November1
Chrysler will produce just 5,000 Dodge Challengers in 2008, according to a new report. The news echoes previous rumors that the Challenger would begin its life as a low-volume offering compared to the new Chevrolet Camaro, which could see production as high as 100,000 units.
The reason for such low production numbers is the 6.1 liter SRT version will be the only model offered in 2008, according to Automotive News. The report claims an automatic transmission will be the only choice, although previous rumors suggest a manual would be the only option.
In 2009, production will expand to 30,000 units, with the introduction of 6.1 and 5.7 liter HEMI models. At this point in time, buyers will get to chose between a six-speed manual, six-speed automatic, or a dual-clutch transmission. As reported before, no V6 model is planned.
Chrysler has already announced the initial Challenger will debut at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2008. The car was recently spied without disguise.
The car’s nearest rival — the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro — is expected to have a considerably wider model range with everything from a low-end V6 to a range-topping supercharged V8. As a result, prices will start close to $20,000 and production could reach 100,000 units.
Based on 5 discontinued models in previous article, how long will take for this one to join discontinued crop?
Not so sure this is a good move. Many SRT buyers are going to want a manual. It’s a little different at Pontiac where the G8 GT is auto-only for half a year and it’s not even the top-range model in the long term. Chrysler is taking the top-engine Challenger and castrating it for a whole model year.
As for 2009, why offer an automatic at all if a DCT is in the works? That makes no sense at all.
Also, it says there are going to be 2 different 6.1L models? I don’t get it.
Cool car being compromised by poor management. I’d hoped Cerberus would make a change to this sort of thing.
I’ve always thought the Challenger will be overshadowed by the Camaro, but now I think it’s going to be worse than I initially imagined.
I think it is a smart move as buyers are hesitant about Chrysler these days…as well they should be.
Your just better off waiting for the dust to settle on the Challenger/Camaro releases. The dealer markups are going to be insane anyways. Wait for the 2nd year run. Prices, availability and options will be better and the first year bugs will be worked out.
And if you have that much money to kick around and can’t wait buy a classic version instead.
I like the Camaro better anyway, at least the body is updated without looking like a carbon copy of the 69 even though it resembles it. To me the Challenger looks almost exatly like it did before, which wasn’t all that successful at that time btw. I think the Camaro will be much more successful
If Plymouth was still around it would have been a ‘Cuda instead and in turn be even more desirable.
They obviously are going to base other production numbers on these sales, which is rediculous because its only offered as an auto… manual is fast becoming non-exsistent, which is very sad for me and true enthusiasts
Manuals are obsolete crap, grow up and deal with it acura_el2000. Go tell F1 drivers about how great manuals are and they’ll laugh you off the race track. If you were truly enthuisastic, you’d admit a dual clutch gearbox will outperform you every time.
Most people are going to go buy a Camaro now instead of waiting for Challenger. Chevy will sell 5000 yellow-and-black Camaros just to dads who took their kids to the Transformers movie. I understand about restraining production to maintain demand and all, but only 5000 units makes the Challenger look like an asterisk. Can anyone say Crossfire 2.0?
The damn thing looks really ugly. Must be a nostalgic thing…
I don’t drive F1 cars or any race car for that matter, I drive to work, grocery store and several 200-500 mile round trips a year. I prefer a MT and I know there are consumers like me, there always will be, but sadly MT is on the decline.
I think if would be a good thing if more people drove manuals, it would get poeople off the cell phones, putting on makeup and maybe actually pay attention to their car and driving.
Madcapp, what’s with the aggression? If someone loves a manual, no matter how inefficient it may be, then to each his own! Personally, I love to drive manual transmissions…
If I can actually afford the A5 when it comes out, I will probably get it in DSG, buuut if I have to cut some options to lower the price, the DSG is the first one I would cut. I don’t care if it will shave a few tenths of a second on the 1/4. I don’t care if it is obselete… and I don’t care if you like it or not, because it is my perrogative.
Plus, I bet you that some of those formula drivers that you speak so popmously about have some manual cars themselves.
