2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Ultimate Test

DESIGN
The 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is a modern interpretation of the iconic Mopar muscle car. In terms of styling, it is re-proportioned and re-engineered, but in terms of image and attitude, this retro muscle car is simply a re-issue. Welcome back to 1970 - twenty-first century re-mix style.

The retro muscle car trend began with the current generation Ford Mustang. And while GM will weigh-in soon with the new Camaro, Chrysler has beaten them to market with a worthy competitor to the Mustang with the Dodge Challenger SRT8.

While all three entries draw inspiration from their predessors, the Dodge is the most true to its past. Based on the 1970 E body Challenger, the new generation car has kept many of the styling cues that made the original such a cool car back in its day.

The long hood, short deck muscle car proportions are evident in the new Challenger. And when viewed in isolation, you'd swear the new car is nearly an exact copy of the 1970 version. It's only when you see the original next to the new that you realize how different they are. The new Challenger dwarfs the old car, being both taller and longer. But all the muscle car ingredients of the original 1970 Challenger are still there: mega horsepower, purity of form, aggressive full-width air intake and the signature thrust line that runs the length of the car and finishes with a kick over the rear wheel opening - accentuating the Hemi horsepower delivered through the rear wheels.

Redefining the original 1970 Challenger and retaining its feel and attitude while incorporating contemporary design elements had to be a difficult task for the design team. But lead designer Mike Castiglione did just that with the smash-hit 2006 Dodge Challenger Concept on which the production Challenger is based.

That concept car was a two-door hardtop - meaning it had no B-Pillar, but the production car necessitated the use of a B-Pillar due to cost and rigidity issues. Aesthetically, it's a minor issue. Of more importance was maintaining the characteristically wide front and rear graphics of the original. This was achieved brilliantly, with the wide, recessed opening in the front and the full-width recessed cove housing the taillights at the rear maintaining the aggressive look of the first Challenger.

The fuselage section of the original couldn't quite make the transition to modern-car aerodynamic needs, but other styling elements were re-interpreted in contemporary ways. The mirrors are throwbacks to the '70s, as are the front air damn and rear spoiler - inspired by the SCCA Trans-Am racing Challengers of the day. The gas cap makes the transition from old to new nearly un-touched. It even features the same font spelling out "FUEL" as did the original - only now the cap is made of plastic instead of metal.

Finally, while the greenhouse is longer to better accommodate rear seat passengers, the faster windshield and backlight - or rear window - as well as the narrower, flush-fitting side glass and the shorter front overhang help the new Dodge Challenger establish a modern interpretation of the classic muscle car aesthetics.

Chrysler has given us a car that evokes sweet memories of days long-gone-by. As with most warm reflections of the past, our memories usually recall only the good and rarely the bad. In this regard, the new Dodge Challenger SRT8 is indeed a true representation of those days as seen through our mind's eye. It captures all that was right with the original and remixes it with all that's good in a modern production car platform. And it's even got a Hemi.

INTERIOR & USER EXPERIENCE
The 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is a nostalgic nod to an icon of Mopar Muscle: the original 1970 Dodge Challenger. It revives all of the original muscle car ingredients in a modern package based on Chrysler's LX platform - on which the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Charger and Magnum are also based.

Those other LX platform-based products are LARGE cars - all of them with four doors and curb weights over 4000 lbs. The Challenger loses two doors of course, but unfortunately, not much of the weight.

Being based on Chrysler's LX platform does have its advantages. While it makes for a big footprint, it also provides the car with more interior space than its competitors. Even from the inside, the car feels massive, with an expansive dash and wide hood. On the flipside is a wide cabin with big, comfy seats, tons of headroom, and - surprise - a useable back seat.

Speaking of seats, the SRT's are not just big, they also have generous bolstering to keep you in place when you decide to play. There's so much side bolstering in fact, that it sometimes gets in the way of your arms as you turn the steering wheel. Once you've had a chance to adjust the tilting and telescoping wheel to prevent this however, you'll be good to go. It would be nice to see more of the seat's contrast stitching in the rest of the interior, as it adds some much-needed detail to the otherwise dark and simple interior.

While the SRT has a pretty plain interior, its seats and the alcantara fabric on the door panels do help to make it feel a little bit special. The fact is that most of your $40,000 goes toward performance, not luxury. So if you find yourself complaining about the interior more than praising the performance, maybe you should have bought a Camry.

So it may not be the most luxurious environment, but it fits the car's sporting personality. The SRT's build quality seems solid, not surprising considering that the other LX-based cars are also well built. There is the inevitable parts sharing going on here of course - most obviously the steering wheel and IP, or instrument panel. It's a bit of a shame as the Challenger Concept car, which previewed the production car, had a lovely 1970's-inspired steering wheel and a unique IP. But such are the realities of today's car building world. If you can't find parts to share, you may not get the car into production.

