Auto Writer Needs Education re MM

[67435animal]

Linda Sharp writes a column that appears in our local newspaper on Fridays. According to her, we don't drive a muscle car. It is 'a sheep in wolf's clothing'.

I suspect Ms. Sharp has never been a passenger in let alone a driver of a 2003 or 2004 MM. I offered her a test drive in an e-mail to her.

Perhaps a few more of us might e-mail this woman to expand her knowledge of MMs.



Muscle cars, mostly foreign, still turn heads

Linda Sharp - For the Journal-Constitution
Friday, December 5, 2003

For baby boomers, there is nothing more American than the muscle car.

Muscle cars aren't pony cars --- Mustangs, Camaros and Firebirds. They are family-size two-door cars that had enough power to break loose their bias-ply tires at the drop of a clutch. They included the likes of SS 396 Chevelles, Comet Cyclone GTs, Road Runners, Plymouth Satellites and Dodge Coronets with 440s or Hemis, Oldsmobile 442s and Pontiac GTOs.

Today there are no real American muscle cars. Sure the Dodge Viper and Chevrolet Corvette are a pair of powerful beasts, but they are two-seat sports cars, not souped-up sedans. The last American car that was even close was the the early '90s SS Impala. Mercury brought the Marauder out in recent years, but it was a sheep in wolf's clothing.

So are there any muscle cars at all these days? Yes, but they are European.

A longtime member of today's muscle car list is the BMW M5. The 2004 M5 may have as much as 500 horsepower. The Mercedes-Benz E55 has 469 hp. But a car that brings the muscle car to a new level is the Audi RS 6.

With an engine that makes 450 hp, this twin turbo rocket more than makes up for its lower horsepower with standard all-wheel drive. Most all-wheel-drive systems today use a viscous coupling, but the Audi has a pure mechanical system by Torsen.

This new generation of muscle cars, unlike those that baby boomers grew up with, are for those with deep pockets. Pricing generally begins around $70,000.

But do we really need sedans with this kind of power and performance? While we don't have an autobahn to push them to the limit, they still generate passion that drives the industry and fuels automotive excellence. They continue our love affair with the automobile. They celebrate the act of driving.

While the Audi RS 6 was parked in my drive, two young men rang my doorbell. "Could we look at the RS 6?" they asked.

They pulled out their digital cameras for pictures, and one asked, "Any chance you can crank it up and let us hear the exhaust?"

Consumers like these guys give the auto industry life.

Linda Sharp is a training consultant to auto manufacturers. Her column is written exclusively for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Write her in care of Wheels, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, P.O. Box 4689, Atlanta, GA 30302.

sharpdriver@att.net



Bob

[marauder307]

Y'know,...I'm a big believer in Logan's "no flame" policy...but this woman is obviously nuts.

The minute I saw the Journal-Constitution byline, I knew this wasn't gonna be good. Felt like Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder..."Oh, this is gonna hurt...." The J-C is notorious as one of the most liberal papers in the country, just behind the NY papers.

A little word about modern newspaper writers. They're not assigned to their particular "beat" because they actually know anything about it; they're either put there as a reward (usually reserved for those who can actually "break" a big story, thereby increasing circulation and the accompanying revenues); or as punishment, because they're idiots.

Sounds like this woman is the latter. No musclecars, huh? And then she has the raw unadulterated balls to name a BEEMER as a musclecar. I'll give her this: Writing something like that in Georgia is a mighty brave move; not terribly smart , but very brave.

Animal, you're a good man for offering to show her the truth, but I'm afraid you're already on the losing end of the argument. She's made up her mind; she didn't even get the dates right, fer Chrissakes! The Marauder is a late-model. Came out just over a year ago, not the "recent years" as she suggests. Effin' crazy.

On the off chance that she actually takes you up on it (and I don't think you're in any danger of THAT happening), make sure you get her to print a retraction!

[bigslim]

She is an idiot. Here is another person that has sold out to the foreign car companys. Here in Detroit we have local writers Paul and Anita Lienart. They are idiots too. I never agree with most writers too. Auto writers are like movie critics. Do we really want to see the movies they say are great?

[kurly]

Gross insult! Disgusting!

[RedMM]

:mad: :flamer: :D

[67435animal]

It certainly would not hurt to send Ms. Sharp some e-mails to encourage her to check out our cars so that she can write a more complete article in the future. There are many advantages of our cars over the 'European' muscle cars (I think I just gagged), not the least of which is price, and, quite likely the cost to service is lower.

