***Testdrove (+ Photoshoot) a 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT-8!!!***

[cawimmer430]

HOLY CRAP! WHAT A FRIGGIN AWESOME DAY! 

This high-end car import business asked me to do a shoot with two exotics. American exotics. The cars? A 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS tuned by famous Opel tuner Irmscher and a 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT-8. This is a paid job.

I was completely blown away when the owner of the business asked me if I had a drivers license and if I wanted to drive the Challenger SRT-8 to the location. Holy crap!!! Am I dreaming? No, this is as real as it gets.

Wow. I get into the car after loading my equipment into the trunk. The first thing I looked for was the ignition port for the key. The car didn't have one. Then I saw the Start/Stop button. I assumed the system worked the same way like in my BMW 118i - foot on the brake, then press the button. Yep. The car come to life with a nice growl. That V8 is to die for.

Then I noticed that the car had a mere 2 km on the odometer! This thing was BRAND NEW! I'm driving a brand new 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT-8 - and I am just the photographer!!!

God damn I love my life! 














I gave the owner of the dealership the address and directions to our shooting location and I followed him. He drove ahead in the Camaro SS and I followed. Since this was a new car and I was graciously allowed to drive it, I took it easy on the car. I drove the car in cruising mode but I did press the accelerator in a sporty fashion at times just to hear and feel that V8. The engine sound was incredible.

People stopped and stared and looked at these two American bad boys driving through Munich making fun of all those pathetic 0.7-hp 0.2-l 2-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines to our left and right and behind us. In traffic I was next to a MINI Cooper S Convertible with these two hot blondes in it. I felt like someone with this car. I was driving a Dodge Challenger SRT-8 and not some run-of-the-mill puny BMW 1-Series! Yeah, look at my dick, girls! 

The cool thing was that we met a lot of other exotics on the road - and the drivers of these cars, real enthusiasts who don't listen to that Consumer Reports bullshit, gave us the thumbs up and we returned the favor. Yep, we were overtaken by a 1960s Chevrolet Corvette Stingray or Sting Ray and a 1960s Mustang convertible with four people in it. A 200X Ford Thunderbird and a 1960s Ferrari 330 GT () and an NSU Ro-80 were also sighted. A modern Ford Mustang driver even allowed us to pass him and merge unto a road - respect amongst drivers of exotic cars. 

Here comes the bad part. Munich traffic at this time of the day (14:00) is a bitch. And the Challenger SRT-8 had a few liters of "showroom gasoline" in its tank. The "Warning Low Fuel" light blinked on while we were in the middle of stop-and-go traffic. Oh shit. I'm in a big, overweight muscle car with a gas-guzzling 6.1-l 431-hp V8 stuck in stop-and-go traffic with practically no fuel in the tank. Shit. Who you gonna call? Not the Ghostbusters! I phoned the owner and told him of my problem. Luckily there was a gas station a few km's up ahead and we pulled in and dumped 15 liters of precious super plus into the Challenger SRT-8.

I barely made it into the gas station!



At this gas station we washed the cars before the shoot.



Driving this car through Munich was fun and also a little scary. Fun because the car was fun and people stared at you and your ride. Scary because this thing was so huge and difficult to maneuver in a European city environment. The allround view from within the Challenger was also pretty poor, especially when backing up against a wall or in tight areas.

I was a little disappointed with the handling and steering and brake feedback. They can all be best described as "mushy" and "vague" or "soft". The car felt like a straight line performer to me. Look, if I owned this car I could care less about handling since I would drive it like a cruiser. This is a car I would want to own for the sole reason that it looks cool, makes me look cool and magically increases my dick size (which in turn means more p*ssy). <-----  j/k

Anyway, I shot both the Camaro and Challenger for about two hours. On the way back to the dealership the owner encouraged me to drive the car a bit harder and "have some fun".

So I did.

We both did.

He led, I followed. At stop lights he'd do burnouts and slam the pedal to the metal. Man, you should have seen how people reacted. They stared, pointed, smiled and gave us the thumbs up. Hell, even a cop car was next to us at one point and both cops gave me the thumbs up. I thought they were going to arrest me since I have pretty boyish looks and look much younger than my 29 years. Nah, they liked my Challenger. 

