Dodge Challenger SRT8: catching the wave or sucked into the undertow?

The Dodge Challenger is symtomatic about what is wrong with Detroit! The car is NOT something that will resurrect Chrysler to greatness. Chrysler needs to get rid of a lot of high-priced Executive level people and start over with a “Car” person who knows the importance of style… Just making the same old cars isn’t a salvation strategy

The only thing I see wrong with the Challenger is the body is not made with metal and it is not even a little loud like the old ones. Otherwise it is a beautiful car.

I own a Toyota Prius and I will own 2009 Challenger when the hype dies down. I recycle and conserve more than most people but I want to park one right beside my 65 Mustang Fastback with EFI that gets 25 MPG. This car is what it is….I don’t think anyone expects it to be GREEN.

I think you are dead wrong! I own one! Number 116. Bottle water is more expensive than gas. Life is short – enjoy it!

1982. That was the first time I heard that Japanese cars were a threat to American car dominance. 26 years later and Ford, G.M., and Chrysler STILL can’t figure out a way to compete. I’ll say what I said after I traded in my crappy 1999 mustang: I want to help the economy, and buy american, so make a product that competes. I still cannot find one american car that wins it’s class against the world’s other cars.
It’s a shame Detroit cant’ figure this out because of arrogance. Please, run and buy a honda or toyota and make these dinosaurs extinct. Maybe then an American car company with new Ideas can rise from the ashes.

This is a wonderful car. People complain about 4 dollar gas. Thats why you buy it as a luxury not a daily driver. The old school challenger is much nicer. And I guarantee you don’t see them cruising down the road everyday. I’m pretty sure that if your buying a car like this for show. You don’t really care how much gas is

In Response to the person asking about the 4 cyl. turbo chrysler made in the 80’s and 90’s. They dropped the 2.2 turbo in in lieu of the 2.0 dodge neon motor. the turbocharged counterpart was placed in the Mitsubishi eclipse. The PT cruisers had a 2.4 Turbo. Turbo’s are more efficient than 8 cyl. for obvious reasons but they are real high maintenance. Thus people who had them and didn’t know how to car for a turbo motor properly or didn’t believe the hype ended up with a scrap heap in about 80 thousand miles

This is a foreign car for Americans, it should sell just fine, its made in Canada.
Brampton Ontario assembly plant on the same line as the Charger and the 300C, it is to replace the Magnum wagon they no longer build.

This is what is wrong with the auto industry today–they live in the past.
After the initial rush to get the car sales will fade as the reality of
$80-$100 fillups sinks in. Lets see if Chrysler can make a nice sporty looking vehicle that gets 40 miles or more to the gallon, most commuters would be interested. This vehicle is a blast from the past, that’s it. No wonder the U.S. auto industry might be out of business soon.

actually….its canadian made…

peace

What ever happened to the 4 cyl turbo that Chrysler used to make? I think a few of them even made it into K-cars and minivans in the late 1980’s.

This car is targeted at a highly profitable niche market. $41k for a car like that isn’t a bad deal, even with the expensive gas. Besides, if you can afford to pay that much for a car like that, you can afford the gas.

Even without the Hemi, the Challenger is an attractive car. Chrysler will get people drooling over the SRT8, but people will actually buy the R/T with the 5.7L V8 or the V6 version. Hopefully, Chrysler will be smart enough to come out with a convertible version.

No one ever purchased a challenger for fuel economy. The car evokes everything that Americans love about America. Powerful, strong, uncompromising, and beautiful; I love car. The commanding & reliable 38 year old 440 is her heart of gold. Challenger owners do not care what the detractors think. The media bashed the original as well – who cares?

Derrick in Etown,

I think your view of the American way is skewed. I thought it always had to do with doing the right thing, working hard, and innovating NEW products to make a living and support our families. Not greed for the sake of greed.

By the way, the ‘green revolution’ will make many American’s unbelievably rich. This is a niche product for a select few and will do nothing for Chrysler’s stock price or to push the envelope of engineering. Make a car that millions around the world will buy and that stock price might go up.

If I had to, I would forclose on my house to be able to buy this car.

Gas prices suck, but it doesn’t mean I can’t afford 12mpg.

If John McCain and his buddie Phil Gramm hadn’t voted for, and been in favor of the Enron loophole, we wouldn’t be paying the high cost of gasoline today. By being in favor of the provison to extend Commodities Futures to crude oil, he’s opened up oil to speculators which has driven up the price of gasoline at least double, buy some estimates. Thats why the Saudis have said that increasing the oil output might not have the impact on oil prices that it would normally. Look it up on Google under “Enron Loophole” and read for yourself.

