Is GM/Ford/Mopar rivalry disappearing?

[Mike DC]

    
In the muscle era there was rivalry from make-to-make even among the same corporate brand.  (Pontiac vs Chevy vs Olds, etc)

These days it seems like the american auto buyer's brand loyalty hardly holds much animosity for any Detriot brand at all.  Now it seems divided down domestic vs foreign lines.

Look at a modernized G-machine 1960s car.  No matter what brand you look at, you're liable to still find C5 Corvette spindles, Ford 9" axle, GM 4L60E tranny, etc.  Anything from Detriot seems to be fair game, whereas there's not a foreign part to be found.  

Anyone else noticing this?  



  Will it eventualy become commonly acceptable to have a GM crate motor in a Mopar?  

           

[RD]

I got a GM 4L30E transmission in my BMW.. so.. um, maybe? 

[bull]

They seem more focused on survival right now than competition.

[1969chargerrtse]

They seem more focused on survival right now than competition.

[Troy]

Ford and Chrysler had interchangeable parts in the 60s.

Many parts these days (transmissions and brakes for example) are sourced from external suppliers and may show up in any number of manufacturer's vehicles. Not to mention the cross platform pieces shared between American and their foreign partner brands. I'm not exactly the most brand loyal person but it's hard to find a vehicle that isn't a giant mix of parts from several sources (except maybe a Ferrari?). I still know many domestic fans that take every opportunity to slight the other brands but they do all seem to stick together when it comes to foreign makes. I'm just not so sure they can tell the difference these days.

Troy

[Mike DC]

             
Past a certain point the different brands are just body-builders. 

Look under a Jeep and you often find Dana axles and Aisin-Warner transmissions.  Dana isn't directly Mopar.  Aisin-Warner isn't even close. 



Even a prestigious brand like Rolls Royce has been using subcontracted BMW engines for years. 

[Steve P.]

The big difference I've noticed over the years is that we went from a BFH to a BFH and a computer analyzer. 

[ZSmithersCharges]

           
Past a certain point the different brands are just body-builders.  

Look under a Jeep and you often find Dana axles and Aisin-Warner transmissions.  Dana isn't directly Mopar.  Aisin-Warner isn't even close.  



Even a prestigious brand like Rolls Royce has been using subcontracted BMW engines for years.  

That's because BMW owns Rolls Royce    They started making motors for them in their own interest with plans to own the brand.  When Volks bought them out BMW actually threatened to stop making their engines if they didn't give them the company in whatever years time was stated in a new contract.  With that Volks agreed and BMW now has full ownership.

[tan top]

/quote]


don't know about acceptable   , but  look at the pirice to GM & phord   crate motors  $ ..... per horse power   ...now look at mopar ,      

[ZSmithersCharges]

I bet Fiat will buy all of them and just call it North American Motors... They will use this line to sell their ugly non handling cars with 4 cylinder motors... I don't think Fiat has any respect for Chrysler and I think it was a very bad decision personally.  But what the hell, have enough money in this world and you can buy the human race.

[41husk]

Maybe the human race, but not a NFL franchise

[ZSmithersCharges]

Maybe the human race, but not a NFL franchise

That's right because football players aren't humans they are merely shaven monkeys  

[PocketThunder]

They can buy the Vikings because we aint building them a new stadium!!!!!!!   

Mike DC,
I was listening to the radio yesterday and the add was for a Ford and they were comparing the value of Ford vs "Honda or Toyota".  I thought for a minute, hey, isnt it supposed to be vs "Dodge or Chevy", not anymore i guess.  So i agree with the others so far, its us as in USA as a whole vs them = Japan.

[ZSmithersCharges]

They can buy the Vikings because we aint building them a new stadium!!!!!!!   

Mike DC,
I was listening to the radio yesterday and the add was for a Ford and they were comparing the value of Ford vs "Honda or Toyota".  I thought for a minute, hey, isnt it supposed to be vs "Dodge or Chevy", not anymore i guess.  So i agree with the others so far, its us as in USA as a whole vs them = Japan.

and soon its going to be the World vers Mars 

[elanmars]

I'm always told by guys who are brand loyal to Ford and Chevy that Mopar sucks, Hemi's a joke, it's all about LS1/whatever Ford has.

[Charger440RDN]

If anything the rivalry has been renwed! The rivalry is now complete with the new Camaro that just came out. You have not been able to buy a brand new Camaro, Mustang and Challenger in the same year since 1974 (and no I'm not including that piece of crap 4 cylinder Challenger that was out in the early 80's)

[Steve P.]

It was nearly as nice as the piece of crap Mustang of the 80's..

[stripedelete]

The move  from "Stock Car" racing to common-aerodynamic-unidentifiable-egg-shape racing sure didn't help.   

[aussiemuscle]

in Australia there's still the rivalry ford vs chevy (holden) is still there (chrysler left in 1980), but they are both getting creamed by toyota, so now they're all out against the japanese manufacturer. They haven't got an alliance or anything, but they both seem to target their marketing as "better than toyota".