A few details that did make the transition from the original to the concept and finally to the production Challenger are the trapezoidal coves for the arm-rests on the door panels and the wide dashboard. And next year with the introduction of a six-speed manual transmission option, we'll get a pistol-grip shifter similar to the original 1970 Challenger's. I can't wait to try that one!

Now if we can only convince Chrysler to bring back some of the original Challenger's crazy colors like "Plum Crazy" or the toxic green "Sublime", we'll really be rollin' seventies style. I think I'd have to go with the orange called "Go-Mango!" Oh yeah, definitely!

PERFORMANCE
Most car freaks who can remember the late '60s and early '70s have this heroic vision of the era's muscle cars as ridiculously powerful and fast machines with performance today's cars could never match. Well, those cars were certainly fast and powerful - back in the day - but most, if not all of them wouldn't be able to hang with today's modern performance sedans, much less this new generation of retro muscle cars.

Street drag racing was popular in those days because the cars could only really go quickly in a straight line. But today's muscle cars know that for every straightaway, there are two corners. They not only go faster and more quickly down the quarter mile than their ancestors, but they can also stop and corner in ways that the originals could never dream of.

The word Hemi alone is enough to give you goose bumps if you know your muscle car history. And while Chrysler may have overused the word in recent years, it's still represents something special.

In the case of the Dodge Challenger SRT8, Hemi means BAD-ASS. The 6.1-liter Hemi V8 is the same engine we've seen in the other SRT8 products. It makes 425 hp and 420 lb ft of torque, but unfortunately, it still has to haul more than 4000 pounds.

You'd think that chopping off four inches of wheelbase and having two doors instead of four would have saved some weight, but somehow it hasn't. To its credit, the car still accelerates amazingly well - 0-60 in less than five seconds and the quarter in the low 13s - but there's no disguising all that mass. You can feel it the second you set off in this car, this thing is big!

As we mentioned, one thing that the original muscle cars couldn't do well was corner. Well, the new generation Challenger shuns its weight and corners very well. Credit the five-link independent rear suspension for some of that ability.

Fortunately, comfort hasn't been compromised in the name of handling. The Challenger SRT8 rides impressively well - especially considering it's on big 20-in. wheels. The car's steering may be overly light and less communicative than you'd like, but that's about the only negative on the handling front.

With a top speed of nearly 170 mph, the Challenger certainly has the get-up-and-go. And when you have to haul it all down, the Brembo brakes with their signature red calipers do a great job of slowing things down. Although after repeated use, the physics involved in slowing all that weight start to play into the equation as the pedal gets soft and the brakes start to fade.

One other source of frustration is the five-speed Auto Stick transmission. It shifts smoothly and quickly enough, but it has a mind of its own when in "Auto Stick" mode and will upshift even when you haven't requested an upshift.

That's frustrating on the race track, but to be fair, this car wasn't built to be a track car - unless of course we're talking about a straight, 1320 foot-long track. What this car is all about is power, image, and nostalgia. And that it delivers. It takes us back to a time when gasoline was cheap and plentiful, and horsepower was king. For those who can still afford to re-live those Mopar glory days, this is your ride.

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2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8

Performance
- Acceleration: 6.1 liter SRT motor never disappoints - great traction and acceleration, but not enough noise
- Handling: Given its weight, pretty impressive - other SRT8 models handle better though
- Braking: Effective retardation, but repeated hard use will see the pedal go soft and stopping distances grow

Design
- Exterior: Awesome modern interpretation of the original with great, authentic detailing - but it's massive...
- Interior: Chrysler had to save money somewhere - seats and alcantara trim help make it feel a bit special

Utility
- Comfort: Great big seats, tons of headroom, and a HUGE trunk - softer suspension setup than other SRT8 products results in comfortable ride
- Space: Massive exterior means massive interior (for a coupe) - usable back seat is unique in the retro-muscle car class

Safety
- Dynamics: It's over two tons, but it still has enough agility for accident avoidance maneuvers
- Technology: Airbags for both passengers as well as side curtain airbags - plus physics are on your side

Value
- Price: Right in line with other top-end retro muscle cars
- Mileage: Come on... it has a HEMI! (so not great)

Emotional Appeal
- Heart thumpin' factor: If you used to dream about the original, this one will have your heart at the limiter
- Fun to spank: Reluctant AutoStick aside, it's a kick-ass ride that invites you to drive like a rebellious teenager

SPECIFICATIONS

Layout: Front engine / Rear wheel drive
Engine: 6.1 liter, OHV V8
Power (SAE): 425 hp @ 6200 rpm
Torque: 420 lbs-ft @ 4800 rpm
Redline: 6250 rpm
Gearbox: 5 speed automatic
Curb Weight: 4180 lbs.
0-60 mph: 4.7 sec.
1/4 mile: 13.3 sec.
Top Speed: 170 mph
Mileage: 13 city / 18 highway
Base Price: $40,158
Competitors: Ford Mustang GT500, Chevrolet Camaro, 1970 Dodge Challenger?