I always thought Fortune magazine was about money…greed…the American way.I was not aware that it was about butterflies…rainbows…save the whales. Why am I purchasing a 2008 Dodge Challenger…..because it is American made….a beautifully designed vehicle….and most of all, because I can. The only thing “green” I care about is whats on my plate.

What a waste of good engineering power. Way to go Chrysler–you’re stuck in a ’70’s mindset in a world of $4 gas. No wonder US car companies are tanking. Take a cue from Tesla. That is the future of sports cars–this is nothing but regurgitated waste.

I’m an old musclecar guy, having owned two Chrysler Hemi cars (a ‘68 Roadrunner and a ‘70 Hemi Cuda) a LONG time ago.

While the Challenger makes for some fun nostalgia, it will never be a big cash cow for Chrysler. Honda sold 53,000 Civics in May, 2008. Chrysler’s competition for the Civic is *maybe* the Dodge Caliber, and although I don’t know what the sales numbers are, I don’t think they are up there with the Civic.

All of the big three have massive problems right now, because the big pickups and sport utes (Dodge trucks and most every Jeep model in Chrysler’s case) just ran into a giant wall of jello in terms of sales.

The domestics need to focus on desirable and VERY economical small cars, right now. Or ideally, 4-5 years ago. Instead, Chrysler dumped a load of resources into a redesign of the Dodge pickup for 2009. And with ’08’s and earlier year trucks being available for giveaway prices, the pickup as cash cow is all but dead.

I’m in Detroit, and keep rooting for the big three, but they are in the same spot as Chrysler was in 1974, with lots full of their newly-redesigned full size cars that were all but unsaleable. I drive by lots full of Dodge pickups and Jeep Commanders on the way to work every day….pity these aren’t high-mileage economy cars…

Al from Conn.
The problem is that “perception becomes reality”. Granted the US automakers are making SOME pretty decent vehicles. But if you want to buy a high mileage Chevy Cobalt check out the quality rating and it is at the bottom of the list. The real reason that the big three have not put any money into increasing fuel efficiency and smaller cars is because they cannot profitably build a small car. At least in the U.S. While the foreign automakers can, while paying their people more. Why is that? It is a lot easier to get things done with one job classification rather than with 8. Especially when your absentism is sky high. Wait for the coming announcements out of Ford and GM this year. The layoffs and cuts will seem mild to what is about to happen. You cannot suffer 30+% sales declines of your most profitable vehicles and not be in a world of hurt. I personally know that Ford is currently having high level meetings right now that are so secretive that anyone caught diseminating information “will be fired”. I would like nothing more than to see the american auto industry kick butt, but I am amazed how after all these years, they continue to make the same stupid mistakes. Furthermore, why should the management guys continue to get paid millions for being idiots. If you had experience dealing with them as a supplier you would know first hand. For instance GM had their purchasing in Mexico, then I think they moved it to India. Accounts payable was in the Phillipines. It’s laughable because nothing gets done.

“All those characteristics that would have made you king of the high school parking lot – aggressive stance, noisy exhaust, ability to burn rubber – are here in abundance”
- clearly, not your background pal

They should bring back the Dodge Charger Shelby, turbo 4 cylinder, 28 to 30 milers per gallon. Nice little light weigth cars and stylish to boot!

I was lucky enough to see one of these on a trailer in a walmart parking lot last weekend. It’s a beautiful car and screams American muscle just like the latest mustang. I found it odd that it had charger emblems on it though. Black metallic paint job and 20inch black wheels.

Misconception: all foreign, good. All Detroit, bad.
Truth: read what the trade and consumer agencies have to say about individual products generally.
Bottom line: The whole auto industry is far and above the quality level they were at back in the 70’s and 80’s when the american buyer stared to become MPG and quality concious. That goes for Ford, Nissan, M-B, everybody. But the trades and agencies won’t tell you that because, in essence, it renders them obsolete. If the worst cars of today are light years ahead of the best cars of yesterday in terms of quality, reliability, and overall fleet fuel economy, the world doesn’t know it, let alone believe it. In todays market the difference between best and worst is negligible most of the time. Take look at the Ford Fusion; a prime case of perception vs. reality. The trades and consumer groups rated it as high or higher than the competition, yet, the ‘educated’ american consumers are still scrambling to buy elsewhere.
As for the argument that foreign cars are built in his country, the rebuttal is simply that the profits still go out of the country, weakening domestic corporations. If you truly believe that killing off the american companies is a good thing, buy a foreign car. Choice is your right as a free market american consumer.
Let me qualify all I’ve said by saying that there are certainly cases where the foreign car is better, just not always. Challenger, Mustang Camaro are not for everybody and they shouldn’t be.

