Back in September we reviewed the V6-powered Dodge Challenger SE, and our conclusion was that an uninspiring engine and benign handling was trumped by terrific curb appeal and an affordable price tag. The R/T model we reviewed yesterday fared even better, with a near perfect combination of brawn and beauty. It was fun spending time behind the wheel of both the SE and R/T models, but we knew we had to get our hands on a fire-breathing, 425-hp 6.1L HEMI V8 to see how capable the Challenger could be at full tilt. After all, there are few things in life better than classic muscle car looks combined with a brute-force V8. And if there are two available V8 engines, it just makes sense that we'd prefer the Challenger with the most powerful powerplant. Did Dodge hit the mark with its top Challenger? We welcomed the Challenger SRT8 into the Autoblog Garage to find out for ourselves.
For this year's SEMA show, the crew at Hotchkis will unveil a pair of modified Dodge Challengers highlighting its focus on classic muscle and its modern-day counterpart. The two matching Challengers – a 1970 T/A 340 Six-Pack and a 2009 SRT8 – will share yellow paint schemes, graphics and wheels, along with a host of parts that should make the T/A stick as well as – if not better – than the 2009 model. The 1970 Challenger, known as E-MAX, was originally converted to 340 Six-Pack trim by the previous owner, and now features new fabricated steel upper A-arms bolted into relocated pickup points, strut rods with Heim joints, aluminum steering rods and a set of front and rear sway bars, along with a new set of springs that lower the Granddaddy Challenger by two inches. In addition to replacing the aging front suspension, Hotchkis set out to create a well-rounded classic, equipping the T/A with Stoptech brakes, a Flowmaster exhaust and Forgeline wheels wrapped in Yokohama tires. Hotchkis likes to point out that all its suspension parts can be removed and replaced with the factory units, allowing owners to keep things traditional for shows and swapped out when the time comes to drive.
Not long after we learned that the famous Top Gear trio was in the U.S., a fan managed to snap some shots of Clarkson, Hammond and Mays testing their favorite examples of American muscle at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The hosts made their way to salt flats by way of Reno, Nevada where they had a few modifications done to each vehicle in the name of high speed safety, namely driveshaft loops and fire extinguishers. If you saw our previous post on the subject, you already know that Clarkson is driving a Corvette ZR1, Hamster a Challenger SRT8 and May the super-fast but still luxurious Cadillac CTS-V, a car that shares much of its supercharged V8 architecture with the new force-fed mill in the 'Vette. We can already surmise that the ZR1 easily took top honors at Bonneville thanks to its slippery shape and abundance of power. Now, which car wins the comparison test? We look forward to next season to find out.
Chrysler has released official details of its refreshed 2009 Dodge Charger, changes to which most notably include a new-generation HEMI V8 in the R/T model that produces 368 horsepower and 395 lb-ft torque, up from 340 hp and 390 lb-ft. Sounds like someone's going hunting for a G8 GT. The increase in power comes from a new variable valve timing system, and along with the continued use of MDS (multi-displacement system), the 5.7-liter V8 can achieve up to 24 mpg on the highway. The 6.1-liter HEMI V8 in the SRT8 and the 3.5-liter V6 in the SXT model remain unchanged, although the 2.7-liter V6 in the Charger SE drops from 190 to 178 horsepower. On the outside the Charger gets a new taillamp design and the antenna has now been moved to the rear window. The SE model benefits from the upgraded interior of the R/T including satin silver trim on the door, center console, cup holder, and shifter bezel. The SE model also receives a trunk cargo net and premium floor mats. Follow the jump for the official press release with full details on the 2009 Dodge Charger.
Hurst is no stranger to offering up special edition Mopars. The 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst packed a 440ci "TNT" V8 with 375 horsepower, as well as a fiberglass hood and trunk, Satin Tan leather interior, and a Spinnaker-White paint scheme with gold trim. Ok, that was nearly 40 years ago, but Hurst is still going strong and planning to renew its Mopar connection with a limited edition Dodge Challenger that will make its debut at SEMA this year. The Hurst Challenger will be available in four trim levels and include features like a supercharger system good for 500 horsepower, 5-spoke Hurst alloy wheels, and a "Pistol-Grip" Hurst shifter. Pricing will start at a $10,000 premium over the stock Challenger and could go as high as $20,000 for the top level model. Follow the jump for the press release from Hurst.