Bring it on, guys.

When (if) she replies to my e-mail, I'll post what she says.

Bob

[MapleLeafMerc]

IMHO:

This writer has no clue what the term muscle car really means. It isn't defined only by high HP and torque. My definition of a muscle car means it not only has to perform, but be affordable.

Heck, they're making giant sedans like the Maybach with 500(?) HP. Should we call that a muscle car, too?

Hers is the voice of the canape-munching snob, happy to be in a small group that can buy or lust after something few can afford. Kind of like the Sneetches. And of course more than happy to slag products built where they earn their living.

[TAF]

Some of you more senior guys will set me straight on this if I'm wrong...so please...feel free...

But...my memory of what were considered TRUE "Muscle Cars" from the late '60s and early '70s is...

Most were 2-door with rear seats/although some 4-door sedans were considered "muscle cars"
All came with large V-8s engines
And even though you could order performance engines, duel carburetors, etc. through the dealer/manufacturer...MOST added bolt-on mods for even more power...
And there were several famous 'tuners' that put out high HP versions, of which some could be ordered through your dealer...ala Reinhart, Trilogy, etc.

My question is...doesn't the above fit this car to a T?

Please let me know if I'm wAY off base here...

And BTW...my car now performs, handles and gets better/more attention than a $70K Euro-muscle car.

[SILVERMARAUDER]

Unbelieveable!!!!!!!!

[junehhan]

Whup dee doo! So a $70-90k luxury sport sedan can outperform our measly $35k(in most cases, a lot cheaper) Marauders. I don't know what to say, except most people in life will never have a chance to own a $70-90k car in the first place. For the $35-55k price tag premiums these European breed sport sedans will cost you, it BETTER DAMN perform better than a Marauder! To make a comparison like that is just assinine and this lady is just a car snob as someone mentioned. If you want a true muscle car, for about $12k in bolt on stuff, you can turn the Marauder into a car that will outrun all of Europe's best in the 1/4mile, and still have plenty of change left over to buy a good daily driver with.

[SergntMac]

Slow down a minute guys, read her article again. Maybe we don't want to admit it, but most of us here, myself included, were displeased with the bone stock MM we bought. Not all of us, but enough of us. All she is saying, is that the real muscle today comes from foreign soil, and you can't agrue with her numbers.
500 HP from the factory?

Meeting my Marauder, she swept me off my feet. I hadn't seen anything this bold from any manfacturer in several years, and it was love at first sight. The test drive was awesome, I had to have her. By 3K miles, the honeymoon was over, it was a slug and I knew it. The advertising game got me again, and for full sticker too. Only thing to do now, is build the MM I wanted, and how many times have you heard here "it should have come from the factory." This is the truth, like it or not.

Granted, this woman doen't know a whole lot about muscle cars, or our Marauder, but she is a writer, and for a liberal newspaper. When you try to set her record straight, she'll most likely turn that against you. The media doesn't sell truth, it sells controversy. You're opening another issue, which is how bad the Marauder really is from the factory, and the proof of that is right here at the MM.Net. "Just look at what these guys have to do, to motovate this 35K monster. They ought to sue!"

Double edged sword, ladies and gents, think twice before you speak.

Now, if I could only get all this Kenny Brown stuff off the car, and NOT pop the hood for her test drive...Oh, I had better make her sit on a towel, ya think?

[67435animal]

Originally posted by SergntMac
Now, if I could only get all this Kenny Brown stuff off the car, and NOT pop the hood for her test drive...Oh, I had better make her sit on a towel, ya think?

If you can get her to ride on your car, I'll send the towels!

Bob:D

[junehhan]

LOL, okay, now are we trying to get her to ride in the car, or on the car? I don't know what this lady looks like, and i'm not sure if i'd want to see her ON on the car............

[TJH]

And she is supposedly a "training consultant" to the auto manufacturers?
Scary.
I dunno- I still believe a true muscle car, in the traditional sense, is a two door. Performance sedan, the Marauder is, definitely. So too are all of the high-priced european stuff that she notes. But- unless it has two doors, not four, I still don't consider it a muscle car.
Perhaps owning several 1970 455 GTO's, plus one 400 car, biases my opinion. But, as far as true musclecars are concerned, the last would have to be the 1987 Buick Grand National (and of course, the limited-edition GNX).
I don't consider the Cobra I now own, nor the Cobra and Trans Am that I used to own, musclecars, either. They are smaller, and fall into the "pony car" category.
Still, it's frightening that someone who bills herself as an "automotive consultant" has such a narrow view...

