After my previous remarks about coupling the 4.7 liter V8 to a 6-speed manual transmission, I'm actually doubtful that DCX will couple a 6.1 liter Hemi to a 6-speed manual and let the public drive it. The Viper is the only car they offer with a big engine and a manual transmission.

The current Chargers and Magnums don't even offer a manual transmission with any engine except the Magnum with a V6.

I think they look at this this way: "Imagine the carnage if someone's foot slipped off the clutch while gunning a Hemi." That's a decent concern. I mean, if you can afford the $90,000 Viper price tag, you can likely afford to pay to fix your damage; but with a $35,000 price tag, the Challenger is offering everyone the chance wreak carnage.

So, I wouldn't be suprised if we're denied a manual transmission in the production car.

 

one of the biggest gripes with the charger is not that it is a sedan, but that it is ATX only. i am pretty sure, from having worked at dodge, that none of the LXs are available with a manual.

dodge knows that if they make this car, it has to be a manual....and if they have gone through the trouble to make this "modified viper spec 6 speed", theyre going to use it in something....theyre goal is to compete with the GTO and stang, and they know that most of them are sold with a manual...so, we can only hope that they ignore driver errors, and take into FULL consideration market trends, finally.

 

Yeah, without the manual tranny they will lose too many sales to the competition. And you know Chevy will put a manual in the Camaro.

 

If I may. For sure a major concern is insurance. Rates for this light weight, high performance car, and the market Dodge has elected to target, will be through the roof with a manual. Insurance companies have higher rates for a manual because they see it as a possible race vehicle and with a Hemi under the hood, it's got race me written all over it. Now if the insurance rates are through the roof, and Dodge will know what they are, it will have a negative impact on sales.

Not that I like Fords, because I don't but, I stopped at a Ford dealer one day and asked him why I see so many V6 Mustangs and so few V8's? His response "insurance rates"! The younger group of the target market can not afford the insurance rates and the car payments so, they go V6.

Any thoughts on this.

 

true, but if youre charging 28-35 grand for a car with no real winter or family function, its going to be considered a performance car, no matter what...hell, my Stratus RT coupe is an autostick, and its listed as a sports car...and it cant get out of its own way.[:@]

dodge has to see that with this reception, that if they offer any Hemi model for the suggested 28 grand, or any price comparable to the stang/GTO, it will sell so fast that they wont know what to do...dealerships stock V6 stangs, but the GTs are available, and have a much bigger take rate than the V6s.

i will buy it if its an atx, as it will still be fast as hell, and with the atx, it will be a bracket killer..

but the atx will lose some "fun to drive" aspect...i really think that if dcx notices the need for a pony car, they notice the need to an mtx.

 

I'd love to get one with the manual trans, no doubt. BUT, where I live, there is only road system where I'll get decent use of it. The rest of time, my left leg be aching from 1st-Neutral-1st-Neutral-1st-Neutral-1st-Neutral-1st-Neutral.

So, while I'm hopeful that we'll get the manual transmission, I'm also hoping that we get the beefed up 5-speed Automatic. I'm torn.

But... I'm hoping the option is there.

 

well, i blew my knee out, and had it rebuilt, so i am happy to be able to drive a stick..and i will still have my other cars, and my truck, which are autos, for when the knee gets sore.

 

I doubt this will happen but I think it would be cool if they offered the 68RE for the automatic option so then they could have a 6-speed. Is it just me, or do you guys think that the EPA ratings will be better than 14/20 with a Viper spec 6-speed. The overdrive in the A580 ATX is a .83 vs. the top overdrive in the Viper's 6-speed the T-56 Tremec is a .50. The reason why I think it would be better is that the base model Corvette ATX vs. manual has a .7 vs. .50 and the manual is rated at getting 2 mpg better than the automatic. When they say "a Viper spec 6-speed" do they mean it would have the T-56 Tremec from the Viper?

 

well, that i know of, DCX only has two current 6 speed mtx...the viper tranny, and the cummins tranny. when they say "viper spec"...typically spec stands for specification, right? so i would assume that the tranny is indeed a viper tranny altered to fit in the challenger and against the hemi

 

RE: EPA ratings.

If they stick to the 6.1 liter Hemi, or bump up to the 6.4 liter Hemi, I think we'll see 14/20. Maybe a bump to 21 on the highway rating. Those engines eat gasoline. And if the Challenger stays above 3,900 pounds in curb weight, the transmission will only help so much.