Those of you who claim that Chrysler isn’t building what the public wants, etc., are you reading these comments?

I personally don’t care what price gas gets to. I’ve still got to drive to work, and if I’ve got to drive, I want something I can be happy with – not a Prius or a Honda.

“Taylor lives in Manhattan and walks to work.”
That pretty well sums it up: A typical out-of-touch Eastern liberal. Come off your island, pal, and see what real folks in the rest of the U.S. are like. We LOVE the Challenger.

Our problem is that we cannot move on. American stell is not dead but since it is being depleted and rising in cost it is time for America to put it to a different use. Yes this car is a great “Flash Back” but time have changed. If people really want to remember or have their mid-life crisis then look at some old pictures. America is beyond this car and we have to look ahead to the future not back to the past- Sorry- I know this distubed a lot of people but it is the truth.

What the author doesn’t realize is that every Challenger made this year was sold before they were even built. So for the summer of 2008 I think Chrysler will be ok this the SRT8. Maybe the mistake will be in the following years but for now they’re set.

Bike riding the commute of 44 miles a day means 6000 – 8000 miles per year of gas free transportation.

Picking up a weekend car like the Challenger, and having a greener footprint than the Prius owner makes it even more satisfying.

The Challenger has great appeal for a significant portion of “baby boomers,” who currently have the greatest purchasing power, looking to grab a portion of the great American muscle car era that was replaced by the dismal “econo-box” era. Between early Dec. ‘07, when Dodge first announced it was taking orders for the ‘08 SRT, and the middle of Jan. ‘08, Dodge received 10,000 orders for only 6,400 slots. Since late May, Dodge has taken another 8,000+ orders for the SRT, RT and SE Challenger models with the majority of orders for the SRT. New orders are limited only due to the allocations Dodge is giving to its dealers. As for the BMW 325i, Challenger purchasers have no desire to own a small, over priced and rather nondescript Bavarian car, not to mention that there is no way you can get a 325i equipped to the same level as the SRT for under $52k.

This car has a ready market and always will. However, Chrysler management keeps missing the boat on what the masses really want and right in front of their nose. Look at the sales of Camery, Accord, and the Hyundai modes. Look at the success of the Prius Hybrid and chrysler is not even close to being in the ball game. By the time they catcup those makes will be a leap year ahead.

Alex, if you would have taken the time to talk to the people in the Dodge dealerships across the country, you would realize that for 2+ years the interest in this car has brought people to our dealerships and websites in tremendous numbers. We got our one and only 2008 Challenger in and had it for only two days before the owner absolutely had to have it, but in that short period it drew probably 100 people in to see it as word spread that one was in town. And as far as not being able to sell it abroad, we had two leads on it from outside the USA, one from Sweden hoping that it was still available. Having said all this, it is not intended to be a high volume seller but it has generated 4 other orders for the vehicle for us for 2009. The 2009 pricing just released for the SE version with the 3.5 six cylnder starts at $21995. At 22 to 28 MPG this version should sell for us too! For those of you out there that crave the contemporary, hard edged european/Japanese styling bloodline that most all new automobiles are bred from, then just look away. I for one love that bold curvacious style so prominent in the 60’s and 70’s. As one of my customers put it,”He misses looking at the curves and lines of his cars and women because that was really what he remembers as being sexy”. This is an American car built for people that remember the period in time when muscle cars were born and now they can afford to drive a new one. By the way, everyone that looked at the 2008 Challenger here at the dealership commented on how great a job that was done on the car inside and out!
I sell Dodge and Chrysler vehicles and am very happy to have the Challenger in our lineup. The floor traffic and the interest in it has been phenominal!

I agree timing isn’t the greatest with gas prices climbing, but you want to talk about bad timing… Chevrolet’s new Camaro will be bad timing when it finally gets released and I don’t see anyone bashing that car. It just keeps popping up in all the chebby bias mags with great reviews and excitment. And then there’s Ford, producing the 500-600hp cobra Mustang. Or how about the imports and their high speed, gas guzzling, Italian sports/race cars. Bet they get great gas mileage and probably sell millions! Whatever.

As a current 1971 Challenger owner, I cannot wait to own one of these cars. Will I drive it everyday? Nope. But even if I did, how is it any different than the millions of americans who drive their SUV’s or V8 Pickup trucks everyday? Its not! Will the Challenger save Chrysler? No. But it was never meant to. As for those of you who think its “to 1970’s”, go buy a 2008 Charger then since that looks NOTHING like the name sake it was badged after.

Mr. Taylor, one piece of advice for you, stay out of our american muscle heritage and continue driving your Honda/Toyota or whatever it is you drive. You don’t belong in an American automobile.