Oh ya Madcapp, I need to shave 2/1000’s of a second off my shift times, for my drive to work and school…….. its about being in total control of your car,making smooth shifts and the satisfaction of rev matching every down shift….. not some computer controlling what your engine does.
and yes I do admit dual clutch gearboxes will outperform, however, it isnt nearly as fun as a car with three pedals.
I fail to see how people can call a 911 amazing and this ugly. There both beautiful, but for different reasons. Madcapp did u ever consider this car isn’t for F1 drivers? Manuals will always hold a place im my heart, and i also think they will for years in many enthusiasts. Sure it isn as fast of shifting, but your doing it yourself. Theres satisfaction in doing something that is normally done for you. Like the satisfaction from going fishing to catch your own food, or the satisfaction from working on your own car, instead of paying someone else to do it. Manuals bring a satisfaction because your doing it, not someone else, not a machine, but you.
Too bad about the production numbers, obviously if there cutting shifts at multi plants, capacity is not the issue. And public interest is way high. So the only reason I can see for the small production run is to make there dealers happy. They are very jealous of ford dealers with there Mustang 500s @ $19,000.00 markup last year.
And yes Madcap dual clutch is faster then human, but human has soul, soul likes the dance of the heel n toe. Unless your counting tenths at the track like F1/WRC star the do tenths gained really matter.
Cerberus must be thinking to make the first year of the Challenger a collector’s piece, get the speculators out of the way first.
I’m also willing to bet that there is a consideration toward CAFE here, because I find it hard to imagine that the Challenger will short short on long numbers. Maybe because they are only offering V8s.
As for the Auto/Manual thing,
I wouldn’t complain either way. One) you will have a manual shift mode. Two) the future has it that Manuals will be eventually shelfed like drum brakes on sports cars. Besides, I don’t need to be shifting gears in stop and go traffic.
The Performance of Auto-trannies are undeniable. Only a slim handful of Formula racers still use manuals, but the winningest teams use autos. The shift computer is faster and more precise that a human freeing the driver to do combat with the other drivers. some manual functions are retained for added control, but the car does more of the work to let the driver do his job. If the driver can focus of driving better, paying more attention to traffic and what his car is doing, that driver will win much more often. Also many times the transmission problem in racing are almost always with the Manual, burning a clutch or breaking a gear. Autos have these problems much less frequently again because they shift gears much better and faster than humans.
I’ll take winning a race ot just enjoying the ride over fussing with a gear lever.
Just think—for every one of these cars you see on the road, you KNOW that the driver (owner) paid 10 to 25k++ over sticker. Makes it easy to spot suckers….AND I happen to like this car, but will not even think about going to a dealer. This is where the big three keep making a very big mistake. It turns off buyers for all of the car maker’s products.
Three words: GOUGE THE MARKET. Retiring Boomers will line up with cash in fist to get one of the first 5,000 units. Judging from the feeding frenzy at the Jackson-Barrett Auctions, Chysler will make a killing. Then start working down to the everyday schmoes who might actually drive these on a regular basis. Cerebrus may know d**k about cars, but they know how to milk a product for every penny of profit. More power to them, this is how they’re turning the company around.
Oh god, can we not have another stupid transmission debate?
I find it interesting that everyone agrees that auto - trannies beat manuals. From my last figure check of a few sports cars the manual had better mpg and 0-60 times.
My bad - had that comment ready for awhile
Its the programming. A few European automakers actually let you choose the shift pattern or program to suit. Usually as part of an overall setting (”Normal”, “sport”, and “race” or some such).
automatics are also good for leg amputee’s….
Blakkar you are confusing traditional automatics with automated manuals or dual-clutch autos. 2 different beasts. Traditional automatics are for wives, manuals and automated manuals are for enthusiasts. And manual trans is most effeciant and reliable type of tranny. Pull your head out and read a little.
I’m sorry. Are you being “anal” or an @$$, SwereEarly?
The exact terminology is irreverent to me as their are so many different solutions floating around that it means nothing to site every exacting variation. Besides which, I know what we are in for with the Challenger. Ever driven a Charger SRT-8? Maybe not since you really have no clue.