So I gunned the Challenger SRT-8 a few times and I gotta say, I loved the acceleration and the engine sound. Very nice. Fluid acceleration, growly badass V8 engine sound. Despite the vague steering, mushy brakes and almost floaty suspension, this car was FUN. FUN. FUN. Just driving it, either normally or with a bit of sport was simply fun.


Oh, and some Camaro SS burnout shots! He also spun the car in circles using only the rear wheels. This guy was insane. 










^This is the reason why every car on the road should be RWD! I want to do the same shit in my 0.1-l 2-cylinder diesel Fiat Punto!!! Man, in fact they should have a FWD/AWD car tax where owners of such cars get the shit taxed out of them and owners of RWD cars don't have to pay shit!^ 

Anyway, my next shoot with this client will probably with the new Dodge Durango and a Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi "Laramie". Maybe I'll get to drive those to? 


VIDEO WALKAROUND + MY SEXY VOICE EXPLAINING STUFF: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbvxMcIcMKI

VIDEO DRIVING 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Toq-JydWiZc

VIDEO DRIVING 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfAApaD2G18



I'm still working on the other photos.


Things I Liked

ENGINE
The 6.1-l V8 engine with 431-horsepower sounds good and is responsive. Sure has an appetite for fuel though!

DESIGN
The styling of this car kicks ass. I love the original Challenger and this thing is a great retro-design and looks simply awesome. Beautiful car. The color was great to. I used to think I wanted my Challenger in orange - oh no, this green is my new love. What a sexy beast.

INTERIOR
I know this car gets a lot of heat for having a "cheap interior" but I thought the interior was DECENT. The design was rather boring and didn't really fit the character of the car IMO, but overall it was a decent interior and I found the workmanship to be good and good enough. This is a performance car after all where people want to have fun or cruise around. The interior quality is frankly not that important IMO.

TRANSMISSION
Correct me if I am wrong but this car uses the old Mercedes 5-speed automatic I believe. It's still a great transmission. Smooth shifts, always in the right gear and great harmony with the V8 engine up front.

THE PRICE
This beauty is yours for a mere 44,000 Euros! THAT'S CHEAP! But on the other hand the fuel and engine tax costs here (plus insurance costs) are going to kill you.


Things I Disliked

LIFELESS STEERING FEEDBACK
Wow, this was disappointing. I guess this car is still a classic muscle car and straight-line performer at heart. Our MB E350 CGI has a more direct steering feel.

MUSHY BRAKES
The brakes also offered zero feedback. They were powerful and had good stopping power, but feedback was terrible. You pressed on the brakes and you felt the car slowing down, but you didn't feel anything if you know what I mean.

1973 CHRYSLER NEW YORKER SUSPENSION - LITERALLY
This was perhaps the biggest letdown. Even in Munich traffic, at 40-50 km/h around a corner this thing felt like it would tip over.

SIZE
This car might be considered "small" in America, but here in Europe it's huge. The first few kilometers I really had to get used to driving this Panzer through tight Munich streets and traffic. It wasn't easy. Our roads here are narrow. Even a little BMW 1-Series is "to big" for our narrow roads - now imagine this aircraft carrier! Holy shit!



So there you have it. My quick review of a really cool car. God bless America! 



PS: I want a Dodge Challenger SRT-8 in this green!!!

PPS: Next week I'm doing a shoot between a BMW Isetta and a Messerschmitt Kabinenroller for a classic car magazine!

PPPS: And I also want a 1974 Dodge Monaco!!! 

LIFE IS GOOD! 

[CJ]

They are absolutely not considered small here, in my opinion.  It's still a huge car.  Glad you finally got to drive something from our neck of the woods!  NOW you see why we like these kinds of cars. 

[Tave]

Yeah, no one in the US thinks that's a small car.

[Galaxy]

Being in Munich, would the high end import company be Geiger?


Btw, what's which the two front plates on the Challenger? Does it still have the seperate AU, HU inspection stickers?


http://www.geigercars.de/

[68_427]

Wimmer, your Challenger actually had a 6.4L V8 with 470hp.

[SVT666]

The suspension on the 392 is supposed to be pretty tight, so I'm confused.

