CD Article: 2009 Dodge Challenger

[CD_Editor]

         
Test Drive:


For an extra $2,000, the new six-speed manual Tremec transmission available in the 2009 Challenger SRT8 is "money well spent," says reviewer Peter Bleakney.  "...the shifts are short and direct once the tranny warms up," he reports.
 More: View the photos | All the Test Drives

[Jaeger]

I can't help but wonder if what is described as a "manly heft" to the clutch is actually code for "you will have a gigantic muscular left thigh after one year of ownership".

Jaeger

[ovr50]

OK, let's be really honest about this car:

1. it is HUGE, at 197.7" long, with a 116.0" wb. By way of reference, this car is longer than the current 7 Series BMW, no one's small car in any stretch of the imagination..!! By further way of reference, even the new Camaro, while smaller, is also large at about the same overall length as my 535 (about 190" and 3800#). I do not consider my 5 Series a small car.

2. it is HEAVY, at 4140# in SRT8 trim, even 3819# in the cheapest model, the SE. It will inhale gas.

3. it costs over $50K before taxes.

This is a big, heavy, and expensive car that will only appeal to nostalgia freaks. It will be a second or third car that is only driven on nice weather weekends.

IN OTHER WORDS, just exactly the kind of product that a bankrupt, flailing auto company needs to produce to sell in large volume to recover their bottom line --------  NOT !!!!!!

Once the nostalgia sales are over, the market for this car goes to next to nothing. To a large extent, this will also apply to the Camaro, and the Mustang's days are likely limited as well.

In case Chrysler, GM and Ford haven't been following along, the price of gasoline will soon be back in the $1.50 to $2.00 range (by about 2011 or '12) as the recession will be slowly disappearing, and cars will be sold like hotcakes in China, India, et al.

These cars can create "show room buzz" but they are not the saviors of the US auto industry.

[mrthompson]

Yeah, but it's damn sexy.

[Turbo Bob]

Yeah, but it's damn sexy.

I love it!

[Giant Dwarf]

I love it too... but Ovr speaks with the voice of reason here.  The Challenger seems the least practical of the three to me.  The Mustang and even Camaro could reasonably be used for daily-driver duty I'd think -- good enough build quality and fuel consumption isn't too astronomical.  But the SRT8 Challenger is so ridiculously large and thirsty, I've got to figure that after the new-car smell wore off, most people would tire of it very quickly.  Collectors and Mopar nuts will relish it as a weekend toy I suppose.

[ovr50]

Yeah, but it's damn sexy.

I love it!

No doubt it is sexy and cool....that's what the "show room buzz" is I mentioned. But as to how these cars help Chrysler's profit remains to be seen. Of course, should Chrysler cease to exist as in being swallowed up by Fiat, the Challenger could well become a collector's classic. Not going to help Chrysler/Fiat any tho.

Not saying I don't like it. I wouldn't buy one tho but I did have a Mustang a while back. Been there, done that. Just saying it will do little/nothing for the bottom line. Back in the early 80s, when Chrysler was in big financial do-do again, the K-Car saved their bacon, much as ppl on here would never have liked nor bought a K-Car. Lots of others did buy them, and it reallly helped Chrysler out of the hole. The Challenger will not do that.

[johngenx]

I too love the look, and I too think that they needed to make it 7/8 or 3/4 of the size it is.  I also agree that it's not going to do much for Chrysler other than possibly drive some showroom traffic, but so what?  How many people that come to see it will then buy some plebeian daily driver?

Ovr50 is right.  They need another K-Car or Mini-Van.  BUT, this time that product needs to KEEP customers.  The K-car sold like crazy, but it's poor quality then alienated customers and many never came back.  Short term solution based on short term thinking.

Ford is thinking long term.  The Fiesta is a bold move for the US market while gas is $1.90/gal.  They are the only maker that has seemed to notice that Toyota and Honda have never wavered from selling compact cars, developing them over decades and building a loyal base of customers.  Think about cradle to grave with Honda.  A single guy might buy a Civic Coupe, or a Fit to fit his mountain bike in.  A couple could have a Civic, Fit or CR-V.  a young family might chose any of them, and an Odyssey if their family gets bigger.  Lots of empty nesters have a van for ferrying grandkids around, or a small car like a Civic or Fit.

Fit, Civic, Accord, CR-V, Odyssey.  Just five vehicles and practically something for everyone.  Each is rated highly in terms of quality, each has been developed over time without a name change, and even major overhauls (like the 06- Civic) retain the essence of the previous product.

[The Mighty Duck]

The Mustang and even Camaro could reasonably be used for daily-driver duty I'd think -- good enough build quality and fuel consumption isn't too astronomical.  But the SRT8 Challenger is so ridiculously large and thirsty...

It's unfair to compare the SRT to the Mustang GT or base Camaro.  The same people shopping for a Mustang GT500 will consider the Challenger, not the buyers buying V6 Mustangs.

That said, I believe you're right in that even in base trim, the Challenger gets the worst fuel economy of the bunch.  :/  And the interior leaves a lot to be desired.  The V6 Camaro, otoh, is a very attractive package all round.  The V6 Mustang - especially if Ford does give it EcoBoost technology soon - is also a very good car.  Not to mention competition from Hyundai and Nissan.

Why in the world would anyone buy the least competitive of the three from the worst of the three companies, then?  I do find it the most attractive from the outside, but looks alone won't save this car...  :/

[articsteve]

Once the nostalgia sales are over, the market for this car goes to next to nothing. To a large extent, this will also apply to the Camaro, and the Mustang's days are likely limited as well.