[RCSignals]

He examples of "early" american muscle cars are the factory cars. Some believe the real "muscle cars" of the period were the plain low end models, many if not most 4 dr sedans, that were ordered with the largest engine available, and little else for options.

She seems to not realise the MM is currently being built, speaking of it in the past tense.

Mercury says the MM brings back the "feel" of the muscle car. Yes they've added luxury. It is however the closest thing to an American muscle car built today.
There may be high HP foreign cars, but there alway has been in a sense, and none of them really fit the bill of "muscle car"

[woaface]

I will not say that I don't like the M5...it's a nice car. But if the money were to be spent on a Marauder it can still have it cost less than an M5, an E55 and an RS6, and it'll smoke it ANY DAY! This is apples to oranges here...just like the kid I talked to the other day who tried to argue that the lingenfelter ESCALADE was better than a Marauder. What a looney. She's making competition where it's not...if Ford wanted to compete with the M5 we'd have a Lincoln Marauder.

[teamrope]

I'm tempted to offer her to come up here and race next summer. I'll let her drive my 69 Chevelle, and I'll drive my bone stock MM. It should be an educating experiance.

[Johnman]

Marauder307 is right. This is someone with a liberal agenda who probably knows very little about the automobiles she's writing about and is just cherry-picking raw stats to fit her viewpoint. The viewpoint's "big picture" (which can be found no doubt in numerous articles about any subject) is this: America:bad, Europe: good,(especially Gemany and France who have been so helpful in our war on terrorism). America's best days are behind it, and if we don't start thinking like Europe we're in trouble... Their agenda is so obvious it's laughable. But unfortunately, it's everywhere.

[junehhan]

Some degree of liberalism can be good, but when you go so far to the left, that you are simply a radical, I don't know what to say except I believe these are the people in the minority who are trying to ruin everything America has been, and will be. They pervert even the most straight foward laws, to match with their liberal agenda's and it's sickening. You can't criticize them either, because they'll just spew caustic verbage at you and you will be blacklisted as a hater.

[RCSignals]

To get a writing job, or even a consulting job, these days you really don't have to know anything about the subject

[sailsmen]

I fail to understand why so many in the media seem to praise Europe.

Having lived there I can tell you compared to the USA there is very little economic mobility, born the son of a garbage man destined to be a garbage man. Socially in many european countries there is close to a cast system.

Umemployment averages 10.5% compared to ours of less than 5.5%.

In 22 years the median age in Europe will be 55 vs USA of 37.5. Currently 40% of those over the age of 50 in Europe are retired living on a pension.

The only way to solve their increasingly aging/retiring population, which will bankrupt their economies, is to open immigration to allow an influx of younger workers or change their retirement philosophy. Their culture will strongly resist this.

For the most part I do not see a future in Europe, it is dying.

My definition of a muscle car is a V-8 rear wheel drive car with a factory option of a higher performance engine.

GM banned developing new models with higher HP, Delorean found a loop hole by putting a bigger engine in an existing lighter model. The GTO was born.

[67435animal]

Bob,

I hate to disappoint you but I have driven ever car I ever refer to in my articles. I am comparing the Maruader to the '90's generation SS Impala, the rear wheel drive version. Today's SS Impala wouldn't even qualify as a sheep.

However, that said, I still stand by my assessment. But I am very please to know that you enjoy yours and as the saying goes beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Obviously you are quite happy with yours and that is all that matters.

Thanks for writing, best reagards,

Linda Sharp



:help:

Bob

[67435animal]

Here is my reply to Ms. Sharp:




Linda, I'm glad to hear that you have driven all those cars. I am envious.

I could never classify any of the European cars that you label 'muscle cars'
as such. They are really luxury performance sedans. They are not even within
reach of most of us.

Muscle cars will always be what they were: affordable American built high
performance coupes that delivered excitement and sizzle for a very
reasonable price.

I do not think that the term 'muscle car' should be applied to anything but
these cars.

An example of a true muscle car is the 442 attached.

The Mercury Marauder is not a muscle car in the classic sense. But, it
delivers reasonable horsepower at an affordable price. BMW and Mercedes are
not even close as far as value for the dollar is concerned. I agree they are
nice cars, but, they certainly do not meet the 1960s definition of 'muscle
car'.

Linda, I'll make you this offer. Come over to Acworth and drive the 442
followed by the Marauder. Then write a new article about how American cars
have changed in many ways but some still deliver driving excitement at an
affordable price. The European luxury performance sedans that you praise
cannot do this.

