You'd think that Texas in December would be a better place to stage the very first drive of the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 than in Chrysler's home state of Michigan, right?

Yeah, we thought so, too.

But when we arrived at Texas Motorsport Ranch near Fort Worth, the track was shiny wet and the humidity was so high that fish could breathe it. Worse, the low cloud cover suggested the situation wasn't going to improve.

Perfect conditions for the 425-horsepower 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, you think?

Slick Handling
It lends another dimension of meaning to this car's name when you find yourself attempting to pilot a 425-hp, rear-drive coupe around a wet track you've only seen before in a video. Adding to the drama is the fact that TMR's full-length 3.1-mile track links new pavement with a well-polished racing surface that when wet has a coefficient of friction somewhere between that of frog slime and raw egg whites.

"Don't even think about switching off the ESP," advises Challenger Chief Engineer Herb Helbig as we change into our racing gear and helmet. Hey, we don't even know where the stability control switch is, and there certainly isn't time to look around much when you're desperately trying to remember where you should swap from a traditional racing line on the grippy new surface to a wet-style driving line for the slick stuff.

Besides, with 420 pound-feet of torque available from the 6.1-liter Hemi V8 that powers this 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, the ESP proved invaluable. Even squeezing the throttle as gently as possible off the turns would snap the Challenger's tail out before the electronic gremlins could chop the power delivery and start applying the brakes. But since the new pavement section turned out to be in pretty good shape, this bold new coupe could strut its stuff to much better effect on that half of the circuit.

Good Power, Needs More Transmission
Once there was some traction available, you could appreciate the V8's broad plateau of torque, the immediate and emphatic throttle response and the swelling rumble of an engine breathing through big-bore plumbing. Where there's grip, the Challenger lunges off the corners and swallows the straights, its sustained thrust complemented by long riffs of resonant mechanical music.

We would brake as delicately into corners as we could on the glistening surface, forced to use the same polished line on corner entry as everyone that had ever lapped the track, and then we'd tap the shifter for a downshift when it seemed safe to do so. Unfortunately we were rewarded by the scraping sound of rear wheels rotating a lot slower on the pavement than the fronts as the tranny dropped a lower ratio on them.

In dry conditions, there'd be no problem, but we'd still like to hear a throttle blip at every manually triggered downshift, both to quicken the shift itself and also to keep the rear wheels from dragging. It's not nice when the rear tires try to lead (rather than follow) you through a corner.

Shared Systems
Based as it is on the LX platform of the Dodge Charger, the Challenger's dynamic performance isn't altogether unexpected. As in the high-powered SRT8 version of the Charger, the Challenger benefits from the big Hemi, the W5A580 five-speed automatic transmission with AutoStick manual override and the same suspension system. So it's a good and strong package, and we expect acceleration times similar to the Charger SRT8.

Think zero to 60 mph in the low 5-second range and a standing quarter in the mid-13s. A better measure of performance, according to chief engineer Helbig, is the 0-100-0-mph test, in which he predicts the Challenger SRT8 will run high 16s. Not bad for a 4,200-pound car.

While the suspension bushings are essentially carried over from the Charger, the specific tuning of the Challenger's chassis is softer. This is partly to accommodate the Challenger's 112-inch wheelbase, whi

 

Good article. I keep seeing the quarter mile times listed as sub -14 or in this one 13.5. Somebody must be taking it easy then. These are numbers the 5.7 R/T should(will) run. I have already seen 2 SRT-8 Chargers run just under 13 sec at the local tracks. These were cars that had nothing done to them either and were automatics. Best was a 12.96@108. The Challenger is about 200lbs or so lighter. An automatic SRT-8 Challenger should be right there if not a little quicker. The manual trans version should be down around 12.60 - 12.70 @110 with a good driver and launch.

 

Some Pics:

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I really enjoyed that article, especially about the performance and the aerodynamic impovements.

Awesome!

 

Looks like the Charger guys got their hands deep into this one. Well, I've got to consider a backup.

 

Well, I've been to that track and lived about 5 miles from the track as well.. but if this article was written in January then I'm really suprised about the humidity comment. Its not that bad in Jan.[&:]

 

Great review and only makes my mouth drop further towards the floor!

 

Looks like edmunds is even suggetsing a manual tranny, are you listening yet dodge?

 

They were here and i missed it. know several people who work at that track. maybe they will test out at Eagles Canyon Raceway or Texas Raceway or Texas Motor Speedway where i work on an ambulance or i will wait and run my 09 along with with my wifes 01 Neon R/T

 

Motor Trend has a great quote at the end of its road test:

"If the genre has a future, it may or may not be powered by big-cube, torque-laden, gas-sucking V-8s. Let's smoke 'em while we've got 'em." [sm=gears.gif]