At least the billions in subsides are going to the centre of the universe for two of these models. 

[Mitlov]

I can't help but wonder if what is described as a "manly heft" to the clutch is actually code for "you will have a gigantic muscular left thigh after one year of ownership".

Jaeger

Says the G35 fan?

 

[Mitlov]

OK, let's be really honest about this car:

1. it is HUGE, at 197.7" long, with a 116.0" wb. By way of reference, this car is longer than the current 7 Series BMW, no one's small car in any stretch of the imagination..!! By further way of reference, even the new Camaro, while smaller, is also large at about the same overall length as my 535 (about 190" and 3800#). I do not consider my 5 Series a small car.

2. it is HEAVY, at 4140# in SRT8 trim, even 3819# in the cheapest model, the SE. It will inhale gas.

3. it costs over $50K before taxes.

This is a big, heavy, and expensive car that will only appeal to nostalgia freaks. It will be a second or third car that is only driven on nice weather weekends.

IN OTHER WORDS, just exactly the kind of product that a bankrupt, flailing auto company needs to produce to sell in large volume to recover their bottom line --------  NOT !!!!!!

Once the nostalgia sales are over, the market for this car goes to next to nothing. To a large extent, this will also apply to the Camaro, and the Mustang's days are likely limited as well.

In case Chrysler, GM and Ford haven't been following along, the price of gasoline will soon be back in the $1.50 to $2.00 range (by about 2011 or '12) as the recession will be slowly disappearing, and cars will be sold like hotcakes in China, India, et al.

These cars can create "show room buzz" but they are not the saviors of the US auto industry.

Holy cow...enthusiast cars don't make any practical sense?  Never saw that coming    At least the Challenger will fit four adults, unlike many enthusiast cars.

As for the fuel economy...the Challenger SRT-8 6MT is rated at 14 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, 16 mpg combined by the US EPA.  The BMW M3 6MT is rated at 14 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, 16 mpg combined by the US EPA.  I don't hear anybody declaring the M3 a relic of a bygone era...

People will say that "at least the BMW handles superbly and has a nice interior"...maybe that matters to you in your personal choice of cars.  But it has nothing to do with whether a car is "outdated" or "bad for society" or whatever.  The Challenger SRT-8 is no worse of a "car for the times" than an IS-F, M3, C63 AMG, etc.  Indeed, the fact that it's significantly cheaper than those cars may even make it a better car for the times?

[ovr50]

Fine, but nothing of what you said, Mitlov, makes what I said above incorrect.

[The Mighty Duck]

Fine, but nothing of what you said, Mitlov, makes what I said above incorrect.

If by that you mean you're assertion that the Challenger will not save Chrysler, then yes.  And you're probably correct in that.  It's certainly not the right car to divert Chrysler's impending collapse.

But it's still pretty bad-ass. 

[Mitlov]

A niche vehicle isn't going to be a saviour of the automobile industry?  No kidding.  That's a job for bland compacts and midsizers and crossovers.  But this review wasn't of the Sebring or whatever.  This review was about the Challenger.  This car could have better steering than an EVO and out-handle Lotus and it still wouldn't be Chrysler's savior...because all performance vehicles are niche vehicles.  But if it's profitable, it's still worth making, right?  Every profitable car helps.  And I will lay money that Chrysler makes a healthy profit on every SRT-8 it sells.

But enough of the economics!  This is the drive reviews section, not the Industry News section.

I think this car is pure unadulterated badass.  Especially black-on-black.  The looks and sound are just amazing (best in class IMO), and a usable back seat is a big practical advantage over other pony cars.  I just wish they'd done something more unique with the interior.  The pistol-shifter is a start, but not enough.

[Mitlov]

1. it is HUGE, at 197.7" long, with a 116.0" wb. By way of reference, this car is longer than the current 7 Series BMW, no one's small car in any stretch of the imagination..!! By further way of reference, even the new Camaro, while smaller, is also large at about the same overall length as my 535 (about 190" and 3800#). I do not consider my 5 Series a small car.

Another way to look at it is "less than seven inches longer than an Accord coupe."  By the way, I thought it was slightly shorter than the 7-Series, not slightly longer.  But still, six inches longer than an Accord coupe isn't exactly shocking when you remember it's RWD and longitudinal crank and all that.

2. it is HEAVY, at 4140# in SRT8 trim, even 3819# in the cheapest model, the SE. It will inhale gas.

At 4140 lbs, it's about equivalent to an E550 and only 100 lbs heavier than an Audi S5.

3. it costs over $50K before taxes.

Most cars with 425 horsepower cost a whole lot more.

It's no Miata.  It's no RX-8.  But compared to a Teutonic 'Bahn-burner, it's not anything we haven't heard of before.

[ovr50]

Mitlov - yes, I agree it is a "bad ass" car and I am not speaking against the car itself, even if it would not be my choice in this sector. It is irrelevant however, in the situation that Chrysler is in.

[Mitlov]

Mitlov - yes, I agree it is a "bad ass" car and I am not speaking against the car itself, even if it would not be my choice in this sector. It is irrelevant however, in the situation that Chrysler is in.

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[Turbo Bob]

Ovr... You'll never win...

[Rupert]

I don't see a handbrake on this car. It might be that this is required in GB for standard shift versions if exporting were a union requirement. Starting on a steep hill without rolling backwards is a challenge without one. Did someone say rigid rear axle.