Insider Confirms Dodge Challenger Production Status?

[ChriSRT-4]

I would for sure think tthat they would have nothing less than 18s on the car. Considering the Charger and the SRT4 already has 17s as stock. Now with this monster coming out its gonna need monster tires.

[allhemi]

You can have big tires without all that wheel....I hope they put 17-18 I don't like big wheels.

[Challenger_Nut]

Originally Posted by AWDave

Gang,

Don't forget that the specs said that they knocked off 4" off the length of the car...that has to count for some weight loss....plus the Carbon Fiber hood helps.

AWDave

No, They knocked 4" off of the wheelbase not legnth. The legnth is 197.8 vs 196.8 for the 300C.

[Challenger_Nut]

Originally Posted by Vanishing Point

...who cares what car weighs!!....it looks fantastic...and its going to tear up the asphalt,while handling like a rail....dump in the 6.4L (392) 500++ HP motor in the srt-8 version,and you'll have a low 12's car......no problem.

I do!!!! Yes horsepower can help the straight line performance but not the handling. Also imagine what 425 HP will do for a car that weighs 3500lbs instead of 4100lbs let alone a 500 horse 392.

However my real concern is the handling. This should be a sports car not a two door version of a touring sedan. That should have been the Charger. The Challenger should be a smaller car. A car like the 300C SRT8 is like a consolation prize for those who need a family car for four people but would like to have a real killer sports car. Most people accept the fact that it handles well considering that it's not a sports car, but that it's a people hauler that does pretty good for what it is. A good handling large and heavy four door car. "The Challenger should not be in this category!"

Dodge already makes the exact same car that the Challenger will be except for a diifferent skin and four doors (it's called the "Charger"). Why would DCX do this, all they are doing is just making a nice looking two door version of the Charger. When they could make a killer sports car out of the Challenger and not just a compromised large car.

Weight Kills!!!!! It may be fast and handle OK "for a 4100lbs car". But it would be faster with the same horsepower if it weighed 500 - 600lbs less. And it would definitly handle much, much better! Well, kinda like a sports car and not like a big 4100lb car. Then when someone asks how it handles I won't have to say it handles OK for a car that weighs 4100lbs.

P.S. I live were there are Mountain roads! HA, HA!

[Legion681]

I personally don't see a problem with dimensions and weight (keeping it reasonable though...and 4100 lbs is, at least in my opinion). It's a modern muscle car, not a Formula 1 racer. Muscle cars of the golden era (1964-1974) weren't top handlers, they mostly were straight line cars. Even though the Challenger will have all the goodies of the 21st century (ABS, Trac. Control, possibly ESP, better tires and suspensions than the old Chally had, etc. etc.) which will guarantee good performance and safety on all roads, the main objective for this car I don't feel it's to be a competitor to a WRX STi and/or Evo, but it's to be a (nostalgic) cruiser.
If people out there are looking for something that will be as sharp as a scalpel in turns and nimble as a Lotus Elise for example, they are knocking on the wrong door here. IMHO, people can't expect a muscle car to be on the same level as a car made to handle like a racing car, two different targets, it's that simple...

[mopar4life]

well i was at the dealer today,and was talking to my buddy who works in the parts department....he said that the challengers been approved for production and we should see them this year in september????sounds fast for me,but if it is true then i like alot!

[Mike Penner]

I really hope the guy was pulling your leg cause it seems like they'd have to cut corners big time to meet that timeframe. Like use the LX as a base platform instead of the LY. A lot of us are praying the LY cuts the weight by 200-300 lbs. Its understandable given the groundswell of support for the car that they would want to fast track it, but a lot of that support depends on them doing the right thing and not cutting corners. The demand has built up over 35 years, why would it evaporate if it takes two more years to bring the car to market? thats just crazy talk.

[BlackRT]

Originally Posted by Mike Penner

I really hope the guy was pulling your leg cause it seems like they'd have to cut corners big time to meet that timeframe. Like use the LX as a base platform instead of the LY. A lot of us are praying the LY cuts the weight by 200-300 lbs. Its understandable given the groundswell of support for the car that they would want to fast track it, but a lot of that support depends on them doing the right thing and not cutting corners. The demand has built up over 35 years, why would it evaporate if it takes two more years to bring the car to market? thats just crazy talk.

The concept you see in all of the pictures was built on an chopped LX frame. I don't see it being too far fetched for DCX to bring it out quick. I seriously doubt they could make it by the fall of this year but it might be possible to have it out early next year and call it a 2008.... I think the LY platform isn't being revamped until the 2009-2010 model year. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[AmericanMuscle]

Originally Posted by Legion681

I personally don't see a problem with dimensions and weight (keeping it reasonable though...and 4100 lbs is, at least in my opinion). It's a modern muscle car, not a Formula 1 racer. Muscle cars of the golden era (1964-1974) weren't top handlers, they mostly were straight line cars. Even though the Challenger will have all the goodies of the 21st century (ABS, Trac. Control, possibly ESP, better tires and suspensions than the old Chally had, etc. etc.) which will guarantee good performance and safety on all roads, the main objective for this car I don't feel it's to be a competitor to a WRX STi and/or Evo, but it's to be a (nostalgic) cruiser.
If people out there are looking for something that will be as sharp as a scalpel in turns and nimble as a Lotus Elise for example, they are knocking on the wrong door here. IMHO, people can't expect a muscle car to be on the same level as a car made to handle like a racing car, two different targets, it's that simple...

We'll you have to think, what is Dodge trying to make. Are they only trying to make a car that is nastaglic, and fast in a strait line? Or are they wanting to make a sports car that will be respected by the racing community? And if you think about it, you get to the end to the drag strip and what do you have to do.... turn around!

[AmericanMuscle]

PS- 4100 lbs isnt "reasonable"