Let the real detroit auto purists own this car!

This car is a hybrid. It burns gas and rubber! Go Chrysler, it`s about time.

This article treats what I am guessing will be a super-limited production car as if Chrysler expects it to be its bread and butter.
However, if this car is being produced to show nostalgic iron or something, WHY? Chrysler needs to show it can satisfy the masses…not the few.

Great article and so true. This is a prime example of exactly what is wrong with the American auto industry and why if they keep on the same old track they will die a quick death. Again we are in the “reaction mode”. It’s great that they have spent a lot of their precious resources developing a nich car which would be desired by so few and renegotiated their UAW contracts that won’t save them money until 2010. Unfortunately Honda and Toyota is eating all of their lunches and will continue to do so as long as gas keeps climing and they further their lead in Hybrid technology and now hydrogen vehicles. They have vision, but our vision can’t get past the next quarter. You can buy a high gas mileage car from the big three if you want a sub compact car. The best we can do is recycle old nameplates from the 60’s with present day technology but with the same subpar quality. The book I read called “The death of Detroit” kind of spells out how we gave the entire industry to the Japanese because of nimwit decisions like these. Both our families fathers retired from Chrysler as salaried people. This is the first time in my life I am considering buying a Honda for the sole fact that they have what I am looking for in a vehicle and the total cost of ownership is lower when you take into account gasoline mileage, resale, quality, maintenance and just about every other thing that is important when buying any product. The fact that I get to buy a Chrysler product on my parents special pricing plan does not matter. The energy situation is forcing car buyers into looking at the total cost of ownership over the life of the vehicle versus simply the price of the car. The buy American to save jobs arguement is no longer relevant. Most of the foreign cars in this market are produced here and more are proposing building plants here everyday. Unfortunately the “here” will not be Michigan. The funny thing is that a Honda or Toyota worker makes more money per hour than a UAM worker in Detroit when you add in profit sharing and 401K contributions.

Can you be so desprite to take the other side of a story, that you miss the point?
A limited production car, built on the LX plateform to remind buyers that American iron is not dead.
If your looking at this beast as a daily driver, then once again you dont understand the concept behind the concept….

It’s all about the nostalgia, people. Some of the comments are inline with Chrysler’s motif here. This car is for anyone who is passionate about classic american muscle cars (without the mechanic’s bill on the maintenance of a 30+ yr old car). If the world was full of hybrids, here is where one indulges

I do agree that these kind of cars are bought just for the fun of having them. The issue here is that Chrysler cannot afford spending resources in something that would not give them back the money they need to continue manufacturing “normal” cars or “inspiring” cars like this.

This is an astonishing, exciting new vehicle being produced by Chrysler. Its first year production run was sold out before it even hit the market. It seems to me writers like Mr. Alex Taylor have no concept of what a “fun” car is all about. Maybe he should start driving to work instead of walking. Then he might be able to provide a fair assessment regarding the automobiles he writes about.

This author is a Birkenstock wearing Prius driving, metrosexual.
The Challenger is sold out for 08 and lrders for 09’s are piling up. I suppose if I were a big city tree hugging liberal I would hate this car as well. But Im not and I have one on order for 09.

Alex, Alex, Alex….I’ve emailed you about this in the past. These vehicles are never meant to be sold in any type of quantity. For the 2008 model year only 7000 are being made. Comparing that to the Camry which sells over 350,000 units a year is complete rubbish. There will always ALWAYS be a place for performance cars like this in the US marketplace. The difference is that only the people who can truly afford them or want one will be driving them. I’m actually thanking gas prices for weeding out the people who don’t really appreciate the power and history of the vehicle they’re driving. From now on, you’ll only see true enthusiasts with toys like these, and make no mistake that’s exactly what a Challenger SRT8 is: a toy.

I don’t see the new Challengers as a blunder any more than what Ford or GM has done with their retro muscle cars. Having owned a ‘70 Challenger, I was excited to see and hear about this reintroduction. I look forward to that trip down memory lane over and over again once I get one of the new ones of my own. As previously stated, people don’t buy this type of car for it’s fuel economy. There are no expectations of great mileage. People will buy these cars for the excitement they generate and the memories they will be able to re-live. Now, where’s the ragtop?

The goal of this car is to raise awareness for the Dodge/Chrysler name brand, not to sell millions of the SRT8’s. Why do all the libs care what the gas mileage is, they don’t drive American cars anyways. As long as they have their prius, CNN, global warming updates, and $4 Starbucks, they should be happy and they shouldn’t need to annoy the rest of us. And speaking for the rest of us, a true American Muscle Car with a roaring V-8 is something we are all glad to see from Detroit.

