Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

As we get closer to 2008, rumors are flying. :D

Look at the following rumors that have been posted on the chargerforums web site:

Rumor #1: Several hundred 3.5 & 4.0 (with MDS) Challengers have already been paid for by some dealers and will be the first to ship out. There is also a 5.7 and 6.1 SRT.

Rumor #2: Only SRT Challengers will be built in 2008.

Rumor #3: There will be 1,500 SRTs.

Rumor #4: There will be 5,000 SRTs.

Rumor #5: The 2008 SRT 6.1 Challengers will have only 3 options: navigation, stripes, and a sunroof.

Rumor #6: There will be five speed manual and automatics (no six speed). A 6-speed manual may be an option but a 5 speed manual will be produced.

Rumor#7: The 2009 SRT will have a 6.4.

Some of these rumors sound plausible, but which one can you believe??

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

NONE. Don't believe any. The real truth, will be the day Dodge announces it officially.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

I totally agree. Just a lot of speculation going on.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

only srt this first year would be real bad,,, cuz id like the rt cuz the srt will be too much for me

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

whats difference in SRT and RT do they both have hemi motors?

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Different sized engines as in the Charger RT is the 5.7 litre. and the SRT is the 6.1 or is it 6.4 now? Anyways that is part of the difference. The SRT also as better suspension I believe.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Here are the rumours I have heard:

1. They have decided to scrap the LY platform and go with the Caravan platform to be able to fit at least 4 kids and a dog in the car.

2. There will be a hatchback option.

3. The engines will be tuned to be smooth and quiet with special attention on gas mileage.

4. The entry level engine will be a 1.6 litre peppy 127 HP engine for "spirited driving".

5. The MSRP on the base model will be under $20,000.

6. 0 to 60 time for the base model, on a downhill course, with a strong tail wind will be better than the base Honda Civic.

7. There will be a built in coffee maker in the dash as a special option.

8. The only color available will be hot pink.

9. There will be a limited edition Shelby version.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

I think Allpar confirmed number nine

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Someone on challengerforums posted this "guaranteed" information:

Initial launch includes the V-6. It will be priced below the comparably powered Mustang.

One other engine available at launch: 6.1L Hemi with 435HP (not a typo - that's a 10HP rating jump over the current SRT-8).

Price of the 6.1L Hemi will be under the price of a convertible Mustang GT.

The "Big Engine" will be "available in '09."

Confirmed colors at launch are:

B-5 Blue
Hemi Orange
Sublime Green

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

It actually would sound feasible, if only not for the the 6.1 price.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

More rumors...as posted by someone on challengertalk.com:

"I wasn't told anything on pricing, other than it would be "very competitive" with the Mustang & Camaro. Also, my source said the 4.0L V6 would not be part of the initial vehicle launch, but would be available soon after. I was also told that the annual production would be "up to 100,000" units."

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

A supplier on challengertalk.com has raved about the interior of the new Challenger. He said "You guys should SEE the dash, the dash upgrade options and the interior colors and seat options." Sounds exciting! :)

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Stop teasing us already & let loose your source. I have information from my brother in law's cousin's next door neighbor's father in law but I just am not sure I trust the info.

[8D]

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Here is the latest.
As I said in previous post, Twinsburg Stamping Plant (TSP) is slated to stamp many of the major components for the Challenger, including the hood and the trunk lid.

We still have no dies for the challenger in here yet at TSP. They have not even been sent out to be cast yet. Before the dies can be cast, the final approved challenger built from temporary tooling must be sent out for digitizing...this also has not been done yet. This is not good for those of us dying to get this awesome car! Simply put...no dies...no car!

DCX and TSP are in the process of launching the newly designed minivan...which takes utmost priority!

Ad to this new owners sometime in September?, and you have to wonder if DCX has intentions on spending thier money on a new vehicle that they will never get paid for.

The new owners have stated they intend to follow the current restructuring plan...but they were not specific on new model launches.

I'm an employee and waiting to buy one too!

If they do not move soon, 2008 may simply be a pipe dream!

I hope the new owners recognize what we already know...this car is badass and is going to sell!

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

I understand your concerns, hpjunky, but my "guarantee" is the Countdown Clock. It's still on their site.

Wouldn't it be a World Class PR blunder to post a Countdown Clock and miss the launch?

Surely they wouldn't let that happen. Maybe they move a little slower than we'd all like and produce fewer than they planned in the first year, but I'm confident a production model will be ready in February '08.

Am I being naive?

Heat

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

"Initial launch includes the V-6. It will be priced below the comparably powered Mustang"

No way in hell to both parts. Although I'd like to believe that.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

This is why I stay away from these discussions. All that happens is a bunch of myths emerge. We will know when it is released and that is that. The Challenger is going to be made and that is final. Just read the press section.

https://dodgechallenger.com/forums/m..._/tm.htm#13769

Remember that another forum is not an official source; therefore, don't treat one like an official source. It's called a "rumor" for a reason instead of a fact. Just be patient.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

I keep hearing rumors of low production high price. Of course i put no faith in those rumors.

