Monday 5th January 2004

Chrysler ME412

Are DC setting themselves up for a fall with their claims for the ME412?

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DaimlerChrysler has had some rough times of late and really needed some good news to divert the media's attention back to their cars and away from more mundane matters.

What better way to do that than to launch a car that is capable of 400km/h (248mph!). Well, that's what their computer simulations reckon anyway.

to achieve that the bods at DC talked to the experts at AMG and requested a six litre, quad turbo V12 pumping out 850bhp. AMG delivered with their normal Germanic efficiency and it was left to some blokes in a shed to knock up a supercar body around it.

The result was unveiled in Detroit yesterday. The ME Four-Twelve (Mid Engined, Four turbos, Twelve cylinders) is DaimlerChrysler's first supercar. Despite these days of ever tightening regulations and restrictions, it's good to see a car company build a balls out racer for the road.

DC reckon that the 4-12 will be a bit of a record breaker for them. Aside from the top speed claims, their supercomputers reckon that the 4-12 will be the first supercar to be able to reach 60mph in less than 3 seconds (2.9 to be precise).

So... have they set themselves up for a fall like Bugatti did with the Veyron or can they pull it off? Time will tell...

Wallpaper: 1280, 1024, 800

[unlicensed]

850 hp.......
could use with a new body though

oops didnt see the other thread, just dont mind this one.

>>> Edited by unlicensed on Monday 5th January 03:25

[GavinPearson]

Utterly pointless.

Chrysler have never made a sports car. Dodge make sports cars. Why bother marketing it when nobody is going to buy it?

If I had to buy a car for the same money as this is going for I could think of much better kit to fritter my money away on - especially as it'd be engineered for the USA - bias towards comfort and not high speed stability - if you want to go really fast on the autobahns buy a McLaren Mercedes, a RUF 911, a Ferrari, Bugatti EB110 etc.

[LuS1fer]

Just what the world needs...another supercar. Not!

Let's just be honest, what are the chances that Chrysler could build a supercar as good as Ferrari. Ford did it but if the Crossfire is the peak of Chrysler's achievements, they might as well bin this idea now.

Never thought I'd say it biut there are already too many supercars and they all look the same. This has overtones of the Bugatti EB110 and would easily be as successful.

What they should be making is a mid-range sports car like the Copperhead concept of a few years back.

[John Nowak]

Gavin, I'm sure with AMG's expertise at their disposal now, it would handle just fine.

It's a little ugly yes. Chrysler has to really chill out with that hood. They're putting it on everything. Oi. Hideous.

But quad turbos... that is something... I'd take one.

[anonymous-user]

According to CAR magazine, they've convinced a certain Mr Pagani to help them with the construction of a lightweight composite body shell. There may also be as few as 15 actually built.

[Podie]

Is it supposed to sound like it's a Meschersmidt?!?! (sp?)

[LuS1fer]

Messcherschmitt. Looks like the Audi Avus with a touch of Gallardo. Same old , same old.

[dejoux]

John Nowak said:

But quad turbos... that is something

That is something but its not new. Didnt help Bugatti that much

I agree with what was said enough. They should build a reasonably priced mid ranged sports car

[Podie]

LuS1fer said:

Messcherschmitt. Looks like the Audi Avus with a touch of Gallardo. Same old , same old.

Ta. No it was the "ME" name that got me...

[Bodo]

I guess its only purpose is to polish up the Chrysler label

[segg]

Interesting... but i thought the SLR is a supercar or am i wrong? Or is Mercedes not a part of the DaimlerChrysler group?

However to correct some people here :
Messerschmitt
this is the correct spelling.

[pauly]

The worlds first supercar that won´t be able to go round corners (like all other Chryslers)

[LuS1fer]

Lucky we only had to order Spitfires during the war, wasn't it?

[rodsmith]

It needs to fast so no one can see it! What a piece of yank crap!

[Frik]

segg said:

Interesting... but i thought the SLR is a supercar or am i wrong? Or is Mercedes not a part of the DaimlerChrysler group?

Yeah I'm a bit confused by this as well. :S

The SLR was certainly financed by DC. Maybe it's not been counted as a supercar cause it's front-mid rather than rear-mid. Can't think of many cars more "super" though!

[danmangt40]

ok, tank it, all of you. I think this should be likened to the Volkswagen W12/nardo. Body was a bit of a slap-up, but there's a genuine marvel here. Carbon brakes, 850 hp, 850 lb ft, ~2800 lb curb weight, 925 lb+ peak rear downforce, carbon build, and Ricardo's first audi DSG-style dual clutch manu-matic (soon to be on every AMG benz imaginable for sure).... this car cannot be judged by your preconceptions based around riding in a strange friend's pt cruiser or 300m. This car hadn't even been sketched until a week from now last year. It deserves respect even though it does look like utter SHIT. Chrysler has said this car was meant as a dodge tomahawk style concept, to show off what is capable beyond the spectrum of the affordable to build. Likely, this will find more "exception" customers. I also see some b-engineering edonis and nissan R390GT1 in it.
go check out fast-autos . net for more details.

[danmangt40]

and I'm sure we should all expect chrysler to take it racing if they think it's even remotely produceable at any cost to the consumer.

[ErnestM]

Dan - I have to agree with you, in principle. I see this as the Shania Twain of supercars. People like to make fun of it, but given half a chance most would jump inside and take it for a spin

ErnestM

[LuS1fer]

Surely Shania Twain is an old classic rather than a modern supercar? Surely more like Britney, a slinky body with a drink problem.

[GavinPearson]

John Nowak said:

Gavin, I'm sure with AMG's expertise at their disposal now, it would handle just fine. It's a little ugly yes. Chrysler has to really chill out with that hood. They're putting it on everything. Oi. Hideous. But quad turbos... that is something... I'd take one.

Even if it handled it would still be ugly and have a Chrysler badge on it. Why not badge it as a Mercedes if it's a Mercedes?

Again - think of it this way. You win a lot of money on the lottery and to celebrate spend some of it on a large house in Germany by an Autobahn. You decide to make the most of the autobahn and need to buy a fast car. You want some credibility with your mates too. Buying an ugly vehicle with a Chrysler badge would not give you credibility, buying a Porsche 911, RUF 911 or Ferrari F550 as a minimum, maybe even a McLaren Merc or F1 would not only do the job, it would allow you to retain your credibility too.

It's as pointless as that Dodge Tomahawk they brought in last year.