Leno, Jackson and stevelegel
06-13-2008, 03:39 PM
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Leno, Jackson and stevelegel
The Dodge Grab Life Tour was at Chrylser’s Sterling Heights Chrysler assembly plant, near Detroit. I posted the invitation card I received earlier this week. I attended the event this afternoon.
I drove a black 2008 SRT 8 Dodge Challenger.
I did not smoke the tires. We were limited to 7 mph on a short curvy course in the assembly plant parking lot.
My impression is favorable.
The Challenger is easy to slip in and out.
The seats are firm and you feel confident and well supported. You are not aware of the seat at all.
The steering wheel is manually adjustable
The dash looks better than I imagined. The gauge cluster, while the plastic surround is same as my 06 Charger, they are chrome rimmed, making them brighter, and the blue hue is reminiscent of the old electroilluminesence on the old 66 Chrysler and the same hue as on my 1970 Challenger.
The view over the hood, is expansive, but not as imposing as the 1970, and the RT style hood is less dramatic from inside...none of that is bad.
The car turns tight...real tight, responsiveness to turning with sharp close radius.
They set up some bumps to drive over. The car takes them, you feel them and then you are over them. No rock and roll, no waving up and down, no rolly polly, just over and done with no jaw jarring. You feel them and you know them.
The car feels HEAVY, although solid might be more descriptive.
I was allowed to gun the engine in park. On acceleration the engine burbles loud, and immediately returns to idle, even with my foot firmly planted against the floor. I did not understand this feature
The Brembo brakes are extremely sensitive and they will take getting used to. The shoulder strap will protect your front teeth from hitting the steering wheel, or your passenger from the dash.
They had other cool stuff, the Sprinter Basketball challenge. I drove all the other cars and Jeeps in the line up. Ironically, they did not have an Avenger there, and Avenger is the car they build at that plant. Behind us in the shipping yard was a parking lot full.
I looked at displays and was given T shirts. These shirts are packaged different from last summer’s Woodward Dream Cruise shirts. I took pictures of Challengers in the signage, and had my picture taken with a silver Challenger to be viewed on line. There was also a Challenger RT with 5.7 Hemi.
As I was leaving, I followed the driveway out. It follows along the fence for the assembly yard and a big rail transfer center. Too far a way to be sure or to get good photo, I think there were 2 transport trucks loaded with Challengers. I’ve tried zoom and edit, but he requirements to upload still leave grainy photo from far away...neverthe less, look at eh first black car from left, facing rear of car carrier. Me thinks the bright spot on rear fender is “Flip Top Fuel Door”...
Heh, heh, heh, Leno, Jackson and stevelegel
I drove a black 2008 SRT 8 Dodge Challenger.
I did not smoke the tires. We were limited to 7 mph on a short curvy course in the assembly plant parking lot.
My impression is favorable.
The Challenger is easy to slip in and out.
The seats are firm and you feel confident and well supported. You are not aware of the seat at all.
The steering wheel is manually adjustable
The dash looks better than I imagined. The gauge cluster, while the plastic surround is same as my 06 Charger, they are chrome rimmed, making them brighter, and the blue hue is reminiscent of the old electroilluminesence on the old 66 Chrysler and the same hue as on my 1970 Challenger.
The view over the hood, is expansive, but not as imposing as the 1970, and the RT style hood is less dramatic from inside...none of that is bad.
The car turns tight...real tight, responsiveness to turning with sharp close radius.
They set up some bumps to drive over. The car takes them, you feel them and then you are over them. No rock and roll, no waving up and down, no rolly polly, just over and done with no jaw jarring. You feel them and you know them.
The car feels HEAVY, although solid might be more descriptive.
I was allowed to gun the engine in park. On acceleration the engine burbles loud, and immediately returns to idle, even with my foot firmly planted against the floor. I did not understand this feature
The Brembo brakes are extremely sensitive and they will take getting used to. The shoulder strap will protect your front teeth from hitting the steering wheel, or your passenger from the dash.
They had other cool stuff, the Sprinter Basketball challenge. I drove all the other cars and Jeeps in the line up. Ironically, they did not have an Avenger there, and Avenger is the car they build at that plant. Behind us in the shipping yard was a parking lot full.
I looked at displays and was given T shirts. These shirts are packaged different from last summer’s Woodward Dream Cruise shirts. I took pictures of Challengers in the signage, and had my picture taken with a silver Challenger to be viewed on line. There was also a Challenger RT with 5.7 Hemi.
As I was leaving, I followed the driveway out. It follows along the fence for the assembly yard and a big rail transfer center. Too far a way to be sure or to get good photo, I think there were 2 transport trucks loaded with Challengers. I’ve tried zoom and edit, but he requirements to upload still leave grainy photo from far away...neverthe less, look at eh first black car from left, facing rear of car carrier. Me thinks the bright spot on rear fender is “Flip Top Fuel Door”...
Heh, heh, heh, Leno, Jackson and stevelegel
06-13-2008, 03:53 PM
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RE: Leno, Jackson and stevelegel
Thanks a lot for the info!! The pics are great and I am jealous that you were there and not me. Keep up the info if you have any new stuff.
Dave
Dave
06-13-2008, 04:59 PM
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RE: Leno, Jackson and stevelegel
If you need to post a higher res photo check out www.imageshack.us you can upload a picture up to 1.5megs there and post the link.