at it is the gigantic firebird on the hood that was popular in the '70's models. The whole exterior fits with the Trans Am history, down to the spoke rimes and blackout lights. Another unique feature is the functional shaker hood. According to an article in Hot Rod Magazine, that the front upper and lower grilles were made from a truck and a Pontiac G8, talk about innovation. This car is amazing on the exterior and will only get better with time because it is a concept. It deserves nothing less than an A+.

Once again the interior is similar to the Camaro's but it has a lot of Trans Am labeling throughout. The seats are leather that has the Trans Am badge in the headrests. The doorsill plates have been converted to resemble a late '70's Trans Am. There are gauges everywhere, from behind the steering wheel to next to the shift knob. Each car has different accent panels that are usually painted to match the exterior. I think the interior is custom and gets the grade of an A.

Now the engine is the exact same as the Camaro. What the consumer bought from the dealer is what the consumer gets after the facelift. The consumer can get a V6 or V8 engine, with an automatic or manual transmission. The horsepower ranges from 275 to almost 500 depending on modifications. The only real modification done to help the engine is the functional shaker hood that might boost performance. I think that they could have upgraded the engine a little more since your spending so much but it gets an A.

There is only one company that builds the Trans Am concept, and they are named Trans Am Depot in Tallahassee with the help of Otto Body Company and designer Kevin Morgan. The team commented on the Hot Rod Magazine website about the process.

The first car was built to make it 3-D and see what worked and what didn't. You know, so we could step back and look at it and see how it looked," Tod says. As soon as the first car was done, the team began refining the design on a second car.

Now, we can compare the legend and see if the concept lives up to its name. Starting off with the exterior the first thing I notice is that big flashy bird that breathes fire, again. But the '73 have a great stance and present it very well. The grille is a big two-part split fiberglass bumper painted to match. The color schemes of the Trans Am vary depending on the consumer. The color of the bird decal on the hood depends on the color of the car. History lesson, the bird on the hood is a Firebird; the Trans Am is an upgraded version of the Firebird for those people who did not know. I give the exterior a grade of an A+.

The interior is a very simple. At this period the seats evolved into a more supportive and safer seat. The seats and door panels in some cars offset the carpet and dash by being different colors. The gauge cluster is completely chromed out and includes a tachometer and speedometer, and more. The shifter and console area are very simple but elegant. This Trans Am was around the time that electric widows were invented so some were equipped with them. The door panels are also simple and plain but work well. I give the grade of a B, because the lack of special touches likes badges.

The engine in the '73 is powerful and can melt tires with the slightest touch of the gas pedal. The engine on the Trans Am was a 455 cubic inch engine rated out of the factory at 310 hp only to help consumers with the insurance companies. It was really rated around 370 hp. The transmission options include automatic turbo 350 or a manual "Rock Crusher M22" with a Hurst speed shifter. I give the grade of an A.

To conclude the thought of what was presented, I hope Pontiac comes out with Trans Am or Firebird version. I do not see why the Trans Am concept has attracted a lot of attention. I think any enthusiast will agree with me in saying that the builders of the Trans Am concept did an amazing job and hopefully we'll see a lot more in the future. Yes, this was a good remake.

Check out T\the whole article about the Trans Am concept by visiting http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_1003_2011_pontiac_trans_am/index.html