As long as they keep it at or under Mustang pricing, I'll sign and drive, guaranteed.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

:D:D:D

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Hey whiteheat and all, I don't intend to be negative...just thought those on this site would appreciate fact from an employee, not rumor. As a die maker at TSP, I can't always estimate when a new vehicle will be launched...but I can tell you when it wont.

As I said earlier...no dies...no car. It really is that simple. There are no dies here. There are no dies cast. They haven't even digitized the final buy off! Once the dies get here, they will need finish work done then productionized. It simply takes time. They also have to submit cars for crash test of of actual production tooling to pass hiway safety regulations.

They still have time for an 08 launch...just really late in the year. Maybee August or so. I can assure you a cow will jump over the moon before you see a Challenger on the lot in February!!!

Sorry!

As I said, I want one badddddddddd too !!!

I too am tired of waiting!

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

hpjunky, I generally lurk, but I have to tell ya thank you for putting some logic and reality into it all. I have been reading everything I can get my eyes on. There really isn't much out there. But the people who know the most are under strict orders not to say anything, or, they simply really do not know. In either case we all have to sit on our hands and wait.

Personally, I hope Chrysler does it right - for the sake of their enthusiasts.

What I wrestle with most is whether to buy a low production number first year run Challenger R/T or to wait for the subsequent year when we will know more about the car and what we are buying. What if there isn't an SRT8 the first year, what if the Challenger R/T is a special run like the AAR 'Cuda? Too many questions. As a desirous fool, this is the biggest and hardest decision for me. For my 73 Cuda, I obviously waited, but this time??? I gotta tell ya, I am flumuxed and the delays are not helping my blood pressure. And, with the delays there is just way too much speculation flying around and quite frankly, (and unrealistically) I wish it would stop. We are just feeding the marketing engine of Chrysler, and like dolts, we are increasing the markup of the car that hasn't even been produced.

-Phil

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

I appreciate the inside info, hpjunky. I understand what you're saying, and it is a little disappointing that they appear to be behind schedule.

I'm still confident that they will have a production-model Challenger to show in February, but I never believed they'd be unveiled at the show weekend and available on the showroom floor that Monday morning.

Maybe they're planning to show the prototypes at the show. The ones we've seen spy photos of today. That would allow them to show the "real" car as opposed to the "concept" that has been at the shows for two years by then. The one they unveil may be the actual final design without being an actual production model. Does that make sense?

I thought the general public would be able to buy one maybe by April or so. You're saying August if we're lucky. That is disappointing. My question then is, why call it an '08 at all? I understand the half-year launches like the original '64 1/2 Mustangs. But if it's August or later why not call it an '09?

I don't see your posts as negative, I see them as informative. I have no inside information of my own and I welcome anything you can tell us from your perspective.

The idea of a delay doesn't bother me personally like it does many on this board, since I won't be financially ready to purchase 'til '09 anyway. I've been frequenting this board for months now primarily to see the first spy photos when they appeared. Now that I've seen them, I'm suprised at my mixed emotions. I want one worse than I thought I did!

Heat

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

WhiteHeat....the Challenger passion is inside of you. Ride that Challenger passion.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Being a former Dana/Mack Truck employee I can tell you final decisions and changes coming from engineering often are last minute and then the rush to to the production areas is like a mad dash to the finish line. I have seen it for over 20 years. It is never a smooth go, never. No matter how well planned something is there is always glitches in the system. It's just the way it is. Why? Hell if I know.

Meetings, constant changes, decisions that were made and then changed is a way of life in the processes. Before anything flies blue prints have to be finalized. Once they are finalized there are revisions. Then there are revisions to the revisions. I can tell you revisions can take a long time to be corrected. I have seen simple revisions take months to be corrected in print. As far off as this car was planned changes will be made until that car hits the production lines.

Assemblers build to what is called build sheets. These build sheets detail every part and the area of the car those parts go on. These parts are shown on the blue prints. Many times assemblers find errors between the two. Most of the time hold ups are in the Engineering aspects of the build.

I would bet final decisions will be last minute. I have seen it all too often. I can believe stampings and such are not forthcoming because final engineering decisions have not been made. You have to experience this to understand how the system works. An easy fix is often difficult to correct. So I would expect helter skelter on this car until the car is ready for assembly, even as the cars are being built they will be correcting glitches.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Some people have kidded me about this about but this is one of the reasons I prefer a 2nd year model. I do not like engineering flaws and glitches running around in a Challenger. :D

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Just saw this posted on another site from someone who appears to be "well-connected":

"Just received word that the SRT team will be updating the 6.1L SRT8 engine with MDS!! This is a feature that seemed like it would not make it to the SRT engines due to some technical stumbling blocks, but it looks like that has been overcome. I am not sure if the 6.1 MDS will make it to some of the 2008 models or if it will be held off until model year 2009. There is some indication that it is coming sooner than later...

