The Devil's Car?

[The Mighty Duck]

I am being even-handed.  Have I criticised the Viper?  No, because it makes sense as a performance vehicle.  The Ram SRT-10 however makes no sense.  It's too big to truly perform and it's not even particularly useful for truck-like things (IIRC it can't tow anything, or only a few hundred kg at most).  As such it's the worst of both worlds and it really is pointless and a waste of resources.  It would be a good hellmobile though.

 

The SRT-10 can reach 100 km/h in a hair over five seconds, and it can tow 7500 lbs.  And it has a truck box.  So it both performs, and it's a very practical vehicle, too.  Not that anyone who buys one will be very likely to tow with it, or use it carry gravel, but I digress.  The point is, on that basis, it actually makes a lot more sense than a Viper - you can't do anything with a Viper except haul yourself and one friend very, very fast.  The RAM can haul you and four friends and all your tools very, very fast.

People who buy performance cars aren't looking for cars that "make sense".  Yeah, the Viper is faster, but in North America the speed limit is 110km/h.  So it doesn't "make sense" to have a car than can do 250km/h.

So if we're going to be calling performance cars a "waste of resources", let's paint them all with the same brush.

[ktm525]

Satan would be driving a vehicle full of Lucas Electrics. Prince of Darkness don't you know...

[dorin]

I am being even-handed.  Have I criticised the Viper?  No, because it makes sense as a performance vehicle.  The Ram SRT-10 however makes no sense.  It's too big to truly perform and it's not even particularly useful for truck-like things (IIRC it can't tow anything, or only a few hundred kg at most).  As such it's the worst of both worlds and it really is pointless and a waste of resources.  It would be a good hellmobile though.

 

The SRT-10 can reach 100 km/h in a hair over five seconds, and it can tow 7500 lbs.  And it has a truck box.  So it both performs, and it's a very practical vehicle, too.  Not that anyone who buys one will be very likely to tow with it, or use it carry gravel, but I digress.  The point is, on that basis, it actually makes a lot more sense than a Viper - you can't do anything with a Viper except haul yourself and one friend very, very fast.  The RAM can haul you and four friends and all your tools very, very fast.

People who buy performance cars aren't looking for cars that "make sense".  Yeah, the Viper is faster, but in North America the speed limit is 110km/h.  So it doesn't "make sense" to have a car than can do 250km/h.

So if we're going to be calling performance cars a "waste of resources", let's paint them all with the same brush.

I disagree with your basic premise that a compromised vehicle is good.  The Ram SRT-10 is too compromised by its size and weight to make sense as a performance "car".  It's also compromised as a practical vehicle compared to the regular versions.  IMO it's a waste of sheetmetal.  It seems that DC couldn't even find enough truck-loving NASCAR rednecks to keep it in production anyway.

[haris]

Satan would be driving a vehicle full of Lucas Electrics. Prince of Darkness don't you know...

and they'd work too...

[The Mighty Duck]

I disagree with your basic premise that a compromised vehicle is good.  The Ram SRT-10 is too compromised by its size and weight to make sense as a performance "car".  It's also compromised as a practical vehicle compared to the regular versions.  IMO it's a waste of sheetmetal.  It seems that DC couldn't even find enough truck-loving NASCAR rednecks to keep it in production anyway.

 

Any vehicle you buy will be a compromise.  The Viper can only carry two people - that's its compromise for being a high performance car.  You're expecting the RAM to perform on the same level as a Viper?  Give me a break.  The Viper performs far better than most cars out there.  Likewise, the RAM performs far better than most trucks out there, and better than many cars.  But no, not as good as a Viper.  That's because it's a truck.

The RAM SRT-10 can tow a pretty significant weight, and it can haul five people.  It has the same size bed as a regular quad cab RAM.  I fail to see the compromise there.

In terms of what "makes sense", the RAM is actually a lot more logical than the Viper.  It can not only go fast, but it can do some other pretty handy stuff to.  Again, not as fast as the Viper...  but point me in the direction of the perfect car, please?

All of that said, no, they couldn't keep it in production.  In spite of my argument, the market for a performance pickup is small.  Ford's SVT Lightning is dead, too, because people who buy Vipers can afford to own a regular RAM as well.  That hardly qualifies the RAM as a waste of resources, though...

[dorin]

Demo, I understand your argument but ultimately I don't accept the premise.  Performance cars should be small and light, trucks should be beasts of burden.  Ideally I'd like to see most people driving small, light cars and if they must drive trucks then those trucks should have reasonably fuel-efficient diesel engines tuned for torque.  The whole "my truck is an over-powered performance vehicle" crap just pisses me off.

I think I'm just going to agree to disagree with you here.

[Turbo Bob]

The  is in the detail...

[safristi]

I neffer knew he was a LOTUS FAN-attic...I tho't he woz moron the "HEAVY"side..no Lite beir LEFT BEHIND.....