Yes... They will look so pretty setting beside the road...

You can buy a really cool piece of crap that everyone else has and can buy as well.

Or you can buy something else - something that everyone else doesn't have...

Just a thought...

The point of Diesel is - At this point in our economy - it's generally bought for necessity. I'm the dumbass that drives one for enjoyment.

The whole point being - follow the crowd, keep up with the Jones's, or, dance to the beat of your own drum.

Well, actually there are some really big horse power Diesel engine. Look at the Audi Q7 with its V12 TDI 6.0 l, developping 500HP ! That is an a$$ kicking engine !

Well, Rick, that has nothing to do with your thread, sorry.

Heh... True... Not on your list but there are a lot of diesel cars/trucks coming out. If you want HP and torque - can't beat it... But like he said - we are off topic.

Yeah Rick go with the 300C SRT8 but not before you take a very close look at the G8 when it arrives.

I'm the dumbass that drives one for enjoyment.

I own two small Diesels and am 100% happy with them, economical and efficient, but the fun of a big V8 hasn't been lost on me.

I have changed your vote Francois.

I can't believe you think an SRT8 is following the crowd Nik. Not too many people I know rock 4-door sedans with 6.1 Liter Hemis, that keep up with a Z06 'Vettes off the line. Maybe Kansas is a bit different! I do like the fact you are telling me what you really think. If all I wanted was mindless affirmation, I wouldn't have started this thread. I know you guys are going to give me your true opinion.

The 300C SRT8 is the frontrunner. 12-speaker factory KICKER My Gig system with a factory subwoofer in the trunk? That's cool.

I wish we were sitting around a bar table having this discussion!

Ahh Rick - I really wish this discussion was in person at a pub as well.

My whole point with that statement was this... Dodge - In my opinion - has been brilliant with their horsepower and especially their design in the last few years, They have really stepped up for what the consumer has wanted in price, performance and design.

The challenge is in quality. It's tuff to achieve in that type of low dollar mass...

I have really been very frustrated with GM because they have been behind the market in these areas. They can come up with something semi-cool, like the SSR but the damn thing is 40k... rediculous... Very high quality but still over priced.

Whereas Ford comes out with a cool 'Stang or Dodge comes out with some asthetically cool models and they are all very affordable by the masses. Brilliant marketing - no doubt.

Just for me - I prefer to not have something that everyone else has - but that is just me.

I'm certain you will find the perfect 'Rod' for you.

Rick, I gotta say I wouldn't mind one bit being in your shoes - having to make a choice like this. Those really are some amazing machines. The only ones of the list that I'm familiar with are the 300C(there's a few here) and the GTO(buddy of mine had a Holden Monaro CV8). Those are both great cars but my vote is the SRT8 Charger.. that grill is fearsome and it's the only one IMO that looks like it has 400HP+ Just be careful not to drift yourself into oblivion :)

Good luck with the hunt..

Cheers

Since this is what I do for a living, let me throw some insight into the bunch. While I like the design and overall concept of a lot of the Dodge cars...they're just lacking something. Also, the resale value is horrible.

While the STS is nice, the damn voice command and radio-based customization settings are a pain in the ass. If I were going with a Cadillac, the new CTS is an amazing car, especially with the DI 303hp engine.

I love the SS Trailblazer as it's just an older Corvette block with the Vortech head and intake. Rumor has it that the power numbers are understated in the catalogs. However, the gas mileage tends to be less than desirable.

As for the Pontiacs, if you're any bit of a fan of the original GTO, you'll hate the new one. Yes, it's a powerful V8 with a decent sports suspension, but all in all it's nothing like a GTO should be. You'd think they'd at least try to disguise the original Holden design like they do with other vehicles.

The G8 looks to be amazing. Chevy will hit the market a year later with an Impala on the same platform...most likely slightly more luxurious but not as sporty. The G8, with the right engine, can be a beast and maybe a great choice if you don't care about how it drives in weather conditions. Despite Stabilitrak being pretty much standard on most higher end GM vehicles...they still suck in cold rain or snow. Hell, you really have to turn off traction control in order to move, sometimes.

As for the other two...I can't stand Ford. Even loyal Ford owners are going away from the company...the quality isn't there and the cars are well behind their competition as far as technology goes. No other vehicle is a better example of such than the Explorer.The last generation of Explorer was a nice vehicle...but this current version...drive it...you'll understand what I mean.

For the money, Infiniti (and Lexus for that matter) have never impressed me. Infiniti does not have their own platforms, using Nissan's frames and platforms as the base for all their vehicles. If you like the Infiniti, visit your Nissan dealer, drive the equivalent, and save yourself some money.

And finally, the Hummer. I work for a GM company. Dispite the recent addition of the V8 to this chassis, it's still a Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon. The H3 is overpriced and rather unexciting compared to the previous Hummer versions (I only ever really like the H1...but could live with the H2). I've had a few H3's in my hands and the blind spots are horrible, the ride isn't anything like a Hummer...and it just feels...errr....wrong.

