The July isssue of Motor trend is out and the bottom line says Mustang in second place. [/quote]It's one of the closest comparo calls we've made of late, but the nod goes to the all-new Challenger from Dodge. The Shelby GT500 remains a fast and compelling piece, but the Challenger is simply a better-sorted automobile, a 20th-century icon reborn with 21st-century sophistication and poise. It's also a remarkable value, its base price undercutting the Shelby's by more than $4000 and the gap with options even wider.

Kudos, Dodge, but remember: Don't spare the sizzle for 2009. Retro Round Two, Challenger versus Camaro, will be here before you can say "time warp."

1st Place
Dodge Challenger SRT8
Broad-shouldered good looks, thundering Hemi power, and savvy chassis tuning land Dodge's new old-school muscle machine out front.

2nd Place
Ford Shelby GT500
Still an eye-catcher, and sensationally fast, but archaic chassis and whiney motor weaken its bid for numero uno."[/quote]