SRT Division shutdown?

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greymouser7

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Stellantis axed the SRT engineer team, but performance isn't going away


Stellantis axed the SRT engineer team, but performance isn't going away
Stellantis has broken up the Street & Racing Technology (SRT) engineering team that created over a dozen high-performance vehicles, including the Dodge Charger Hellcat, but the situation isn't as dire as it sounds. The newly-formed company assigned SRT's former engineers to different positions, where they'll continue to make hot rods.

"All of the core elements of the SRT performance engineering team have been integrated into our company's global engineering organization," a spokeswoman told enthusiast website Mopar Insiders. She added that integrating SRT's personnel into other brands in the Stellantis portfolio will ensure that the lessons learned from decades of peddling speed will permeate other products. Previously, SRT operated with a high degree of independence.

 
Don't get too excited. Her statement does not necessarily mean that Citroën will begin building cars powered by the Hellcat engine, though a C3 Chat D'enfer sounds absolutely epic. Technology transfer will likely be limited to fields like aerodynamics and thermal management, and the design department might learn a couple of neat new tricks.



Dodge will still move forward with the development of its next SRT-branded cars; the decision to dissolve the SRT team will not affect future models, according to the spokeswoman. Whether they'll be powered by a V8 is up in the air, because company boss Tim Kuniskis warned that regulations are killing the eight-cylinder engine. Similarly, Jeep will continue designing high-performance models, like the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. What changes is that the model will be developed and designed by a group of engineers and designers from Jeep, not from SRT.

SRT is dead, but performance isn't going away. SRT's demise nonetheless marks the end of an era for Chrysler. The division traces its roots to 1989, when some of the company's brightest minds were brought together to develop the first-generation Dodge Viper. It merged with Team Prowler to form the Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE) group, which was renamed Performance Vehicle Operations (PVO) in 2002 and finally dubbed SRT in 2004.

SRT has operated as the carmaker's in-house tuner since, its resume includes a diverse selection of cars ranging from the Neon SRT-4 to the 1500 TRX, and it was promoted to a standalone brand led by designer Ralph Gilles in 2011. Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) axed the SRT brand in 2014 but kept the name and the development team.
 
Say Goodbye To The SRT Performance Division

FEB 14, 2021 BY JAY TRAUGOTT INDUSTRY NEWS / 32 COMMENTS
Though it's not completely gone.

Things are moving fast at the newly created Stellantis. Now the world's fourth-largest automaker, Stellantishas a total of 14 brands, plus Mopar. Well, possibly make that 13. It appears the Street & Racing Technology division (SRT) is being dropped, though it won't be completely gone. Mopar Insiders reports SRT is in the process of being disbanded and because it didn't have any unique models or separate dealerships, it shouldn't take long to do so. There had been some rumors over the past few weeks regarding SRT's future, and a Stellantis spokesperson has all but admitted the division is undergoing changes.

"All of the core elements of the SRT performance engineering team have been integrated into our company's global engineering organization," they said. Fortunately, this is not a complete dissolution of the performance group.
 
Dang, I hope ole Butch won't lose his job.

He was president of the Tidewater Mopar Club when I lived in Virginia Beach. His job title at the Dodge dealership was "SRT Manager ". I **** you not. He's a good dude so I'm sure they will keep him around.
 
This is step one to remove performance vehicles. A friend bought a Puegout in the 80's and it was the worse car he had ever owned. So France and Quality cars are never said in the same sentence.
 
Nothing lasts forever, not even jobs, as we all know.
 
they will be building nice quiet electric cars next / that drive themselves / then build new coal powered electric plants to power them all
 
Chrysler stopped existing when Daimler injected themselves.
 
Breaking up the SRT kills the ideas that develop from a team dynamic. Taking a championship team and dispersing them among other teams in the league does not lift the entire league’s talent or competitiveness. It eliminates a winning team.
 