If I had to vote, I would put my vote in for the CTS. There's a reason Cadillac has sold 90% of it's stock of these cars and demand is greater than supply.

not sure the budget, but here is a head turner, and a very nimble winter vehicle...AWD and German ingenuity...Last much longer than the American autos too...

Mind-blowing performance. Incredible power. Total control. The high-reving 420 hp V8 4.2FSI®powerplant. A short-throw, six-speed manual with optimized synchromesh. The exclusive fully hydraulic Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) suspension that all but eliminates pitch and roll. And a new version of quattro® all-wheel drive. The Audi RS 4. A radical departure in every way.

Audi RS4 is a pure piece of pleasure. Audi RS6 is better ... but this is not in the original selection of Rick, so ...
There is also the Audi S5

An Audi RS4 here in France cost about 80,000 Euros
That's a lot of Juliet ...

ooh.. now that's a truly stunning car! You just can't look passed the techonlogy and sheer engineering brilliance of these German cars. Not terrible to look at either..

If it was up to me though(and Rick, I know you said no more new entrants. but) I'd have its prettier half sister..



...mmmm

* HA! Francois, you beat me to it..

Rick, mark me down for the SRT8 Charger. Those cars are pure BADASS to look at. Pretty much anything you buy is going to last until you have an itch to replace it. I was looking to buy the Charger for my wife, but we're waiting for the Challenger to come out.

If sticking with American, nab up a new Camaro coming out the end of the year...That is a SICK ride (or whip) depending on where you reside haha...Convertible or Coupe, both are stunning. Having had both Euro (german) and US vehicles, I can honestly say the attention to detail, quality, and comfort of a Euro is WAY better!!! Plus, AWD, Supple Leather that won't split, wrinkle, or crack (like the American stuff), carbon fiber all over, and NUTS baby, NUTS. Shared technology with sister company Lamborghini is also something nice.

I know with the Jetta I had, after 5years and 98,000 miles, it still looked damn near new inside, and the leather totally looked new. Also, the VR6 engine it had performed as new at that time as well. Not 1 single problem ever with that car.

I also sold cars some years ago, so I got a first hand look at how they hold up under all sorts of conditions. Plus, as bad as it is to say, American vehicles really tank in value, FAST!!! Not sure how they hold up in Canada or other Countries, but here, they drop when you take ownership!

Oh No Buddy, not so easy!!
Surely a smart guy like you needs a car like this, all decked out in O glory too plus the money you save with this ride will entitle you to triple your Juliet collection to the likes of which we have never seen.

Gentleman I present to You, the Rick-mobile
as smart has they come...aka on his plate "Glitterpantz1" :) lol

http://www.usa.smart.com/smart-fortwo-pure.aspx

Rick, you should just get a Honda Civic and then rice it. You know you want to.

No yellow.

Hey now, I didn't know I could vote Audi!

No Audi's. No Jetta's, no Camaro's, and definitely no Smart Cars!

Thanks for your input everyone. Your ideas are making me knock a few things around in my own mind, which is good.

Now, I'm off to find a '99 Civic, shouldn't be hard in Japan!

Keep 'em coming!

Not the 300C. I used to write car reviews and had a new car every month. The 300C was by far and away the worst car I ever reviewed. In fact it was probably one of the three worst cars I have ever driven. The only good thing about it was the Hemi engine but the suspension was so badly set up that you could only use the engine when the car was pointed dead straight, otherwise you'd be dead. For overtaking a Saab 93 2.0 turbo would piss all over the 300C (because you could accelerate while steeirng). As for the cornering, lethal, simply lethal. I have a particular road I used to drive all the cars on because it has some superb sweeping uphill corners. In my Mini Cooper I can take those corners at 120km/h and be in full control. In the Cooper S it was 140. I was very suspicious of the 300C and hit the first corner at 80. I really did think I was going to die.

I personally would stay away from all those SUVs because they roll over far too easily. You are more likely to die in an SUV than a normal car. The Ford would be an especially bad choice, the axel technology is very similar to that used in Roman chariots. All of them burn stupid amounts of fuel and pump out terrible amounts of pollution, plus the production of all of them is far too energy intensive.

I'd go for the Holden Monaro, sorry, I mean the GTO. The Holden is stunning good car. I've never driven one but have been driven in one: it was awesome.

Although you said only the cars on your list, I'd propose a different solution: get a Ford Focus diesel as an everyday car and an ariel atom to play with at weekend. 0 to 60mph in 2.7 seconds. To put that another way, the distance taken for you to reach 60mph is about 50 yards. http://www.arielatom.com/

What's wrong with a Roman Chariot!?! Thanks for the input Harry. I don't think I would be buying a 300C to carve up the mountain roads, but I get your point.

rick what color are you planning on buying.. >?

Coming from a boring Honda/Toyota fellow, I've got nothing to say...

...but that 99 Civic is sounding pretty good right now.

Color is really secondary. When the time comes, I think availability will be the determining factor when it comes to color. They have a Super Bee version of the '08 Charger SRT8 out that comes in a very cool Blue, but I don't really care about color. Yellow, for some cars, is a definite possibility. I am quite open when it comes to color.

My original list was over 30 cars. It has seriously taken me months to narrow this list down to 10 (well, now 11).