New Dodge Challenger

[Athlon64~SPARTA~]

 

 

LOS ANGELES — Decades before paddle shifters and traction control, muscle cars like the 1970 Dodge Challenger brought raw V8 power to the masses. After selling over 83,000 Challengers in the first year alone, Dodge knew it had struck muscle-car gold. And like that—poof—it disappeared. Thirty-eight years later, in spite of pricey fuel and economic uncertainty, Dodge is at it again. We’d already driven a covered version of the 2008 Challenger on a rainy test track before its official unveil in February, but now it’s time for the real rubber roastin’ to begin. —Basem Wasef

 

The Specs

The nouveau Challenger strikes a faultless visual balance between nostalgia and clean modernity. It hits all the right notes, from its set-in headlamps and grille to its metal fuel door and flat-black spoiler lip. In person, the Challenger is imposing, making modern Mustangs look slight by comparison. Coupes just don’t have brawny dimensions like this anymore—but they should.

 

Unfortunately, the concept car’s retro-cool interior was ditched at the 11th hour, but what remains is a spacious cocoon that’s typical Dodge: stark, no-nonsense, functional. The seats are nicely bolstered with ultra-suede inserts and offer an excellent combination of support and comfort. The trapezoidal door panel shapes hint at Mopars of yore. The only available options on the $37,995 Challenger SRT8 are a MyGIG multimedia system with navigation, a power sunroof and sticky Goodyear F1 Supercar tires.

 

The Drive

Press the red Start button to fire up the 6.1-liter, 425-hp V8, and you’ll hear an exhaust note that’s not nearly as imposing as the Challenger’s gruff exterior. Throughout our day piloting a Hemi Orange SRT8 around Southern California, we were on alert for auditory evidence of the beast under the hood. But that exhaust is surprisingly mellow. A bass-inflected song becomes more evident above 4000 rpm, and microseconds between shifts were greeted with a short bark. For the most part, however, this V8 is surprisingly discreet—nothing a cat-back exhaust system can’t fix.

 

The V8 does its duty with a pancake-flat powerband, pulling steadily to its 6400-rpm redline. Smoky burnouts come easily, as long as the driver’s footwork is quick—an electronic throttle-control system is designed to cut the gas when both pedals are pressed simultaneously for more than two seconds.

 

On the serpentine roads that cut through the Angeles Crest Forest, the Challenger maintained a level of composure that suggested the stiff chassis and Bilstein coil-overs were well-sorted. Make no mistake: The Challenger weighs in at 4140 pounds, so it’s not exactly a Boxster in the canyons. But the Challenger exhibits unperturbed grip on wide, high-speed sweepers.

 

 

Later that day, we tackled Willow Springs Raceway, and the Challenger rose to the occasion again. It’s still a bulky car with a bit of uncertainty at turn-in and more steering boost than we’d like, but when shifted manually with the Autostick feature, it offers a satisfying combination of grip and power. A degree of dialed-in understeer prevents the Challenger from getting too twitchy, but heavy throttle on stretches like Turn 3—an uphill left-hander—will gently break the fat rear Goodyear F1s loose. Huge 14.2-in. front and 13.8-in. rear slotted Brembo brakes work better than they ought to on a 2-ton-plus ride like this. We found ourselves braking later and later on the track, and were never without enough stopping power. A new knock-back mitigation system resets the calipers when lateral acceleration exceeds 0.6 g’s, improving pedal feel and brake response.

 

This Hemi is most definitely not shy or watered down. But what surprised us the most about the Challenger SRT8 was its civility. Power is abundant, but never to the point that we couldn’t rein her in. Our two-hour highway drive home from Willow Springs was quiet and smooth—characteristics more akin to a grand touring car than a muscle car. The only things we miss are a more vocal exhaust note and a manual gearbox, the latter of which will be available in the fall of 2009.

 

The Bottom Line

After flogging the 2008 SRT8 on the track and driving home in insulated comfort, we can safely say that the Challenger ain’t what it used to be—it’s a whole lot better.

Edited May 8, 2008 by Athlon64~SPARTA~

[Zeno~SPARTA~]

I am a big fan of american metal and hope the resurgence doesnt falter as a result of gas prices.

[Xross]

"....an exhaust note that?s not nearly as imposing as the Challenger?s gruff exterior."

 

 

Damn shame to pay good money for an exhaust system that needs to be tanked.... ;)

 

 

Agreed Zeno....... talk about your niche marketing....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Athlon64~SPARTA~]

Well I gess if you can afford the car your not worried about the price of gas. But I myself am a GM fan. I like the new Camaro better

Edited May 8, 2008 by Athlon64~SPARTA~

[Xross]

That's kinda what I was thinking..

 

I LOVE those 70's muscle cars....they were everywhere when I was coming up.