Breaking up the SRT kills the ideas that develop from a team dynamic. Taking a championship team and dispersing them among other teams in the league does not lift the entire league’s talent or competitiveness. It eliminates a winning team.

Typical liberal mindset. No one can excel above another. Everybody gets a trophy.
 
I often wonder... looking back, seems like my favorite car designs were mid 60s through early 70s. For me, Mopar 68-70 b-bodies, 67-73 a-bodies, and the e-bodies. Chevy had Camaro, Nova, and Chevelle. Ford had Mustang, Fairlane, and Galaxy. And when I saw any of these, I instantly knew what it was. They had personality. Do kids growing up now think about anything like I or we did?
I like the new Challenger ok. My first car in 1971 was a 68 Charger R/T so I am partial to that body style, and while the latest Chargers look good to me, I would struggle to want one because it's a 4 door. I like the first retro Camaro body style, but after those were updated, I didn't like them as much. The Mustangs have gotten better looking to me, but they're everywhere.
Now I would prefer the looks of retro cars instead of 600+ horsepower cars. And why not use the Plymouth name? Road Runner, GTX, Cuda, and Duster? And use the very identifiable body lines and roof lines. I loved them.
Just my .02
 
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Breaking up the SRT kills the ideas that develop from a team dynamic. Taking a championship team and dispersing them among other teams in the league does not lift the entire league’s talent or competitiveness. It eliminates a winning team.
Caution, Keep Back: Bean counters at work
 
I often wonder... looking back, seems like my favorite car designs were mid 60s through early 70s. For me, Mopar 68-70 b-bodies, 67-73 a-bodies, and the e-bodies. Chevy had Camaro, Nova, and Chevelle. Ford had Mustang, Fairlane, and Galaxy. And when I saw any of these, I instantly knew what it was. They had personality. Do kids growing up now think about anything like I or we did?
I like the new Challenger ok. My first car in 1971 was a 68 Charger R/T so I am partial to that body style, and while the latest Chargers look good to me, I would struggle to want one because it's a 4 door. I like the first retro Camaro body style, but after those were updated, I didn't like them as much. The Mustangs have gotten better looking to me, but they're everywhere.
Now I would prefer the looks of retro cars instead of 600+ horsepower cars. And why not use the Plymouth name? Road Runner, GTX, Cuda, and Duster? And use the very identifiable body lines and roof lines. I loved them.
Just my .02
Most want a car that needs zero maintenance, and looks good to impress their friends.

Now days many struggle put the correct fuel in their vehicles, drive without phones, live with their parents (? Parents insurance???), do not negotiate at the dealer, often drive with several wrecks in their experience, have been known to sleep while their Tesla drives them on the highway, never consider checking: (oil, tire air, coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid levels-EVER!), they don’t know how many gears their transmission has, or know how many cylinders their engine has, or liter displacement, whether or not they can tow with an I4, or 3 liter V6, which vehicles consumer reports and others say steer clear from, know what a near flat tire looks like...

I hate to say it, but they are like domesticated livestock, and we are more of the past as a bucking, hell raising, thinking animal in comparison.

Even the testosterone filled youth often start with a 4 cylinder or 6 cylinder vehicle.
An engine with a sharp spike at the end of the Dyno graph RPM range where for 300 RPM’s they have 600 horsepower!...

The moment they experience torque, they mustang or Hell-Cat their way into a crowd or obstacle.

When was the last time you saw a guy drive on two side wheels?

A young person that could punch it and lift the front end of their car? AND keep it straight, safe?

Every time some young family member asks me something vehicular related, I realize they are at square one. ‘A car has 4 wheels and takes me places.’

Maybe motorcycle people besides us classic car guys are the last to enjoy the drive, BECAUSE of the car!
 
OK, I must disagree with a couple of things. First, young people know when they get a flat tire because a red light flashes on the dash to tell them so. The response to this is to ignore it or put a piece of tape over it. Problem solved. Comparing us to a bucking, hell raising animal- well I consider that high praise, and am damn proud of it.
 
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