Originally Posted by Vanishing Point
Its actually alot smaller than the 300c srt-8 as I saw both cars sitting side by side at show.....and its a more wider muscular stance than the 300 or charger as well.
Tell me which demension makes it "alot smaller". Is it the 197.8 legnth of the Challenger vs 196.8 of the 300C or is it the 78.6 width vs the 74.1 for the 300C, No, I know it's the .9" lower roof line! The Challenger comes in at 57.0 vs 57.9 for the 300C. It's the perception of the design that gives the smaller apperance.
So tell me, if the demensions of the production Challengr don't change wouldn't it be fesable that it might be just a bit on the "PORKY" side.
1970 Challenger________________________________ 2006 Challenger Show Car
Legnth 191.3 __________________________________197.8
Width 76.1 ____________________________________78.6
Height 50.9 ____________________________________57.0
Wheelbase 110.0 _______________________________115.9
Weight 3800 (Big Block, 440) _____________________4100
Don't get me wrong as my handle "Challenger Nut" states. My feelings for this car runs deep. I currently own three 1970 Challengers and one 1970 'cuda! It all started at the ripe age of seven when my mother bought that shinney new gold Super Bee in 1968 (Thanks Mom). I turned sixteen in seventy seven and bought 70 slant six Duster that year. Then in seventy nine I really got hooked after purchasing a Gold 68 HEMI 4-spd Charger. Then in eighty five I purcahased a 70 Plum Crazy Challenger 440 SIX PACK (still have it). And it's been Challengers ever since!
I have been pondering the question of Dodge building a car that looks like a 70 Challenger with a modern platform, interior, mechanicals for over fifteen years!
One of the things I always thought could be improved was to make the car a little shorter than the orig. As it is just a bit long when compared to other pony cars.
So of course I was extremly syked when I heard that DCX was working on a new Challenger and I still am. I am just dissapointed with it's size. I hope that they make the production car smaller in all demesions (L x W x H and wheelbase).
The orig Challenger was 50.9 inches compared to the current version @ 57" thats a half a fooot taller! The car is just too tall, they hide that fact well with the design and wheel size.
Look at the height from the bottom of the car to the body accent line ( S-Curve) it's tall. The 21" & 22" Wheels help to hide this. Picture the car with the 17" or 18" wheels the production car will have. The back end of the car is too tall also.
I too have seen this car in person and it looked good under the lights with all of the excitement. But when you put a production version of that size on the street next to a Mustang (which I think the Mustang is too tall also) it's going to look huge. The looks tend to change when you can view the car at a distance.
Maybe I have been looking at and have owned too many newer sports cars. I currently have a 94 twin turbo Mazda Rx7 and a 90 twin turbo Nissan 300zx.
I cetainly did not expect the new Challenger to be the size of either of these but I also did not expect it to be bigger than the orig. Again I was hoping for a shorter car than the orig. (about six inches).
I am not on a bashing crusade. I am just hoping that I have a voice with DCX and if enough of us show our concern for this size issue that maybe we will have an influence on the out come.
DCX has the opprotunity to make a great car GREATER. It's a shame they have to compromise this car due to a platform. But even with that they could keep the overall look of the car, shorten the platform to a 108" wheelbase and proportion the car down to the 108" wheelbase and cut out a little hieght below the Body accent line. I know there is more to it than that but it could be done.
I think that us Mopar faithful are just so excited at the possibility of having a nice looking V-8 RWD manualy shifted car. That some are overlooking the size issue for fear of not having this car at all.
I for one would rather wait another model year or two to get this thing right!
Heck some of us have been waiting thirty five years for this. Whats another year or two to have the car of my dreams!
Sincerly,
Challenger Nut
P.S. Please do not take offense to this as that was not my intention.
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