[Number 3]

Boy, how wonderful the internets is. Not only can we bash the other brands we can bash each other.

IMO, Fiat has done something simply wonderful. I don't care what car they put it in or what it may or may not do for the VERY few that will ever run it down a sanctioned 1/4 mile or road course. They put an emissions compliant engine in the market that you or I can CHOOSE to buy that makes 707 HP.

And let's not forget the even bigger poke in the eye to Ford and GM. It's not the 707 number that's the poke.....................it's the $59,000 sticker price. That is the real WOW.

That they've done this doesn't make GM a fail, not in the least. It only means Fiat has done something special.

Could GM put the LS9 in a Camaro? Yes, but I'm pretty sure those tools didn't get moved to Bowling Green and there hasn't been a car to put the engine in for over a year.

To do so would be the same argument that the Z/28 is too expensive. There are a lot of people in here that don't understand the financials of putting a hand built engine in a car vs. a mass produced engine (LS9 vs. LSA). The LS9, as pointed out earlier, would make the ZR1 a $70,000 car.

Now many of you don't like that, but it's GM's business model. They built Wixom to hand build near custom engines at lower volumes rather than invest capital to mass produce them. That decision allowed GM to put rare, special built engines, with special/unique parts in cars that could afford the price hit. Those Wixom built engines were never intended to go in lower priced cars. The closest exception is the LS3s built there for the Corvette GS. Those needed the dry sump oil system that was put in the manual transmission equipped cars, somewhat more likely to see track duty. GM elected to not put a crazy hand built price on that engine, but again it simply used the high volume parts from the engine in my SS right now.

Yes, in business, there are ways to spread costs across other models and other cars. Yes, GM could choose to sell an LS9 powered Camaro for $49,995 and just give away profit and contribution margin only for the sake of making people "happy-er". That is simply not how GM works or most successful companies for that matter. The ones that will do that are in need of making a point..............i.e. a 707 HP $59,000 point................to get attention where there was none.

Keep in mind, the Challenger is a fine automobile. But regardless of the opinions, it has been in 3rd place in sales for as long as Fiat, GM and Ford have had products in this segment. They needed to make a point. This just happens to be a very good one.

But as usual, JMO