Challenger to Debut February 15, 2008

[SVT666]

Dodge Challenger to debut in 12 months:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2007/02/15/production-dodge-challenger-to-debut-in-12-months/

[Payman]

Awesome. I'm going to take a serious look at this car when it comes out.

[TheIntrepid]

I want one. Today my dad and I were at the Chrysler dealer getting my Intrepid's coolant leak fixed, and we saw a black/black 300C SRT-8 with a sticker in the window that said $61,295. I wanted it.

[VetteZ06]

Cool.

[giant_mtb]

So soon?! 

[Payman]

I want one. Today my dad and I were at the Chrysler dealer getting my Intrepid's coolant leak fixed, and we saw a black/black 300C SRT-8 with a sticker in the window that said $61,295. I wanted it.

I ain't buying my Challenger at that dealership!

[TheIntrepid]

Team Chrysler in Mississauga/Etobicoke.

[Payman]

So soon?!?

I think most of us were anticipating FALL 2008. This is good news.

[TheIntrepid]

And I think Giant_MTB was being sarcastic.

[LonghornTX]

I sure hope they trim some fat off that chassis  .

[SVT666]

I sure hope they trim some fat off that chassis? .

Yeah.  I don't like how heavy it is either.  That might be enough to stop me from ever buying one...unless they come out with a 500+ hp version.  Then I can forget about the extra weight.

[Raza]

Challenger?  I heard that this was going to come out Spring 2045, so this is rather early.

[Raghavan]

When does the Camaro come out? This is awesome.

[Vinsanity]

any news of a convertible?

[Nethead]

Yeah.? I don't like how heavy it is either.? That might be enough to stop me from ever buying one...unless they come out with a 500+ hp version.? Then I can forget about the extra weight.

Well, how heavy is it?

[SVT666]

Well, how heavy is it?

I've heard the pre-production car weighed 4200 lbs.

[The Pirate]

That car looks awesome, I'll definitely try to test drive one.  I'd still probably opt for an S197 though.

[Nethead]

I've heard the pre-production car weighed 4200 lbs.

Isn't 4200 lbs what a four-door Charger automatic weighs?

[Raza]

Isn't 4200 lbs what a four-door Charger automatic weighs?

No. 


The heaviest Charger tips the scales at 4160. 

Why this would be heavier, I don't know.

[TBR]

Because it was a concept with parts designed for looks, not for the real world.

[Raza]

Because it was a concept with parts designed for looks, not for the real world.

I meant the production version.

[TBR]

For some reason I thought he said the concept was the one that weighed 4200 lbs. Even so, the preproduction model isn't a finalized version plus there is no telling how many people the numbers went through before him. It should be under 4000 lbs I think.

[Raza]

For some reason I thought he said the concept was the one that weighed 4200 lbs. Even so, the preproduction model isn't a finalized version plus there is no telling how many people the numbers went through before him. It should be under 4000 lbs I think.

He did.  What I meant was "I see no reason for the production version to weigh that much".

[SVT666]

If it weighs around the same as the GT500 it damned well better come with at least 500 hp, otherwise the GT500 will hand it a beating.

[93JC]

But the Challenger doesn't have an antiquated solid rear axle, therefore it's eleventy billion times better than the Rustang GT350.

[Nethead]

But the Challenger doesn't have an antiquated solid rear axle, therefore it's eleventy billion times better than the Rustang GT350.

93JC:
Last year when Road & Track did a 3-way comparo of a SRT8 Charger, a GTO, and a Shelby GT500, the SRT8 Charger weighed in at 4,266 pounds.? The GTO out accelerated the SRT8 Charger, since it was a few pounds short of 500 pounds lighter; but the Charger--a four-door automatic--outhandled and outbraked the GTO significantly.? The GT500 outhandled and outbraked them both substantially and outaccelerated both of them mightily--by the time the GTO reached 100 MPH, the GT500 was ahead of the GTO by the length of a football field...Not bad for an antiquated solid rear axle...

But the icing on the cake is the Grand American Road Racing Association championship won by a 2005 Mustang FR500C--running against IRS-equipped BMWs, Porsche 996s/997s/Targas/Carreras, 350Zs, and even Cadillac CTS-Vs (which were so outclassed by anything and everything that the CTS-Vs were withdrawn before the season ended).? The Mustangs had already been penalized for speed by intake and exhaust restrictions, rear-end ratio restrictions, and had to carry so many lead plates bolted to the passenger-side floorboard that they were the heaviest cars on the track.? But they were still the champions, and absolutely dominated the events in which it rained.? All in all, a damned fine performance for a solid rear axle.?

If you still need convincin', tool over to that Saleen Parnelli Jones Edition Mustang thread and check out the lap time of the Saleen PJ around the tight Streets of Willow racetrack--and then check out the the lap time of that Porsche 911 around the Streets.? Or even that Kawasaki 650 motorcyle's lap time around the Streets.?

You and I don't own cars that'll lap the Streets of Willow that fast--IRS or no IRS...

[Raza]

Nethead, do you have a link to that?  I've driven the GTO on several occasions as well as a regular Mustang GT (never a Charger) and I find it incredibly hard to believe that the SRT-8 could handle better.  Perhaps more grip, but not better handling.

[Nethead]

Nethead, do you have a link to that?? I've driven the GTO on several occasions as well as a regular Mustang GT (never a Charger) and I find it incredibly hard to believe that the SRT-8 could handle better.? Perhaps more grip, but not better handling.

Raza: Buddy, the Nethead here can do better than that:? It was the July, 2006 issue of Motor Trend.? The article is entitled "Thunder Road" and it is on pages 48--57.? The Shelby GT500 and the GTO are six-speed-manual two-door coupes, the SRT8 Charger is an automatic-transmissioned four-door hardtop (the only way the SRT8 Charger can be configured, unfortunately).

The? 3990 lbs. Shelby GT500 took 4.5 secs to get from 0-60, the 4266 lbs. Charger SRT8 took 5.0 secs, and the? 3777 lbs. GTO took 4.7 secs.

The GT500 took 9.6 secs to get from 0-100, the SRT8 took 11.9 secs. and the GTO took 11.7 secs.

The GT500 took 12.7 secs to get from a standing start to the quarter mile (@116.0 MPH), the SRT8 took 13.5 secs (@106.3 MPH), and the GTO took 13.3 secs (@105.9 MPH).

In the slalom, the GT500 averaged 69.7 MPH, the SRT8 averaged 65.2 MPH, and the GTO averaged 62.4 MPH.

In the figure-eight, the GT500 took 24.5 secs at 0.77 G, the SRT8 took 26.3 secs at 0.68 G, and the GTO to 26.8 secs at 0.66 G.

And in the 60--0 braking test, the GT500 stopped in 110 ft, the SRT8 stopped in 124 ft, and the GTO stopped in 138 ft.

The Nethead here does not know if the article was ever online at www.motortrend.com.  If it was, it may be archived by now.

[Raghavan]

I still like it, but it's still too heavy. It shouldn't be more than 3500, preferred 3200.

[93JC]

93JC:
Last year when Road & Track did a 3-way comparo of a SRT8 Charger, a GTO, and a Shelby GT500, the SRT8 Charger weighed in at 4,266 po...

You do realize I was being facetious, right?