 

Gas crunch is prolly a bogus market pressure scheme anyway by the uber greedy.....don't get me started.

 

They certainly captured the look didn't they?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Athlon64~SPARTA~]

Love them, I grew up turning wreches on them. All my older brothers had them, 68 GTX 440 magnuim- 68 hemi cuda- 68 grand pix sj 389 duel 4 bbls- 71 corvette LT1. 71 Mach 1 429 cobrajet. Man those were the days! I got a orginal LT 1 0010 long block in the garage. Going to rebuild it one day.

Edited May 8, 2008 by Athlon64~SPARTA~

[Sopris_EBDA]

stupid thing is the challenger's 0-60 time is 5.2 seconds, my acura with 253hp does it in 5.5, and the challenger has 200 more hp. sad

[Zeno~SPARTA~]

One of each please

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Shelby for a week, I loved the noise it made.

 

 

[Zeno~SPARTA~]

Well I gess if you can afford the car your not worried about the price of gas.

 

I wouldnt want to argue the point too much, but the people who can afford these dont care about the price of gas, almost everyone else does. Also It's bean counters who decide whether a car is made and if they determine the car wont sell well in an environment of continually increasing gas prices the car will be shelved, but I could be wrong, lol. It is my fervent hope that this is not the case.

 

 

[Athlon64~SPARTA~]

Well the jap cars are small, light, and it takes less horespower to move them. That acura probley weaghs 2500 maybe 3200 lbs and the Challanger weaghs in at 4000 or so. But its the mussel car thing, and the bringing back some of the really great cars from long ago. As the jap cars don't have a good linage. Sorry I can't seem to find a pic of a 1969 honda civic.

Edited May 9, 2008 by Athlon64~SPARTA~

[Zeno~SPARTA~]

I am a fan of cars from all nations and it would be a mistake to believe the japanese dont make muscle cars

 

The Nissan Skyline GTR34 its turbo charged 6 has been tuned to 1,000 bhp but can easliy do 400 without other mods and 600 with some brake and suspension mods

 

 

 

 

The Honda NSX a beautifully balanced car tuned by Ayrton Senna, OK it may not be a muscle car but it is a super car.

 

 

 

 

 

The Toyota Supra

 

 

 

The Twin Turbocharged mazda RX7 FD

 

 

 

The New Nissan GTR

 

480 bhp

190mph

0-60 3.2secs

 

 

[Zathrus~SPARTA~]

hehe ;)

That Challenger and Comaro are rebirths of two legends during the late 60's and early 70's

They were not built for 0-60 times. They were built for 1/4 mile times.

That would be the speed/time @ .40 kilometers I think.

Many could achieve 1/4 mile in less than 13.5 seconds... on bias ply tires.. no radials.

 

One other little interesting fact is almost all of them produced alot more HP than advertised.

The insurance companies refused to insure cars that had more than aprox. 400 HP. To solve that problem for their customers, many of those cars had "official HP" that was only 60 to 70% of the actual numbers.

 

Hey Zeno, have you called that rental company to see if they are going to have that Challenger and Comaro?

[Zathrus~SPARTA~]

Oh. I almost forgot my fun days.

 

I had a 1970 plymouth Satelitte that was a disguise... (it was really a 440 GTX) they all used the same body that year. I just love a sleeper.. "all go & no show" is my preference.

That car got really scary at about 140 mph as the front end would lift up near the top of the shock stroke. I only had to do that once...

 

My cousin had a 1970 SS monte Carlo 454 ("official HP" was 396 at the rear wheel)

It was a sleeper straight from the factory as GM only put an SS emblem on the lower rocker panel below the doors. It was really hard to see even in day light.

I refused to ride with him in it as he was absolutely crazy :blink: . He liked to bury the speedometer... which was 5 tics past 160 mph

[Athlon64~SPARTA~]

Well they do now, But in the hayday of the mussle car 1969-1970, They were building these monsters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we were scared

Edited May 9, 2008 by Athlon64~SPARTA~

[NoScream~SPARTA~]

My favorite Muscle cars

 

 

Chevy curves can be tricky to clean....

 

Nice to see some pink ;)

 

ferrari

 

Great body work

 

 

 

 

corvette front wing, good lines

 

twin headlights, always an option

 

What do you think about bonnet bulges ?

[Athlon64~SPARTA~]

Thats my speed!

[Sopris_EBDA]

nice viiper

[Athlon64~SPARTA~]

But all differences aside all cars are fun, and a great hobbie. And hold alot of value and enjoyment for all to work on, drive , and collect. The ultra in speed and horsepower. 8000 and beyond! Turn the volume up WOW!

 

 

 

And these are bad to the bone!

Edited May 9, 2008 by Athlon64~SPARTA~