Chrysler Firepower

Make that "codename Firepower!" The name may change by the time this two-seat sportscar hits Detroit's Cobo Hall next January, but the striking styling is all but locked in stone. Or, to be more precise, carbon fiber, the material of choice for Chrysler's show cars.

The Firepower prototype is meant to slot in somewhere between the sporty Chrysler Crossfire and last year's audacious ME-412 concept vehicle. (And, not so coincidentally, the Firepower and ME-412 were both designed by 30-year-old stylist Bill Niedlander.) If the dimensions seem familiar, that's because the Firepower shares its platform with the Dodge Viper. But in Chrysler trim, it's meant to be more elegant and refined, in the tradition of a classic grand tourer, according to Creed, who suggests you "think of the likes of Aston Martin."

Instead of the Viper's raw V-10, the Firepower will feature the new, 6.1-liter, 425-horsepower version of the HEMI V-8. Estimated top speed is 185 mph, with 0-60 times of under 4.5 seconds.

Though there continues to be some interest in the ME-412 at Chrysler's highest levels, its astronomical price tag seems to have limited the likelihood it would go into production. The Firepower could still serve as a top-end halo car, though Creed cautioned that for the moment, at least, there is no talk of production. On the other hand, he quickly added, "Sometimes design (department) has to put something out there and take the lead" to see what the market reaction is. Then the beancounters need to figure out if there's a business case to be made. --Paul A. Eisenstein

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=7754

 

more pictures of the firepower

 

STUNNING....Lets hope they give it a decent interior.

 

Looks great. As soon as it is out the price of ours will drop through the floor!

 

That thing is BAD!!!!

 

They probably will build it since the SRT-10 is not that big a seller.But $80k is too much bring it down to $55-65 range and they could sell 5,000 units easy.