During the recent What's New event at Chrysler's Chelsea Proving Ground, we had the opportunity to sample the new Dodge Challenger SRT-8. For the 2008 model year, Chrysler is only building SRT-8 versions of the Challenger with a combination of the 6.1L HEMI V8 and a five-speed automatic transmission. We first saw the production version of the Challenger earlier this year at the Chicago Auto Show and while we thought the styling was great with perfect muscle car proportions, it is undoubtedly a big car. The Challenger is built on Chrysler's LX platform shared with the 300 and Charger. Compared to the Mustang it looks huge and it hardly seems like it would actually feel sporty.
Fortunately, the dynamic behavior of large cars has made huge strides since the original Challenger went away in the mid-seventies. We first tried out the Challenger on the road at Chelsea before taking it for a hot lap around the evaluation track. The circuit was built back in the early '90s when a certain gentleman named Lutz was still occupying an office on the top floor of Chrysler's headquarters. It's basically a lovely little natural terrain road course, not quite as elaborate as the new road course that Maximum Bob built at the GM Proving Ground, but it's a good way to get a dynamic feel for a car. After lunch we had another opportunity to thrash the Challenger on the autocross course that Chrysler set up on the vehicle dynamics pad. Find out how the Challenger did after the jump, along with some video of our time behind the wheel.
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For those of you desperately waiting for the next batch of Dodge Challenger SRT8s to be built after the announcement that the first 6,400 2008 models were already spoken for, fret not, supply is on your side. The Detroit News is reporting that while the majority of limited edition SRT8s were already sold before they were built, about one-quarter of the Challengers were set aside for dealer orders.
Several retailers across the U.S. have between two and twenty Challengers sitting on the lot, with one dealer advertising in Michigan's Macomb Daily that nine Brilliant Black, eight Hemi Orange and two Silver Metallic HEMI-powered coupes are available for the taking. Naturally, supply is dependent on where you live. One dealer in Naples, Florida sold out all eight Challengers in three days, while others have only sold only one out of their allotment. And just because you can find one, doesn't mean it will be selling for sticker. Markups are to be expected, with one dealer charging $45,145 – or about $7,000 – above the SRT8's MSRP.
Mopar can't let Speedfactory have all the fun supercharging the Dodge Challenger SRT-8, so when the SEMA show rolls around this November, the in-house tuners of all things pentastar will unveil a blown Challenger of their own.
The Mopar-modified SRT-8 will be fitted with all the show-going kit you'd expect at the world's largest aftermarket expo, including a cold-air intake, high-flow cat-back exhaust and a variety of wheel designs and sizes. The details of the blower are still unknown, but with Speedfactory boosting the 6.1-liter HEMI V8 from 425 to 630 hp with its Stage 2 mods, we'd suspect similar figures from the Mopar kit.
You'll find the full brochure for the 2009 Dodge Challenger, and yeah, there's some good stuff to be found in there. We're particularly fond of the R/T Classic package (above), which gets a coat of B5 Blue, 20" torq-thrust lookalikes, T/A-style stripes, and the old-school script Challenger badge on the front fender. Unfortunately, while Chrysler was cooking up the retro badging, they neglected to order up some nouveau Fratzogs to really finish off the look, so the Ram-head shield sits on the hood, instead. Too bad. As for the rest of the car? Badass. There are some pretty cool stripe and wheel options to be had regardless of trim level, plus what's sure to be a bevy of aftermarket parts from Mopar and other third parties. Finally, Chrysler's offering a factory R/T Track Pack that, in its most aggressive form, combines the 6-speed Tremec with 20" wheels and a 3.91 rear axle ratio. Bring money for tires. Ford is the king of leveraging its heritage to keep the Mustang interesting. Chrysler has a shot at doing the same thing here with the Challenger. From the looks of things, it's off to a good start. That R/T Classic? Yeah, we could roll like that.
Yesterday at Chrysler's annual media gathering to show off new products at the its proving grounds in Chelsea, MI, the struggling automaker wanted to demonstrate the performance capabilities of its SRT branded vehicles. SRT staff set up an autocross course on the vehicle dynamics pad and brought out examples of every SRT vehicle from the Caliber SRT-4 to the mighty Dodge Viper ACR. Before we were allowed to hop in the cars, we had listen to a short briefing that described the course and some safety rules. And before being allowed to climb into the big snake, we had to complete at least a couple of laps in one of the five Challenger SRT-8s to get familiarized with the course. For a big 4,140-lb coupe, the Challenger proved surprisingly nimble. We learned that with the electronic stability control enabled, it's almost impossible to get the back end to swing wide. The stability control has two alternative modes. The first is engaged by a momentary stab of ESP button and allows some extra slip before intervening, while pressing and holding the ESP button for five seconds completely disables the stability and traction control leaving only the ABS.
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