Bob

[Petrograde]

Way to go Bob! :up:

I thought it was unfair of her to compare the MM to the Audi A6 or new Benz-o :pimp:

Let us know if she takes you up on your offer!

Tom

[Marauderman]

Give Bob some BUTTER!! He's on a ROLL!!! You go BOB!!!!

[67435animal]

Originally posted by marauderman
Give Bob some BUTTER!! He's on a ROLL!!! You go BOB!!!!

You trying to butter me up?

B:D b

[SergntMac]

Very well put, Bob. I hope she takes you up on your offer. I know I would love to drive that 442.

[67435animal]

Mac, the next time you are down for a weekend, please come by my house. You can drive the 442 and I'll cook you supper!

Bob

[SergntMac]

A delicious invitation indeed.

[BigMerc]

I sent her one , and guessed that she was wearing birkenstocks as she read the email, and there was at least one marijuana glass pipe in her house.
the term "Eurotrash" comes to mind .

I seriously doubt she drove all, I read the quote "sheep in wolfs clothing" from another reviewer, she simply stole it and acts like she coined it.

[greyghost]

I am 58 yrs old now and this article is so typical of those that weren't there. In 1964 I bought a new GTO from Royal Pontiac in Royal Oak, MI. It had what was called the Bobcat pkg. It consisted of mechanical ball bearing linkage for the 3-2 brl carbs, the distributer was set up for mechanical advancement only and recurved, and the heat risers to the intake were blocked off. This special kit was a wooping $200.00 extra. The complete car as I bought it was $3300.00. It had 3:55 grs, Positraction, wide ratio muncie trans, redline tires (Oohhh), exxhaust splitters, AM/FM radio, and simulated wood grain steering wheel. Jim Wangers drove the car to a 12.65 quarter mi. Jim held the A stock and B stock drag racing records around that time. car didn't last long as my Dad was in a wreck and it was totaled.

In 1965 I bought a new Corvette Sting Ray with the 396/425 HP motor, M-21 Muncie transmission with the 2:20 1st gear, 3:73 rear end with positraction (limited slip), Off road racing exhaust 3"/2.5", Fast Back body, AM/FM monaral radio with retractable antenna. Sticker Price was $5008.00. The car was run several times at Conneticut dragway and consistantlt turned 13.3 sec, @ 108 MPH. Oh the hib caps had to be removed NHRA rules and it only had 1/3 tank of gas. It weighed in at 3365 lbs.

I had others since then and kept abreast of what was happeninmg in the muscle car world till it died around 1980.

I can remember in 1966 you could buy a full size Impala with the 427/425 HP motor and appropriate drive train for about $3000.00. And then there was Baldwin Chevrolet/ Motion Performance in New York that had some really trick Camaros with 427s and 454s in them. The Ford guys had their trick stuff also and it was a grand time to play with inexpensive high performance.

From 1980 till the Chevy Impala SS came out in 1995 there wasn't much to look at for performance. Even the Vettes were powered down.

The Marauder in a 2003/4/? is a true muscle car.

Now lets address the Mercedes E55 AMG. 469 HP. AMG is a hot rod shop for Mercedes and has gotten tight with the factory and has their endorsement so the vehicle has a warranty. Nothing factory about AMG. I takes a true high dollar blue blood or a wannabe to want that car. As for the BMW M5 look at the price. You could take a standard BMW 530 or what ever the current number is and with the diffence in price, take that money and you could build that car into something that would spank the M5.

Of course people that own BEEMERS usually don't do their own work or even thing about the specifics of what it takes to really go fast. They just pull out their check books at the dealer and spend whatever the dealer says. Kinda like a Harley Davidson owner.

Well enogh on that, I wilol probably write that thing that did the article for the AJC and let her know that there are still folks around that were there when it happened and she doesn't have a clue. I will try and be diplomatic (PC) but she really is irratating

[67435animal]

Barry, you are so right on! Obviously, Ms. Sharp was not driving the cars we were driving when we were younger. Poor thing's first driving experience was probably a Pinto!

She probably has the $$$ to be a true high dollar blue blood or a wannabe .

And, it was a pleasure to have met you this morning. I enjoyed driving your Marauder as a comparison to my own. Be sure to offer me the same opportunity once Dennis has done his magic.

Bob

[greyghost]

Bob, I had a great time this morning meeting you and your wonderful wife. I want to thank you for driving my MM and giving your input. I really enjoyed driving your MM and comparing your engine progrm to mine. Also in evaluating the exhaust I think I wll stay with the stock resonators for now until after installing my6 Kooks exhaust system.