[GoCougs]

The suspension on the 392 is supposed to be pretty tight, so I'm confused.

He drove it. You did not.

[GoCougs]

Fantastic car(s). What an opportunity there Wimmer. The new SRT-8 Challenger is a stunner.

It's a bit sad to hear that these cars are such oddities there in Munchen (and presumably Europe). They are relatively commonplace here.

[ifcar]

The suspension on the 392 is supposed to be pretty tight, so I'm confused.

He daily-drives a subcompact BMW. I imagine he's used to a slightly different standard than even the tightest full-size American car.

[Laconian]

Yeah, no one in the US thinks that's a small car.

+1

It's a boat. Nobody thinks of it as small or featherweight.

[68_427]

It's the length of full size sedans.  It's a very big car.

[SVT666]

He drove it. You did not.

No shit douchebag.  But I have driven a Charger R/T and found the suspension to be very tight and the steering to be very good.

[cawimmer430]

They are absolutely not considered small here, in my opinion.  It's still a huge car.  Glad you finally got to drive something from our neck of the woods!  NOW you see why we like these kinds of cars. 

I also drove a Dodge Caliber 5-speed TDI with a Volkswagen engine and "liked it". It's a decent car for the price. Roomy, comfortable and with the TDI a fuel efficient and powerful engine. I don't really get why people hate the Caliber so much.

Or maybe the TDI Caliber is the "best of the bunch". 

[cawimmer430]

Being in Munich, would the high end import company be Geiger?

Nope.

This is a different business. I did ask them if they imported Ford F-650s and they said the only business that does is Geiger Cars - but nobody wants to buy one. 

Btw, what's which the two front plates on the Challenger? Does it still have the seperate AU, HU inspection stickers?

The plate stuck to the front with tape was the "rote Nummer". 

The other plate had the name of the Autohaus on it. And both were removed for the shooting. 

[cawimmer430]

Wimmer, your Challenger actually had a 6.4L V8 with 470hp.

Oh sweet! 

I never actually got to do a kickdown on it, but I was able to rapidly press the pedal down and experience that power surge. When I did a google search for "Dodge Challenger SRT-8" the results I got were "6.1-l V8 and 431-hp". Weird.

[cawimmer430]

The suspension on the 392 is supposed to be pretty tight, so I'm confused.

I was expecting it to be a little "sportier".

I know this is a stupid comparison but compared to the suspension of my BMW 118i, this thing felt like a land yacht from the '70s. On the straights the suspension was rigid and fine and even comfortable. But when I turned the steering wheel left and right the body roll was pretty high - which has to do with the suspension.

Perhaps the suspension was "tuned" for Europe - and not in a good way? Mercedes-Benz does this for example with their cars heading towards the US. The Benzes sold here have a sportier suspension setup than the ones destined for America which are 'softened up' a bit for more comfort and less sport because the target markets expects this. This is particularly true for sedans (C, E, CLS, S, GLK, ML, GL, G and possibly the CL as well), but not so much for their roadsters. I'm pretty sure that most people buying an imported American muscle car here in Europe aren't really racetrack enthusiasts but want something different, good-looking, fun and foreign (that's what the owner of this Autohaus told me).

[CALL_911]

No shit douchebag.  But I have driven a Charger R/T and found the suspension to be very tight and the steering to be very good.

His standard of comparison is also a BMW 1-series.

[cawimmer430]

Fantastic car(s). What an opportunity there Wimmer. The new SRT-8 Challenger is a stunner.

Thanks. I loved this car. If I had the money, parking space and a lifelong supply of money I'd definitely want one of these in my garage. I'd probably go to that same dealership and buy the same car I've driven today because of the connection I felt with it. Stunning car and that green color is just so....man I want it. 

It's a bit sad to hear that these cars are such oddities there in Munchen (and presumably Europe). They are relatively commonplace here.

They're niche cars that don't appeal to everyone. I think most people who buy them here do so because of the styling and because they're unique and uncommon. In a city like Munich, full of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, BMW M, Mercedes AMG, various Porsches, Aston Martins etc., you do stand out with a Camaro or Challenger. 

[cawimmer430]

His standard of comparison is also a BMW 1-series.

