AutoWeek May 8, 2008
That '70S show
Dodge's 2008 Challenger SRT8 is a fast blast back to the good old days
This story comes from the 05/05/08 issue of AutoWeek magazine. Reading the magazine is the only way to make sure you don't miss anything. If you aren't getting the magazine, you can sign up today for just 58 cents an issue. GET THE ONLY WEEKLY CAR MAG TODAY!
SPECS
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $40,095
DRIVETRAIN: 6.1-liter, 425-hp, 420-lb-ft V8; rwd, five-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 4140 lb
0 TO 60 MPH: 5.2 sec (est)
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA): 15 mpg
By PETE LYONS
If you missed the 1970-74 Challenger the first time around or you miss the one you had, this is a chance to feel reborn. The new retro car that Dodge calls a muscle coupe is resolutely reminiscent of the original--and we mean that both approvingly and otherwise.
In size, shape and style; in dynamics, handling and feel; in its suitability for both daily use and weekend adventure, the 425-hp 2008 Challenger SRT8 we recently drove on both road and racetrack seemed almost uncannily faithful to our admittedly aged memories of the good old days.
But also revived were memories of certain aspects of those days that we're glad have been left to history.
As described in "Muscle Machine" in AW's Feb. 11 issue (also at autoweek.com), the new Challenger is built on the Chrysler 300C/Dodge Charger platform with its all-independent suspension and Hemi V8. To accommodate the 2+2 body style, four inches are sacrificed from the wheelbase, which is now 116 inches, but the Challenger's axles are still nearly nine inches farther apart than on its retro fellow, the Ford Mustang. Twenty-inch wheels make this Dodge look smaller than it really is.
Curb weight as estimated by the manufacturer is also higher, at 4140 pounds, than the 3920 quoted by Ford for its roughly comparable Shelby GT500.
But in retro cars, specs mean less than sensations, and the SRT8s we drove in mid-April from the Los Angeles basin over the San Gabriel Mountains and around Willow Springs raceway were an interesting blend of past and present.
The experience begins with appearance. Stylist Jeff Gale, son of former Chrysler design boss Tom Gale, deftly captured the proportions and presence of the handsomely brutal '70 coupe in a rationally modern envelope. We noticed it catching a lot of eyes.
Inside, we found plenty of front-seat room and a more open feeling than we expected, given seemingly tall sides, tight cab and small-looking windows. But trying the rear made us regret those four lost inches, and back-seat passengers have no better view of the passing world than they do from the claustrophobic Charger.
On the other hand, the split/fold-down rear seatbacks open into a very generous trunk.
Interior appointments and trim are nicely coordinated, although there's an overall dark tone--even in the headliner--meant to evoke the "sinister" air of the historic car.
While we don't remember the old '70 caring much about us as drivers, the '08 wants you to think you're an ace. The seats are massively bolstered, and suedelike inserts grip your clothes in hard maneuvering. To the same end, there's a textured fabric on the door grip handles and the top segment of the steering wheel, while the rest of the rim is surfaced in smooth leather. That's nice, but sharp corners of the spoke trim proved a persistent irritation to our thumbs. Sounding the horn requires moving a hand to the center of the wheel--how retro is that?
Instruments live at the bottoms of deep sockets, which shade the white faces and their small numerals, making them hard to read at a glance. They can't be read at all from the passenger seat; given the strong performance, that may be good.
The ovoid side mirrors are another retro touch that doesn't work for us; we find them too far to the sides and too shrouded by their stylish bullet housings. There's a reason we