I also had a chance to see Bob's Vette and the 442. His vette was the same color as mine and the interior was similar.

Isn't this list just the best. Thanks Logan!!!

[deerejoe]

Ya, "Muscle" cars...like my old '69 Plymouth GTX with the 426 Hemi and 4 on the floor, Dana rear end.
Plenty of engine/horse power but REAL short on drive line beef.

Keep your parts cash handy for clutches and universal/yoke propeller shafts.

Wheel hop and chassis shudder kept excess pounds off your middle with the overall vibration inherent from every full power launch on CONCRETE surfaces (streets/highways).

Yes, Mopar made lots of guys like me (short on $$$, long on desire) happy to spend every spare buck keeping the beast together!!

Lots of envy from the wannabe's on the side lines...but those bloody little Corvette's could still show me their tail lights much too often.
But for my $3100.00 investment, I felt better about it in relation to the cost for the Vette...not to mention that high insurance cost they had to pay as well.

All said and done, the MM is by far the better bargain.
Consider the interior room, the panache and todays technology included at a very good price (with rebates and savvy bargaining) and you definitely are ahead of the Euro pricemobiles.

High rollers with their high dollar vehicles will always TRY put you down as a lesser type buyer, etc.
Like Harley's versus rice rockets, really dosen't matter that the $8K Yamaha V Max will smoke ANY $20K Harley...they still won't wave in recognition......
It's just a CLASS thing!!

Conversely, the writer referred to in this threads inception is obviously biased toward the high dollar vehicles with their high horse power. So, who cares??

I really don't see much difference between the buyer of high dollar factory power and those who spend high dollars to get after market power. Power seems the common denominator.

One has to admit that the high dollar Euro's tend to hold better resale values than the home town soupers......

[67435animal]

I got a second reply from Linda and it sounds much better than the article as it was written.


Bob,

First, VERY NICE car!

My dad had a 442 convertible. My first boy friend had a SS 396 Chevelle and my second a Comet Cyclone GT. Both of which they were foolish enough to let me drive (lolol.)

I still hold it against GM that they canned the early '90's SS Impala to produce more trucks.

The real point of my article was not to praise the import luxury sedans, which I totally agree are out of the range of most, myself included, but to perhaps point out to some one in Detroit, that there is still a desire amongst the American car buyer for exactly
what you are referring to as affordable performance cars.

BTW, thanks for in the invite, wish I could take you up on it, but since I live in North Gwinnett, it would mean planning a two week trip to get around 285 (LOLOL)

Best regards - Linda



I'm still hoping she will change her mind and take me up on my offer.

Bob

[junehhan]

At least you got a response!

[TJH]

It's just too bad that the article wasn't worded like her last reply. Sure, all of here will read it, but I'm positive the number will be a lot smaller than her readership from the newspaper...

[greyghost]

Fortunately the AJC circulation is declining. Hopefully, just dreaming, they wilol go out of business. The Smith family is not on the all time top 1 million businesses with me and a lot of others I know.

Barry

[woaface]

Originally posted by junehhan
They pervert even the most straight foward laws, to match with their liberal agenda's and it's sickening.

Like..."seperation of church and state" ?: )

Nope, I never said it...can't start flame...no one saw it!

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by 67435animal
I got a second reply from Linda and it sounds much better than the article as it was written.



I'm still hoping she will change her mind and take me up on my offer.

Bob

At least she replied. I get the impression she is trying to justify her right to comment on muscle cars with her little history at the beginning.
If that was the point she was aiming for in her article she missed the mark IMHO. She completely dissed the Marauder, suggesting the 90's Impala was more of a muscle car, when in fact the two are quite close in performance stock. She has a bit of GM bias.
"Detroit" won't get the message she wanted them to I think.

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by BigMerc
I sent her one , and guessed that she was wearing birkenstocks as she read the email, and there was at least one marijuana glass pipe in her house.
the term "Eurotrash" comes to mind .

I seriously doubt she drove all, I read the quote "sheep in wolfs clothing" from another reviewer, she simply stole it and acts like she coined it.

Well her first e-mail reply to Bob was condescending, and she has a strong GM bias.
I'd like to have read her "drive" report article of the Marauder, which she no doubt compared to the "early '90s" Impalas. She doesn't even realise they were mid '90s. The early '90s cars are a different fish.
I too doubt she drove the Marauder much if at all. Her comment seems to be boilerplate