Are GM and Chrysler going to be able to compete with Mustang?

GM has been teasing their fans with photoshop images and talk of a new Camaro. I was talking with a guy from the Chicago area the other night online ( hi Wayne) and he was nice enough to give me the Camaro concept images you see here. We all would love to see a new "Ponycar" war, wouldn't we? The big three fighting it out and as they do, we benefit with improved power and handling, right? Wrong, GM and Chrysler are tinkering with the idea of bringing back their Ponycars, the Camaro and Chalenger, both built off existing or soon to be redesigned rear wheel drive platforms. But to cut to the chase GM will screw it up for sure. Look at the SSR. They will not follow the Mustang model of bringing a low priced base model and more than likley will not have a convertible model the first year or two. The same thing goes for Chrysler on the convertible. Everyone is hailing the new Charger as a Muscle Car for our modern times and while it's got power it's not a sports car, it's a 4 door sedan.

Both companies want an image car (allthough GM has the Vette), and to appear to compete with Mustang, but neither anticipates selling more than 50,000 or so a year. Why is that? Simple, even Ford doesn't anticipate selling more than 150,000 Mustangs a year(even though it was 190,00 for 2005) and if you try and split that pie 3 ways, that's what you get. Ford has done a couple of things right with the Mustang that GM and Chrysler will not. They've introduced the Mustang at a reasonable price point with good content, and given buyers several layers of performance ( V6-GT-Shelby SVT) as well as not making us wait forever for a drop top. Ford will also have several special models rolled out such as Mach 1 and California Specials as well as the V6 Pony, before either GM or Chrysler get their first model out.

So while the others dream, Ford fans have the reality of a Mustang here and now, that will outsell any Chalenger or Camaro/Firebird, just like it always has.