 2013 Dodge Charger SRT8. Click image to enlarge |
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Test Drive: 2011 Dodge Charger R/T AWD
Manufacturer’s web site |
Review by Mike Schlee, photos by Mike Schlee and courtesy Dodge
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2013 Dodge Charger
So it is time to replace the Wagon Queen Family Truckster and upgrade to a new vehicle to transport your brood. You are not too keen on a minivan or a crossover, but want something big in the way of a family sedan. Not just any four-door sedan will do, though; you want something a little less sensible, something aggressive, and something that will stir your soul. Well, you are in luck. Dodge will be more than happy to put you behind the wheel of a 470-hp 2013 Dodge Charger SRT8 complete with 900 watts of ear-blasting stereo power.
 2013 Dodge Charger SRT8. Click image to enlarge |
Behold the 2013 Dodge Charger SRT8. Let’s get this out of the way, right away; this car is excessive in every way—including excessively fun. The Charger SRT8 represents a dying breed of excessive, heavyweight high-powered muscle cars. Did I mention it’s excessive? This is either a tragedy or a revelation depending on what side of the muscle car fence you sit on. I, for one, find it a bit tragic that these brutes may one day disappear from our roads, as there is a giddy, almost juvenile fun elicited by the SRT. But, as manufacturers scramble to meet today’s ever changing social, economic, and environmental challenges, there appears to be no other solution in the short term other than to start downsizing and reducing power. Thankfully, we are not quite at that day yet.
For 2013, Dodge has given the SRT Charger an enhanced adaptive damping suspension that allows for three settings that adjust the suspension tuning. Also new for 2013, there is standard launch control and the return of the Super Bee model.
 2013 Dodge Charger SRT8. Click image to enlarge |
At the heart of every SRT8 product is Chrysler’s hairy chested 6.4L Hemi V8. In the 2013 Charger, it produces 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. For 2013, all SRT products receive an in-dash performance tracker that can record 0–100 and quarter-mile times as well as g forces achieved while accelerating, braking, and turning. Even with 1,980 kg to haul around, on the closed roads of the Chelsea Proving Grounds, I was able to achieve 0–60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.9 seconds and complete the quarter-mile in 12.8 seconds according to the computer readout. Considering this was achieved on dusty, broken pavement, that is quite impressive.
Launching this car is difficult, though, and I did not have time to learn how to operate the new launch control system. The rear tires easily light up in a smoke show from a stop so careful applications of power are needed to get the most out of this car.
    2013 Dodge Charger SRT8. Click image to enlarge |
Once underway though, the Charger SRT8 produces rocket-ship-like thrust. The normally muted V8 roars to life as the car hustles down the road. Unfortunately, unlike the Challenger SRT8, the Charger SRT8 does not offer a six-speed manual transmission and must make do with a five-speed automatic. In today’s age of seven- and eight-speed automatics, five may seem paltry, but that is all you really need with the kind of power the SRT8 produces.
I had the chance to drive the Charger on city streets, highways, and the track. The steering offers little feedback but it doesn’t matter too much as the car just grips thanks to its upgraded 245/45R20 Goodyear F1 Supercar summer tires. If pushed hard enough, the Charger tends to understeer on the track, but a quick steering input combined with a little throttle input activating the limited slip differential in the rear end will help rotate the car around. The transmission in sport mode held gears as I hustled through corners, allowing me to get back on the power quickly, which is this cars forté, upon corner exit. Two hundred km/h on a track arrives alarmingly fast, but is still so stable. In the end though, this is not a sports car, but rather a sledgehammer; a muscle car in the truest form.
On the road, the suspension in sport mode is rough and becomes noticeably smoother with sport mode turned off. The car tracks straight on the highway. It is incredibly complacent and its cylinder deactivation system tries its best to save fuel.
The new bodywork released in 2011 for the Charger looks outstanding once given the SRT treatment. The exterior looks mean, aggressive and fast; all while still parked. Inside the red leather and suede seats accent the red exterior and the lovely stitched door inserts are the perfect accent. I found the front seats were too wide for me and featured a strange bulge near the top of my shoulders. In case the V8 soundtrack isn’t enough aural pleasure, there is an optional Harman/Kardon premium audio system with 19 speakers, 10-inch subwoofer, and producing 900-watts of power. It literally rocked me in my seat.
With the ability to easily haul four grown-ups and their belongings thanks to a 500 L trunk, the Charger is as versatile as it is fast. Sure, it is flashy and will cost a small mortgage to keep full of premium fuel. But for those who want a relatively cheap way to get nearly 500 hp and be able to take friends out to dinner, the SRT8 is worth a look.
Pricing: 2013 Dodge Charger SRT8
Base price: $48,095
Options: N/A
A/C tax: $100
Freight: $1,500
Price as tested: N/A
Competitors
2013 Chrysler 300C SRT8
2012 Ford Taurus SHO
2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan 5.0 R-Spec