In other engine news, there will be another new 6.1 variant that from what I saw is spec'd for the Challenger only. Neither MDS nor VCT was listed so I am not sure exactly what this is..."

It was also reported that the horsepower of the 6.1 will be increase from 425 to 435 hp, probably due to exhaust changes.

If this is correct, we may be able to avoid the $2,100 gas guzzler tax on this engine and the Challenger may become more affordable. I wonder if this means that the 2009 Challenger RT will be a 6.1 MDS and the SRT a 6.4 Hemi? :)

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

I guess they will have to reset the count down clock due to day light savings time and then new installation of batteries... before you know it... it will be august. But i personally would want to wait for a well engineered automobile than one that was "rushed" to production. There are many new concept cars out there that when built will be close to $100K. I am willing to wait a few months for my challenger.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

I have heard a strong rumor that Chrysler is still testing the MDS system for the 6.1 engine. It will not appear in it until 2010.

For anyone looking to save money and avoid the dreaded $2,100 gas guzzler tax in 2008 or 2009, this is bad news. :(

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

If the car looks just like those spy pics,
and they keep the grill and tail just like the
concept, along with the interior ribbed seats and dash...
I will say...AMAZING!
Finally! What the heck have you guys been doing all these years?!
One manual 6.1L in B-5 blue, please!

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

This may be true, but I doubt if our posts will have that much effect. You have to remember that Chrysler intends to mass market this car. Everyone who posts on this web site is a rabid Challenger fan- however, we are the minority when it comes to the general buying public.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Agree!!
Two absolutely essential ingredients for this to be a success...that concept car, at a competitive price (right out the gate).

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

This information was posted by an insider on another website:

"Inside info, cars are lugging around approximately 500lbs of testing equipment, are all steel (except fascias of coarse) Hoods are some sort of composite, autos AND MANUALS are in the house (manuals are pistol grips), cars apparently move and sound stellar. There are many cars at this testing facility but they are nowhere near production cars yet, the first batch of "show cars" (that will be at Chicago, etc) have not been built yet." ;)

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

5.7 gen2 /6.1 gen2

4.0 phoenix ho

6.4 v1

6.9

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

I don't see the concept car on the Dodge website anymore. You can go to the old links, but you can't go to the car from their current home page.
http://www.dodge.com
Hope they're not planning too many more modifications.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Try here:

http://www.dodge.com/en/challenger/index.html

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

On another site, a poster stated that he received a brochure in the mail from Chrysler stating that the Challenger is not being released until 2009. If this is true, I think that it means the Challenger will be released in late spring 2008 as a 2009 model.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

I think I received the same brochure he did. It was a new model year introduction for Chrysler and Dodge sent to me by the dealership where I bought my Dakota. It was all about the new models, but it did have one mention of the Challenger.

You've seen the new commercials that feature a timeline showing many Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep firsts, right? Well the brochure had a timeline in the margin showing historical events in the Dodge/Chrysler history and into the future. On that timeline was the Challenger shown under the date 2009.

I wondered as well if that meant they were going to label the car a 2009 after all. But on the glass-half-full side I thought it was another indication that the Challenger will be the Dodge showcase car of the future. They wouldn't do anything to cancel that car, or diminish it's appeal, right? :)

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Hey guys,
I personaly viewed paperwork from the new product developement team reflecting the 1st wave of challengers are due in show rooms in April 2008.

The team also said previous meetings indicated a limited run of 3000 units to be distributed thruout the dealerships and ordering can begin for the 2009 model year. This part was verbal...I did not see any paperwork reflecting actual units planned.

The inner plant rumor was that these initial 3000 units would only be available in hemi orange with the 6.4 motor! This is complete rumor and the new product developement team would not discuss motor options with me!

This launch date is only tentative, and of course is subject to delays. It also was from Daimler...who knows if Cerebus plans to continue with the previous owners time line.

As I have stated before, we still have no dies at Twinsburg yet. This continues to be a very aggresive launch date per my 17 years of experience!

Cross your fingers.

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Not to burst your bubble white, but I am all but positive that the countdown is to the date and time in February at the Chicago auto show that the production model Challenger will be revealed. The date matches up perfectly with when the "general public" part of the show starts.
Not to mention the fact that logistically speaking releasing a sports car onto the mrket in February doesn't seem to make much sense.

**EDIT WOW, I was SOOOO late to the party, sorry white!!!!!

RE: Rumors- Who to Believe?
 

Will the 2008 Challenger be shorter than the concept car?

Check ou these photos:

http://www.newhemitech.com/showthrea...pid=785#pid785