Dodge Challenger Forums - Challenger SRT Review

Today's issue of Colorado Daily had this review of a 2009 Challenger SRT:

"New York does not seem like the kind of place where one would want to experience the 2009 Dodge Challenger. When you ring out a historically branded muscle car, you want open highways, no cops, and plenty of room to rev. Lower Manhattan doesn't seem quite right. Or, maybe it does.

Our drive began at Statue of Liberty State Park in New Jersey, which provided the perfect backdrop of one American icon against another. It was there that we had time to look at the car's modern-retro body. Calling the Challenger retro is not quite fair. It definitely echoes the original 1970 model, now nearly 40 years old if you can rationalize that, but is completely contemporary.

Front and rear overhangs are shortened to better highlight 17-20" wheels.

Quad headlamps on either side of a chrome collar grille design were lifted from the original, but squashed to make one's first view terrifying. A kick-up in the beltline right after the doors is a definite nod to the Challenger's ancestors. R/T and V6 models break wind with a full-width splitter while SRT models have holes to allow air through for brake cooling. A rear spoiler - body color on R/T, black on SRT - keeps the car planted to the ground at high speed.

That won't be a problem as we roll out of the park towards the New Jersey freeways. It's late enough in the morning that we won't face the worst traffic, but that makes signs no less confusing. My driving partner and I roll off the wrong exit, which only serves to test the car's suspension. A Mercedes E-Class-derived four-wheel independent suspension system is beyond anything ever installed in a muscle car. It rides heavy and stable on the highway, athletic in corners, and solidly planted no matter how rough the pavement. On rough New Jersey on-ramps, the Challenger served notice that a new level of sophistication has arrived in its class.

Accelerating onto the fast-paced freeway proved to be no problem. Base models come with a 3.5-litre V6 engine that delivers 250 horsepower and 250 lb.-ft. of torque, put to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. Step up to the R/T package for a 5.7-litre HEMI V8 that produces a ground shaking 376 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque, linked to either a Mercedes-designed five-speed automatic or Tremec six-speed manual transmission. SRT8s pound the stratosphere with a 6.1-litre V8, churning out 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, put down through a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. Any way you option a Challenger, power will not be an issue.

Many people only think of New Jersey as a dirty suburb of New York City.

Only a few miles outside of NY, New Jersey is beautiful in its rolling greenness. Our route takes through almost 100 miles of two-lane New Jersey blacktop, along farms and through quaint towns. That gave time to appreciate comfort and style within the Challenger. Given a relatively large cabin for a sporty coupe, Challenger provides comfort with large and comfortable seats (leather and heat optional), a thick four-spoke steering wheel, white-faced analog gauges, huge cupholders, optional in-dash navigation, Sirius Satellite Radio, and MyGig music hard drive. SRTs grip with thick side bolsters. For the most fun, select a manual transmission with pistol grip shifter. A push button starter highlights the car's powerful intentions. Unlike many sports cars, you can drive the Challenger every day, and could drive from NY-LA in total bliss.

Any way you measure it, the Challenger is a big and heavy car - essentially a two-door version of the full-size Dodge Charger. At a road coarse, we had a chance to see the car at speed. It corners well, accelerates like a champ, and can romp through curves that would send classic muscle cars into the weeds. The chassis and transmissions are superb, although the automatic sometimes finds its own time.

Our course back to the hotel took us near the World Trade Center site - at 5:00pm. I thought these people were out of their collective minds. On top of that, I was in the SRT8 with a six-speed manual trans. Fortunately, the clutch was relatively light and crept through rush hour traffic easily.

People stopping to take photos of us with their cameras were the biggest impediment to progress.

Dodge taking a bunch of journalists to New York to drive an ultra-powerful muscle car seemed nuts. But, it turned out to be the perfect place to discover all the car offers. It was undeniably created in the spirit of the original, but with technology and refinement that rivals European sport sedans. Get ready for the new Challenger. All models will be widely available this fall. Competitors include the Ford Mustang and 2010 Chevy Camaro."

http://www.coloradodaily.com/news/20...nges-new-york/