2006 Monza/Modena Competitors: Master List

So let's start a list of Sports and GT 2-door coupes that could be available to compete for dollars against the Monza, or whatever the Modena's replacement winds up being called.

I made the parameters loose, basically in order to make the list the potential competitor has to have a power to weight ratio that's close to the base Monza's estimated figures: (475HP/3,250lbs.) I also didn't look at price except for one caveat: The competitor's price cannot exceed the Monza's estimated $185k - $200k MSRP.

Estimated HP figures are in parentheses, followed by both announced and unannoucned-but-expected models:

*asterisks denote models that may have more HP than estimated by the time they arrive*

(500HP) Porsche 997/998 TT
(500HP) Lamborghini Gallardo/Gallardo SV, GT, or GT-R*
(500HP) Ford GT
(500HP) MB SL65 AMG*
(500HP) Dodge Viper SRT-10 Coupe/GTS Model (hardtop refresh)*
(500HP) Chevrolet C6 Z06
(400HP) Lotus Esprit, Next generation*
(400HP) Aston Martin AMV8 and DB9*
(400HP) Nissan Skyline GT-R, Next generation
(400HP) Toyota Supra, Next generation
(400HP) BMW M4 Coupe*
(350HP) Honda NSX, Next generation*

What other ones am I missing? Aren't there a few buff Jags coming out?

 

I'm curious to see how the Japanese react. Nissan's Charles Ghosn must have had an annurism as high HP versions of the Vette and other cars below $100k were introduced over the past six months. He pushed the next Skyline GT-R coupe intro back TWO YEARS after the dust settled in December.

Honda seems oblivious to the rest of the world's sportscar needs as always, insisting that the next NSX will have "over 300HP". Gee thanks. I hope it weighs no more than 500 pounds then lol, otherwise it will be a dog.

Two years ago Toyota all but gleefully talked about how their F1 team's future successes would parlay itself into a new supercar or even a new Supra, but after two years of mediocre results they're non-commital about sports cars currently.

 

I agree for the most part, part of the problem is the pricing in this segment. $185k is a ton of cash considering that just $125k buys you a pretty lethal 911TT. You've got to be pretty motivated to ratchet it up to near $200k for a car that's not dramatically superior.

We'll see though. Back in the recession of the early Nineties no one thought their was room for over a dozen luxury car brands, and somehow they've all survived and even flourished.

 

Plus you've got other used cars that will show up on the "under $175k" radar by the time the Monza rolls out like the Murcielago and 575M.

 

That would be interesting, although with no dealer network established you'd have to hope that you'd be buying/servicing the cars through the existing MB network.

My other question would be in regard to production volume. We all know that MB upgraded McLaren's facilities massively during the SLR project, but are they capable of simutaneously manufacturing three different car lines with say a total output of 2,000 cars per year?

In any case it would be great to have them back in the game, the F1 is like the patron saint of sports car fans.