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G. Chambers Williams III, San Antonio Express: Dodge Challenger SRT8 is gawker magnet
Web Posted: 05/15/2008 09:20 PM CDT

"One of the most fun aspects of my job is getting to drive exciting new cars that most people haven't even seen yet.

When I get one of those, and take it out for testing, it's common to have people flock around me wherever I happen to stop with the vehicle.

But in 25 years of doing auto reviews, I'd never seen the extreme reaction to a new vehicle as I did this past week while driving the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8.

This was a special treat, as the car I tested was a pre-production model that eventually will end up in the crusher because it's not legal for sale. Production of the Challengers that are destined for dealer lots began May 8 at the Brampton, Ontario, assembly plant — the day after my test vehicle arrived in my driveway.

That made my tester a rare bird indeed, as there weren't yet any Challengers at dealerships anywhere. And besides that, the 2008 model is a limited edition — just 7,000 will be made, and all of them already have been pre-sold. High gas prices or not, you won't find any of these lingering on dealer lots.

Just stopped at traffic lights, the car drew crowds. At one point, at a red light in front of an auto-parts store, what appeared to be the entire store staff came out to the curb to see the Challenger, and most of them had cameras in hand.

“It's a dollar a snap,” I teased that group, adding, “I've gotta pay for the gas for this thing somehow.” They had a good laugh, and kept snapping.

My test vehicle, with its bright silver metallic exterior paint and retro dual black hood stripes, probably wasn't as noticeable as this car would be in the Hemi orange color that's also offered (along with “brilliant black crystal pearl coat'), but that certainly didn't serve to hide it in any way.

It was an instant hit just driving down the road, and especially at any parking lot — supermarket, department store, mall, restaurant, you name it.

But almost to a number, the gawkers were men. For some reason, most of the women who saw men going gaga over the Challenger just looked at me and rolled their eyes with a “Boys will be boys” kind of expression on their faces.

“It's really a man thing,” my own wife declared. “You realize you're driving a guy magnet.”

Whatever.

Attention or not, the car was a hoot to drive, even though there were no roads that allowed me to give it a true test of its abilities, and I didn't have the opportunity to take it onto a track during my week behind the wheel.

Chrysler says the car can go 170 mph, which is impressive, but certainly not legal anywhere in the United States except on a closed track.

The '08 Challenger SRT8 (base price $37,320 plus $675 freight), which officially goes on sale in June, is a precursor to the full Challenger line that will make its debut this fall as 2009 models. The SRT8 comes with the biggest engine that will be offered in the Challenger, a 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 rated at 425 horsepower and 420 foot-pounds of torque.

For 2009, an R/T model will be added, with a 5.7-liter Hemi engine, and there will be a V-6 powered SE model as well.

In the 2008 model, only a five-speed automatic transmission is offered; when the 2009 SRT8 arrives, it will be available with the automatic or a six-speed manual gearbox, and a limited-slip differential will be optional as well.

Based on the architecture of the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300, which come down the same assembly line in Canada, the new Challenger is a full-size coupe with two doors and seating for five.

At least the car is billed as having that capacity, but legroom is limited in the rear seat, and with the driver's bucket seat adjusted to my comfort, there was no room for anyone to sit behind me. I did have a passenger on the other side of the back seat a few times, but the front passenger seat had to be moved forward to accommodate my passenger.

The Challenger's a relatively heavy vehicle — curb weight is 4,140 pounds — so even with the 425 horsepower, it wasn't as quick as one might expect. Although I didn't time the performance, Chrysler says the zero-to-60 time is about 5 seconds. In comparison, the base Chevy Corvette is slightly quicker, and the new Nissan GT-R super car is a full second and a half faster.

Still, this car has plenty of raw power and will get up and go when it's asked to.

But it's also more than just power. Handling was surprisingly crisp and predictable, which is a departure from the original Challengers. Those cars were purely about muscle, and worked best in straight-line acceleration and driving; cornering finesse was never their strong suit.

That's part of what makes this new Challenger so compelling. It has the looks and raw power of the old Challenger, but the benefits of modern chassis engineering, great brakes and state-of-the-art safety features.

But that retro look is what turns heads, and even people who later buy the V-6 version will be able to enjoy that kind of reaction from others.

Chrysler unveiled the 2008 SRT8 at the Chicago auto show in February, and it was more like the concept car than I had expected.

The concept was shown in Detroit two years ago and brought rave reviews as a modern version of the iconic Dodge muscle car from the early 1970s that is a favorite of car collectors.

This year's limited-production models will have their own numbered dash plaques. Mine, though, didn't have a number because it was not a production version.

Chrysler Co-President Jim Press said during the Chicago introduction that the SRT8's price is a bargain because collector versions of the original Challenger now sell for about $100,000. The Challenger cost about $3,000 when it arrived in 1969 as a '70 model, he said.

The new one is not intended just for the aging baby boomers who owned Challengers in the past, Press said.

“Young people who have never heard of the Challenger are buying it for what it is today,” he said, noting that Chrysler had 4,300 orders for the car within a few days after it was announced.

Judging from the response to my test vehicle — which drew just as many young people as it did baby boomers — Press probably is right. This car appeals to people who weren't even born yet when the original Challengers were on the market.

The Challenger's performance outshines that of its top competitors, including the BMW M5 and Ford Mustang GT500, Press said.

It can cover a quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds and can go from 60 to zero in about 100 feet, thanks to its Brembo custom brakes.

Its modern technology includes advanced electronic stability and traction control, side-curtain air bags and a tire-pressure monitoring system.

The 522-watt audio system comes with 13 speakers, including a 200-watt subwoofer, and it has a 30-gigabyte hard drive to store thousands of songs internally.

Other features include Sirius satellite radio, push-button start and an optional navigation system, which was included on my tester.

The SRT8 version is a product of Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology group, which gave it the big Hemi engine.

EPA ratings are 13 miles per gallon in the city and 18 on the highway, and the tank holds 19 gallons of fuel. Unleaded premium is recommended for the best performance, but regular is acceptable."