ORIGINAL: Yankee

Now that the R/Ts are getting road tested with the 6-speed... I gotta tell you all I'm more than a bit underwhelmed. 0-60 in 5.9 seconds, with the 1/4 in 14.1..? That's it?

Even the manual SRT8 disappoints, with the 5.5 0-60... come on!!!! A lowly 305 hp 1998 LS1 Z28 blows those figures out of the water. Now granted that car is a few hundred pounds lighter... but still, I'm very disappointed with the performance figures of the Challenger thus far, I don't mind saying.

If this is the best the Challenger can do, it'll surely be a laughing stock when the 422 hp LS3 Camaro SS comes out - GM is already projecting 0-60 in less than 4.9 seconds with the 1/4 in low 13s, and it'll get better MPG to boot (and probably be a helluva lot less expensive).

Now don't get me wrong, folks - I'm not about to jump on the GM bandwagon, and I still love the Challenger... but for all the time I've waited to get one, I just expected a whole lot better. I'm not looking for a car that will blow a new Camaro's doors off, but I don't want to get embarrassed by one either, which looks like a very distinct possibility if this is as good as it's gonna get.

I know, I know... "with a few mods you'll be able to do _____" yadda yadda yadda... I shouldn't HAVE to do any mods just to be able to keep up with a base Mustang GT, much less a new Camaro.

The car looks gorgeous and ultra-cool... but if that's all I have to look forward to, I just might change my mind... and I really don't want to. I'm hoping those road tests were unusually slow test mules.