So we talk a lot about the 2015 Mustang around here but there is at least one more contender on the horizon that may appeal to Mustang junkies: The SRT Barracuda which is slated to replace the lovely but porky Challenger.

Ignore the silly renders in the link below...nobody knows what this thing will look like yet. There are strong rumors that this car will be available with the all new 6.2L/Supercharged Hemi and will almost certainly be smaller/lighter than the outgoing Challenger.

I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't jump ship if this car was good enough. I'm 100% happy with my '11 GT but I'm a Mopar guy at heart.

Anyone else interested?

http://www.allpar.com/cars/dodge/barracuda.html

 

Moving to 'General Vehicle Discussion' section, but will leave a link for today . . .

 

Yeah its been mentioned here and IMHO the Challenger is on par in looks with a Mustang. Was originally considering a Challenger but the new GTs had too much to offer. Ill definitely consider the Cuda as my next ride if they can pull it off correctly, but the jury will be out for awhile. Great for me, though, b/c I dont wanna start longing for another ride for at least a few years. Excited to see which will look nicer, though. Im guessing the performance #s will be similar and Im not tied to any mfg. Id rather have multiple cars from diff mfgs than a corral of just Mustangs. Just my opinion.

 

I've been interested in the Challenger since it came out, but only the SRT8. Unfortunately, the base price is just too high in my opinion. I too am more of a Mopar guy, and I'm really excited to see the Barracuda when it gets revealed... Hopefully they can keep the price point more reasonable. Regardless, I search for updates on the Barracuda all the time!

 

I will have to make mention of this to a guy at my work who's got a Challenger with a Drag Pack on it. He paid $85,000 for it and got the car last year after being built by Dodge. Apparently he recently received any offer of $120,000 from a gentleman looking to get his hands on one. The only thing is, Dodge put the car out in very very limited quantities. Glad to hear that Dodge has some change coming in the works. I sure wish they would overhaul the Charger.

 

It would make sense for Dodge/Chrysler to go with a smaller, more global platform for the Challenger successor for many of the same reasons Ford will be going in a smaller, more global platform for the NextStang. All the more so if to rationalize platforms by sharing it with a RWD Alfa variant (try fitting the current behemoth of a car, the Challenger, on many/most Italian roads and streets!).

The original Barracuda, very much like the original Mustang, was most definitely NOT a bulging big-motored brute of a muscle car, being rather, like the Mustang, more an amalgam of American and European sport coupe traits and characteristics. Thus, a return to a more global character would not be a betrayal of either car's roots but rather, a faithful return to them, as translated into 21st century technologies.

 

I don't mind seeing a smaller Alfa/Fiat based car from Dodge with I4 and V6 engines, but they shouldn't use the "'Cuda" name.

Duster would work, Duster was Dodge's sporty compact back in the 1970s.

 

Here's hoping it takes it's styling cues from the early big back window barracudas. I love those things.

Regardless of how it looks however, I'm glad to see Mopar bringing out a modern muscle car that is more comparable to the Mustang/Camaro.

 

Excellent observations there.
Fortunately, it looks like they'll keep the hulking v8s around even if the bodies are smaller...
...but technically you could get even a smaller A-Body Barracuda with a big block.

 

Even hulking V8s, burbling away in a sleek, light chassis, can return very good MPGs, especially with the aux currant cylinder deactivation systems. Look how Vette's can readily get at least upper 20 mpg highway if you drive like a grandmother.

Of course, when you drive like a teenage grandson, your fuel gauge will flit over like a fly swatter but you now can bring some 400+ hp to bear a broad shoulder against not so much weight and drag. Profit of great speed and acceleration.

My guess is that the next gen pony cars will be clustering around the 3,200-3,300 lb mark for their V8s models with roughly the same current power from somewhat more efficient (DI, cylinder deactivation, etc.) versions of their motors, except perhaps the Camaro which I think will get a smaller redo of the small block.

The NextStang, I suspect, will have a generally 3-3.5-tier engine lineup as compared to today's 2-2.5 lineup. To wit, instead of just a V6 base/general model topped off by a V8 range of performance models, the '15 may start with an EgoBoost 4 banger for, say 2/3s of the sales, then a semi performance V6 and the V8s splitting that last third. Perhaps the Barracuda would have a somewhat similar engine lineup too.