And if you are going to be “anal”, the term you’re looking for is DCT, Dual-Clutch Transmission, Not Auto-manual, not manual shift mode, not “Automated Manual” (although otherwise fine, being “anal” means you use DCT or DSG, Direct Shift Gearbox).
Read the damage reports from the actual races and you will find that it always the manuals that break. When an auto or DCT/DSG is used, they don’t break. But then you wouldn’t know, would you?
Maybe you ought to get your head out of your own bunghole and stop worrying about others.
Does anyone even read the original posting/article, before posting????? This is not a Chrysler produced, commissioned, or requested prototype! This is a creation of Metalcrafters, an independent car customizer and fabricator. They built it under commission, for a private customer. Any talk of Chrysler’s future or current product line is completely out of place, in this thread!
No I have not driven the disappointing Charger. But I have driven my bosses 300 SRT. And it has an old fashion slush box auto trans. A 5-Speed built in Japan that was supposedly designed by Mercedes. How is then for anal update. Do you always put anal and bunghole in your postings at every chance or just the ones direected at people who you really like a lot.
I am sorry. Do you actually read the threads here or do you just butt in without knowing what you are talking about? Frankly, I try not to use any great degree of foul language, but you were trying so hard not to use any it was utterly humorous but still very insulting. So I showed a few pass-able alternatives.
“Traditional automatics are for wives, manuals and automated manuals are for enthusiasts.” (your words)
This is the proof of your limited understanding and experience, poultry knowledge base, and shallow appreciation of automobiles in general. There is a lot more to any vehicle than just “does it have horsepower and a manual transmission” to make it great. Some are great for reasons, I doubt, you’d ever really understand. Different cars have different missions to fulfill and if you con not or do not realize this from the myiad selection and types of cars on the road… I won’t waste my pity on you.
If you learn how, you can make a straight Automatic do things you didn’t think were possble. But you will have to learn to use the throttle for more tha “fast and faster”.
Chrysler uses what they call “Manu-matic” (older name) or “Auto-stick” transmission, which are basically Automatic transmissions with a manual shift mode. That is, you move the lever to the +/- slot and control the shifting gears yourself within the limits set in the tranny’s computer to prevent engine damage by stupidly red-lining the engine too long or, maybe for the 300C SRT-8, at all. It isn’t greatest for racing, hence the manual shift gate, but it is still better than you may think it is. OF course, You wouldn’t dream of dropping the hammer in your boss’ car, would you? (Here is where you say you did and we all say “Yeah, right”.)
This was a change that Chrysler made to exact more performance for their cars without the cost of having to install manuals in what they doubtlessly saw, in sales numbers across the industry, as a dwindling market for manual transmissions. This goes way back to the early days of the LH platform. Today, It is quite nearly the standard for Chrysler cars (the trucks are a different story). The obvious exemption being the Viper.
In actual sports cars, the market is still good but is too steadily, dwindling in less expensive sports cars. These being cars under $60K. But “traditionalisms” are giving way to the automatic in one form or another. The DCT/DSG will replace the “standard” shift in coming years and may even become the new universal standard overall. Wouldn’t that be grand?
Your blind, “enthusiasm” will last only so much longer. Eventually you will have to grow up and understand that if you want EXACTLY what you want you will have pay and pay BIG. Otherwise, just shut up, grin and bear it.
Not again…
****ing idiots, all of you. Don’t like the auto? Good, then **** off and leave the little pedophilic debate for another day. No one cares about this debate. Talk about ****ing a juicy pussy instead losers
well, I got rock hard, and my hot wife starting bouncing on me, and I fired off in record time. damn, that was fun!~
Good luck if they can sell them butt ass ugly bathtubs!
NERDS!! And this car sucks! Nobody will get laid driving this thing, the performance is laughable, it’s got midlife crisis written all over it. Leave the 60s back and look ahead. Retro designs are the ghey. Look at this thing, it’ll be as crappy as the SSR or the Prowler. No wonder these companies are loosing money. This will be in the same price range as what? as S5? an M3? Please. It’s for douches.