while i am well aware that the auto with the big stall is best for consistancy, i am looking for more "fun to drive" factor with my next car, so godforbid its not the challenger, it will be soemthing with a manual transmission. while not as "ideal" for the quarter mile, a manual transmission creates less drivetrain loss than an automatic, thus more wheel hp...

 

Awesome. When you cross that bridge let me know what solid axle/suspension you wind up using and if you buy it as a whole system or you buy the individual parts.

Again good luck at the drag strip.

 

Based on the magazine articles comment below I may be getting a great handling car if they can say this about the Charger then the Challenger will be awesome
especially if it is a few hundred lbs lighter with the LY platform.

"The Hemi is definitely at home when above 2,700 rpm. The response is more than adequate for a four-door sedan. Below that, we would like to see an improvement. The AutoStick was a welcomed option, especially when it came time to downshift into the corners. When cruising the long straightaway, the triple-digit speeds felt more than stable--in like it didn't even feel like triple digits. Even at a hefty 4,000 pounds, the car handled the sharp corners quite well."

 

I'm more solid axle oriented because of the durability. The Mustang crew has seen alot of problems with IRS unit in their higher HP applications. Even if I don't frequently race it, I will have my right foot into it plenty and especially w/ the "shock" element that a manual trans will add.

 

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE LEARY ABOUT THE IRS. PROBABLY BETTER HANDLING AND RIDE BUT CONCERNED WITH DURABILITY. iT WILL BE VERY HARD FOR ME TO KEEP MY FOOT OUT OF IT.

 

Appears the solid axle crowd may have been right as we're now seeing a "weak spot" reported by owners in terms of axle shafts in the IRS. Same issue the mustang and Vette guys have seen. I just hope the 09 "fix" does the trick?