Adam Bruce

Well it looks like we have a raft of competition coming soon, but it looks like the Japanese automakers are gunning more for Mustangs these days rather than the Vette. Of course the 350Z is already here, but there are now pics floating around about the 2005 Supra.


And


According to the article it is more likely the new Supra will have a price and power rating gunning for the 350Z and RX8. I really dig the way the first one looks, but regrettably the rumor is the Supra will not get the 4.3 Liter V8 and will likely get a NA 6 cylinder instead.

A bit more upscale we have the Germans with the pricey new M4. No spies shots of it yet, but here is the 4 series that will top out with a 4.5 Liter V8. The M4 supposedly will get a 400 hp V8 aiming it right at the C6. (The 3 series line will become 4 door only, so any new M3 would be a 4-door)




Then there is the 2005 Porsche Boxster and Coupe




Looks better IMOHO than last year's car but with no major power increase it probably will come nowhere near the performance of the Vette.

Finally we have what I really think is an exciting alternative to the Vette. With est 360-380 hp V8, the new SLK55 AMG. The old SLK AMG was about on par in acceleratin with the base C5, this newer model should have more torque and more power it will be intersting to see how it compares to the new Vette.





Good time to be a car guy!
-Adam

DngrZne

From the side the new Supra kinda looks like a Viper. :lol: That'll give em something else to cry about. :jester

rwm1163

To me it looks like the Supra is a copy of the C6. Look at the way the front and rear fenders meet on the doors. Just like a C6! It won't rumble like a C6, but the interior will probably be nicer.

ufso

I think that when they made the C-5, they used:

1) rear from the NSX
2) top of roof from the viper
3) doors from the RX-7
4) front fenders from the Mitsubishi 3000/Stealth :steering:

Rocketblock

From the side the C6 looks like a Supra or a Viper.

amcmahon

exactly, that pic of the Supra has been floating around longer than the C6 has so if anything the C6 copied it. BUT I don't think the new Supra is going to look like that. I've seen like 4 variants of the Supra now so until something real comes I'll wait and see.

Adam Bruce

You won't have to wait long, the new Supra is set to Debut this Fall and go on sale this time next year! Either way it makes more sense to align the Supra against the High $20K Low $30K sports car bracket as Nissan and Mazda have allready done. There just isn't a big market in the Vette price range and it would just be slicing up a smaller piece of the pie. Dodge said the same thing 10 years ago about bringing a F-Body/Mustang competitor to market. They felt the Muscle car Market wasa shrinking one and there was no point in pushing extra product into that segment.

-Adam

GDP

That Supra looks good, except for the front. Looks like they borrowed the fender stretching into the door in that way from the C6.

The BMW is still as boring as the current one.

That Boxter Coupe looks hot.

Benz looks hot too. Performance may be on par with the C6, but the price will be on par with a brand new Viper.

ivan111

Negative SLK 55 will have just 360hp and 3,500 pounds of weight, that won't get the job done against a C6....... :flag

JLinCA

Cool post, but how much do you think they will be charging for the M4 or the SLK55 AMG? The current SLK is already over 100K, definitely not in the same bracket as the C6.

If I were a person putting out that kind of cash for one of those, I'd expect C6 performance at the least.

Adam Bruce

You're thinking of the SL55. the SLK55 will cost on par with a convertible corvette. The current SLK32 AMG that is being replaced by the SLK55 cost $55K.

FWIW the out-going SLK AMG runs as fast a C5 with 349 hp, so this new SLK55 will be a little faster than the old.

So just so we're clear,
SL55 AMG $120K 493hp


2004 SLK32 AMG $55K 349 HP


All-New 2005 SLK55 AMG $?? 360-380hp

Adam Bruce

I wouldn't discouint it yet. The Current SLK32 AMG runs faster than an Automatic convertible C5 Corvette and cost about the same. The new SLK55 will have more power and no doubt an all new chassis, so we will have to see how it compares to the C6. At the very least we'll know the interior will be nicer and it is a folding hardtop.


I doubt it will be 100% of the track star the new Vette is sure to be, but how much of that are you willing to give up for a 7-speed automatic, folding hard top nicer interior, Mercedes customer service instead of Chevy....



[Modified by Adam Bruce, 9:43 PM 1/18/2004]

Dsob15

Quote-"7 Speed Automatic"

The SLK will have a 7 speed automatic? :confused:

Bat Man

That seems like alot of useless gears.

Dsob15

My CLK55 AMG has a 5spd auto, with 362hp, and 376tq. I don't think the SLK has a 7sp auto.

Z-Rated

They have already announced it! No more Supra !!!!


:eek: :eek: '''''''' :eek: :eek:

orgrg

if you guys didn't know, benz is moving all their cars towards their new 7 speed, and giving the old 5 speed to the chrystler. These competitors will make for interesting competition. The thing that has kept the vette alive has been the customers. I'm definately not worried, even if competitors flat out beat the vette in everyway, the vette would still sell. Luckily, I don't think that slk has a shot at the vette, but who knows.

2fast2strong

Supra will be back as a Lexus....and it won't look like that...that pic is old.

ivan111

The C6 performance is a notch above the SLK55...

The C5 and SLK32 were pretty even in power and weight, still the C5 beat it at the Ring....

Now the gap between both is larger because the C6 has more power, more Torque and is much lighter...

So far what i have read about the SLK55 is 0-60 in 4.9 sec..

If the SLK had 400hp then i would be a good competitor but 360hp and almost 300 pounds more no need to worry...


I am sure that Dave Hill or Bob Lutz are not going to have sleepless nights because of the SLK....


:chevy


[Modified by ivan111, 4:17 AM 1/19/2004]

Adam Bruce

I agree the SLK and C6 market will not cross as much as say the Z4 and SLK market. I think you'll see people buying the SLK55 AMG over a C6 Vette for the same reasons people will buy a Pontiac GTO over a Mustang Cobra.

I have no clue where you're getting those 0-60 numbers though. The SLK was only recently announced and no one has done any performance testing yet.

as for the SLK32 AMG vs C5, if memory serves the SLK32 was only faster in a straight line. I don't recall it being a better handler. Still a pretty cool ride even if it a Chick-Car ;)

Got some good car-years ahead, the hits keep coming.