Motor Trend's Ideas for the future, which should be built? some subie content...

[IwannaSportSedan]

I came across a hypothetical/news article in Motortrend this morning, and have been thinking about it...

 

Then I went to check out their website, and found this... Thought I would get the assembled company's opinions...

 

Motortrend's Future Car hypothesis page

 

They hypothesize about the following:

Chrysler Hemi-Cuda

http://motortrend.com/future/concepts/112_0401_fwish_hemicudas.jpg

 

Ford Bronco III

http://motortrend.com/future/concepts/112_0401_fwish_broncos.jpg

 

un-branded Sportvan, they suggest it be built by Subaru or Mitsubishi

http://motortrend.com/future/concepts/112_0401_fwish_sportvans.jpg

 

Ferrari Dino, the car that hooked me this morning... more on that later.

http://motortrend.com/future/concepts/112_0401_fwish_ferraridinos.jpg

 

Porsche/Subaru 914 STi - not that it has been proposed, but MT staffers want it to become a possibility. A 30k Porsche mid-engined sports car with a Subaru STi powerplant.

http://motortrend.com/future/concepts/112_0401_fwish_porsches.jpg

 

I have not heard of ANY cooperation between Porsche and Subaru, other than Porsche's design house helping Subaru of Japan with styling on the previous Blitzen sport sedan. So a Porsche 914 successor with a Subie flat four is entirely hypothetical on MT's part, as far as I've heard.

 

I wonder how Porsche would deal with a 30k sports car with a non-porsche engine that makes more power than the standard Boxster... It would be interesting to see Porsche and Subaru do a little platform sharing, like the old 914 was with VW. Think of what that would do for the next Impreza...

 

The Ferrari Dino looks like it might be a genuine possibility. MT's own hypotheses are contradictory, some say a mid mounted 3.6 V8 (aka 360) or a V6 engine based on the Ferrari V8.

But others say front mounted 4.0 liter Ferrari-built Maserati 4.0 Liter V8, re-branded back to Ferrari. They also claimed it would be on the rear transaxle chassis that was supposed to be Maserati's upcoming GT replacement, which is still-born, since Maserati got handed back to Alfa, rather than being re-done Ferrari.

 

I am not sure that the "Dino" is the official name, "California" has also been thrown around. I'd gather that they probably wouldn't call a front-engined ferrari V8 a "dino". It does refer to the small cars built by ferrari, but old Dinos were mid-engined.

 

The Hemi Cuda just looks like a basic 2-door take on the Magnum/Charger/300C SRT cars. I think using the Barracuda name is a bit sacrilegous, considering they just unceremoniously canned the Plymouth brand. I'd perhaps suggest it better to use Dodge Challenger name, if it wouldn't infringe too much on the Space Shuttle bad voodoo.

 

I am not particularly interested in the Bronco III, but someone might be. I think it is interesting that they suggest a sport van be build by either Mitsu (yeah, with their current troubles, that'll be happening...) or Subaru build it. a sporty MPV would be more welcome with me than the current Tribeca lump, that is for sure.

 

Anyway, check out the link, and vote for your favorite.

[RayDhaIn]

Did you guys read the sportvan description?? The last sentence said something about " Could be derived from the Legacy GT with next year's turbo six..."

A sign of Legacy STi???

[timbuktu]

This article is about a year old and completely hypothetical. It was just a mental exercise by the guys at MT about what they think should be resurrected. So, yeah, take everything with a huge grain of salt. I doubt any of these will see the light of day, except an entry level Ferrari.

[IwannaSportSedan]

Good catch, on the fact that that was written in February 2004.

 

I did notice a sketch of the entry level ferrari in the Motortrend that is currently on the stands (not the issue coming out right now, the one that has been out for about a month...)

It looked like a wicked mesh of the F430's front end, the 575's slinky long wheelbase front engine chassis, and elements of the 612 Scaglietti's side quarter windows. They said it would likely be ferrari utilizing the chassis that Maserati will no longer be needing to replace it's current GT.

 

Front engined like a 575, but lightweight and V8 powered like the 430, I think I could really like that. Too bad, that to cut costs down to compete with the AMV8, and 911 Carrera S, they'll probably ditch the steering wheel switch, E-gear diff, 5 valve heads for standard 4 valve, and give up some horsepower and displacement from the 430, to keep the 430's value higher.

 

Maybe it'll be popular, and the Challenge version will be spec'd the same as the 430, just front-engine, rear transaxle.