"BMW - Standard of the World"

                                          -Car and Driver

[Laconian]

Thanks. I loved this car. If I had the money, parking space and a lifelong supply of money I'd definitely want one of these in my garage. I'd probably go to that same dealership and buy the same car I've driven today because of the connection I felt with it. Stunning car and that green color is just so....man I want it. 

I felt that way about the looks of the rental Challenger I had in Florida, even though it was a crummy V6 in a metallic brown color that I didn't care for. They hit the ball out of the park with the styling.

The mechanicals, though... EH.

[Cookie Monster]

IMO the new Dodges are styled fantastically (Durango, Charger, Challenger).

[cawimmer430]

I felt that way about the looks of the rental Challenger I had in Florida, even though it was a crummy V6 in a metallic brown color that I didn't care for. They hit the ball out of the park with the styling.

I think the V6 might be the motor I would get if I had the choice. I just really care about the design and cruising around in such a good-looking car. I wouldn't mind the base V8 though for sound purposes though.

This car is really hot. I loved it from the moment I first saw it in the showroom! 




Did you say one can rent these in America? I don't think you can even rent a lowly Porsche Boxster at a rental car agency here. The only "sporty" cars one can rent are base-model BMW Z4s and Mercedes SLKs... 

The mechanicals, though... EH.

Uh oh, what does Consumer Reports say about them? 

[CALL_911]

I felt that way about the looks of the rental Challenger I had in Florida, even though it was a crummy V6 in a metallic brown color that I didn't care for. They hit the ball out of the park with the styling.

The mechanicals, though... EH.

I think the V6 looks extremely cheap. The rest look decent.

Out of the pony cars, I think the Camaro looks the best, but I'd take the Mustang home. I don't much care for the Challenger.

That said, nice pictures, Wimmer.

[cawimmer430]

That said, nice pictures, Wimmer.

Thanks. I am still working on the true photoshoot pictures. Gimme a week! 

[ifcar]

Did you say one can rent these in America? I don't think you can even rent a lowly Porsche Boxster at a rental car agency here. The only "sporty" cars one can rent are base-model BMW Z4s and Mercedes SLKs... 

A base rental-spec Challenger stickers at $25,000, less than a comparable Taurus. (Though about as sporty, too.)

[MrH]

He daily-drives a subcompact BMW. I imagine he's used to a slightly different standard than even the tightest full-size American car.

This is very true.  I got a ride with Mr. Wimmer when we were in Munich and he took a few of us around to some cool car spots.  I remember him distinctly saying, "look, I fit just fine in this 1-series, I don't know why you guys need such big cars."  In case you guys didn't know, Wimmer is probably 6'4".  He didn't look comfortable to me at all.   I'm 6'2", and even find the 1-series pretty tight.  European perceptions of what's considered a tight fight are COMPLETELY different than American standards.  It's pretty interesting to see how distinctively different the two markets are.

Wimmer, awesome photo shoot!  Even better you got paid for it.  Challengers are giant cars, but overall, pretty cool.  I was hoping they'd let you do donuts in it too.  I think you should come to the US if you ever get a chance.  I think you'd be shocked at the differences between the two countries.

[Laconian]

This is very true.  I got a ride with Mr. Wimmer when we were in Munich and he took a few of us around to some cool car spots.  I remember him distinctly saying, "look, I fit just fine in this 1-series, I don't know why you guys need such big cars."  In case you guys didn't know, Wimmer is probably 6'4".  He didn't look comfortable to me at all.   I'm 6'2", and even find the 1-series pretty tight.  European perceptions of what's considered a tight fight are COMPLETELY different than American standards.  It's pretty interesting to see how distinctively different the two markets are.

Germans are into bondage?

[Galaxy]

Did you say one can rent these in America? I don't think you can even rent a lowly Porsche Boxster at a rental car agency here. The only "sporty" cars one can rent are base-model BMW Z4s and Mercedes SLKs... 

Of the major companies Sixt has a nice collection. Including a 911, and Boxster.

[Mustangfan2003]

Dude you really don't sound German, you speak better English than J?rgen Klinsmann

[SVT666]

Maybe now Wimmer will stop making fun of us for wanting 37825723843726789523 hp muscle cars.