Truthfully though, I’d rather have the V10 in the next Grand Cherokee. Having owned SRT8 versions of the 300C and current Grand Cherokee, I can say from experience that the big power goes better in an AWD truck then it does in a rear wheel drive car. No worrying about lighting up the tires, its actually drivable in not so great weather, and its a great sleeper.

Oh and I actually think an Evo for $40k is even MORE of a waste of money then this car. The Evo is a $15k Lancer with $25k worth of bolt-ons essentially.

I tend to prefer the Europeans when it comes to cars. I DO NOT like Asian cars for their appliance-like attributes and I DO NOT like the American cars because of their over-consumption and excess philosophy. Both the Asians and the Americans have yet to figure out how to build a complete car in my eyes.

Look at Car and Drivers 10 Best List, 4 are German (S4, 3-series, GTI – MY CAR, Cayman/Boxster), 4 are Asian (Fit, Accord, MX-5, Mazda3), and 2 are American (CTS and Fusion HYBRID ONLY). I actually really like the CTS and the Fusion.

I guess I just look at cars very different then a lot of American purists. I like my car to be competent in all areas and not just one. NOW, if I had a fleet of cars, maybe I would buy one that is so one dimensional as the Evo or this Challenger, but since I don’t and I need one car to do it all, it cannot be this one.

What about this post?
TnTPhilly
Crud, I fell in my time machine again. Can’t wait until we bail this mess out…again.

We are on to something. This is the wrong direction and Chrysler is FAR from stable enough to be chucking out crap like this. This just shows a poor use of VERY minimal resources for Chrysler.

Just a different outlook. You will NEVER see a European car company make a car like this. It just doesn’t happen. It is VERY American and if it makes me anti-American to be against a car like this, then so be it…

Not to metion how I feel about the American car companies’ business practices. That is a whole other issue. I can see Chryslers headquarters in Auburn Hills from my office at work as I type this. Chrysler should have been left to fail.

And on the SEMA concept, the hood was functional, a win in my opinion. Just build the d@mn thing already!!

Sorry, man, but you are way off base on most of your comments.

“No matter how much power Dodge gives this car, no one is going to buy it over a Mustang or Camaro.”

Well, somebody’s buying them, because I see them all over the place down here in NOLA.

“(Challengers) are ugly and boring.”

Well, that may be your opinion, but my neighbor across the street has a black SRT8, and it makes me smile every time I see it!

“They need to cut 500lbs off the Challenger to make it even remotely compentent in the situation they want to compete in…the track.”

I don’t know, man. Said neighbor and I took our cars to the strip (I have a G8 GT) and he ran a 12.8 to my 14.2. And my car isn’t exactly a slouch.

“This is a car that appeals to 16 year olds playing Midnight Club Racing on their Xbox’s.”

Again, I think you’re off base here. This car appeals to baby boomers (age 45 and up) who are now empty nesters with more disposable income and don’t necessarily need a family car anymore. Those who grew up lusting after the original Challenger as kids and can now have one as grown-ups.

Just because you hate Dodge doesn’t mean everyone else shares your opinion. And while most of Mopar’s lineup has no appeal for me personally, the Challenger is a car I wouldn’t mind having in my driveway.

Built it, Dodge!

A V-10 option for $5k to $10k more would be worth it. Would be nice to have carbon fiber parts to shed a few hundred pounds to make up the difference in the extra wieght of the 10. But I’m also looking forward to the new 6.4. I think that engine is better suited. The last thing the challenger needs is more wieght on the front. Looks bitchen tho!

“That have poor residual values, poor fuel economy, poor performance, and are ugly and boring.”

Last I checked, the resale value is holding up fairly well on the Challenger.

Poor fuel economy? I wouldn’t exactly call 25 mpg highway on the R/T, which is what I own, poor.
There are plenty 4 and 6 cylinder imports that get worse highway mileage than that.

Poor performance? Well it all depends on what your intended purpose for this car is. You keep comparing these muscle cars to imports like BMW or Audi. I don’t think most buyers of this car plan on racing them down some twisty mountain highway. If I wanted an import sports car that handles like it’s on rails, I would have bought one.

Ugly and boring? That’s not a statement of fact. That is your opinion. I think 90% of people out there would disagree with you on that one, even if they don’t like the weight of the Challenger.

Have you even took into consideration the Die-Hard Mopar fans that would have chosen the Challenger over the Mustang or Camaro no matter what?

I looked at the Camaro and I was turned off by it’s low headroom and claustrophobic interior. The Challenger fits me like a glove and I have no regrets. In fact, I am excited to get behind the wheel of this car every chance I get.

Just shut the fuck up!

Regardless, all I would like to say to Chrysler is “STOP TRYING TO QUELL THE MASSES AND GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. WE’RE OVERDUE FOR A NEW VIPER!!!” Now’s the time to start dumping your engineering efforts into a new Viper platform and to stop screwing around with shoe horning massive engines into places they were never meant to go.

I’m in Southeast Michigan, so I see a lot of Chrysler/Dodge in my driving. Maybe I just notice the occasional SRT8 because it stands out, unlike a Camry which I’m going to look past because – well, why would I look twice?? I meant the SRT8 is a common trim level for the Challenger, not when considering the whole North American market.

Oh, and the reason Challengers aren’t common is because they suck. A Camaro SS and Mustang GT cost as much as a Challenger R/T but perform like an SRT-8. The SRT-8 lists from $43,000…FORTY-THREE THOUSAND. Both a Mustang GT and Camaro SS list for under $30,000. At $45,000 you would be MUCH better off buying a 335i coupe. The R/T does 0-60 as fast my my VW GTI yet does it with 157 more hp, twice as many cylinders with a capacity that is almost 3 times the size of my 2.0L. Just an extremely inefficient car.

If you haven’t noticed yet, I HATE Dodge. I would sooner buy a Kia or a Hyundai than a Chrysler/Dodge. I cannot think of ONE car, that Dodge or Chrysler makes, that exceeds at its intended purpose. NOT ONE. MAYBE the Ram… Trucks abide by different standards than cars though. They don’t have to be nice and involving and emotional. They just have be raw. Lots of power and lots of strength is what makes a good truck. Unfortunatley Chrysler doesn’t realize that cars don’t abide by those rules.

My Bad. The Challenger would be helped hugely by being less big first off. Some where between the CAMARO and MUSTANG. I must have been thinking of that when I posted.

Building this car is essential to compete with the Z28 and GT500. Chrysler said they were gonna “drop the gloves and compete”

So this is a good start…plus the muscle car wars get more ink than most everything else. To be in the lead is very good PR.

Lighter. Not merely more powerful. Size to contain that power is crucial but massive weight is not.

I was stunned to learn that the LX has its evolutionary roots going way back the AMC/RENAULT EAGLE PREMIER (American-French) and DODGE MONACO. Suspension hardware on the LX is of course German and engines are all-American. That all just means that the base architecture needs to be pushed in another direction or replaced.

For cost the thing makes zero sense especially given the 392 has been essentially confirmed. At 475-500hp they will be fine with that versus producing a 70 thousand dollar challenger numbering in the hundreds.

As neat as it would be, no way.

I Am more interested in seeing the new 6.4L v8 for it and the power numbers that come with it. hopefully they can and will give the 5.7L a bump up with the new 6.4 at leas the 390hp in the Ram but hopefully 400hp. that and the 3.6L pentestar with DI with around 320hp and a 6 speed.