“Looks like Chrysler’s timing was terrible enough to be completely sold out of all 6,400 2008 Challenger SRT8’s produced. And at a huge premium over sticker no less!”

Wow, all 640,000 sold? Already? Oh wait, sorry. All 64,000 sold. No wait, all 6,400 sold? You mean they already sold a year’s production of Challengers in what Honda sells in 1/2 month of Civics? Now THAT is impressive!

Gee, how many were purchased for “investment” purposes and will never see 10 miles on the odometer?

We can only hope and pray that Chrysler goes out of business.

Chrysler will be propping this one up with company $$ for a while, maybe forever. At a minimum of 45k drive out and $85/tank that only gets you 220 miles if you can keep your foot out of it, this won’t sell much to anyone but collectors (who won’t drive them much anyway). Production cars require mass sales to the public for any real return on investment. Thats not likely to happen here. Even the smaller engine models are way to heavy to make good numbers. This is just the wrong product for today’s marketplace.

Keep in mind that this is not a daily driver. Most of these cars will be purchased and only driven on weekends and holidays. Then they’ll be washed, dried with a diaper and stuffed back in the garage. it’s a hobby or pastime like a boat (which waste far more gas than any car) but I don’t see anyone screaming to ban the motorboat.

Chrysler also announced it is going ahead with the Hornet for 2010 or 2011. That’s a small car. Where’s the press?

This is not my type of car, never has been….but come on Alex…..this model was concieved and greenlit well before the speculators and commodity brokers screwed us with oil (and we all know they are one of the main reasons for the record run-up) Also the SRT8…the showpiece of the Challenger line…is a low production model. It was never concieved and produced to sell to the masses in the numbers of a Corolla, Civic, or Cobalt. The v6 models arriving later will be the volume leaders for the Challenger. Give Xhrysler a break why don’t you. I own a 06 Crossfire Roadster and it is the best car I have ever owned. Not a problem in 60,000 miles, averages 28mpg and still tight as a drum.

American manufacturers are again showing their true self and not watching what the majority of the public wants to buy. The planners at Chrysler/Dodge should be fired, and new blood hired that understands market demands, rather than egotistical, outrageous and unsellable gas guzzling Detroit iron. It’s the same ridiculous view at Chrysler that the minivan will remain a popular sale…in your dreams! Wake up, or go broke. I won’t buy this car, and won’t recommend it to anyone I know.

I wonder if the author is familiar with the term “halo car.” A halo car by itself does not need to appeal everything the buying public wants, nor does it necessarily need to be practical for every region. What it needs to do is generate excitement and enthusiasm for the brand.

The Ford GT, for example, is hardly a practical car. It also was priced at $150,000 (although no dealer was crazy enough to sell it that low when they first came out), but it generated buzz and interest in the Ford brand.

I can’t argue that timing on the Challenger may be poor with the recent surge of fuel prices, but nonetheless it’s still important to show buyers that you can make something fun. Some people can view a car in a truly utilitarian way, but most of us at least try to pretend that we want something sporty and exciting.

So even if the Challenger ultimately doesn’t sell that well, if it makes people excited about Dodge again and what products may come out in the future, well then, maybe it served its purpose after all.

Let me guess, You own a prius

Have fun driving your prius while I am guzzling gas in the Challenger!

I have seen this for the last 15 years.
They keep on reintroducing old cars
with few twists to appeal emotionally to good old days.
They are completely miising on what
today’s young people want. Challengers
or Corvette looks no match for Lexus
or Benz or BMW sports cars.
20 yrs US GM, Ford & Chrysler are going
downhill not because of health care costs of their reitiree but making lousy cars. for 20 yrs I bought GM then Ford cars. since 2004 I bought 3 Hondas and visited Ford dealer once only.Dealers showrooms are totally empty. Hardly any trafiic. Visit Honda showroom and you see the difference.
Executives & complete Board need to be replaced at GM.
Sad part is Honda & Toyota are designed in studio in USA but GM cannot
even duplicate with their resouces.
I guarantee GM market share will drop to less than 15% in 5 yrs or less.

It is a replay of the 70’s! big power pony cars, (Mustang, Challenger, Camero) and high gas prices will kill them again!

this is such crap from yet another democratic, liberal who wants oil never to be drilled in the usa, lets keep importing asian cars, taking more and more jobs away from americans, and hey its time for a change “walk to work like he does” of course he lives in new york. IF people want to drive this car why not, it is hard enough to develop new products when these back stabbing journalists do this, if somebody handed him the keys to a challenger he would be the first to drive away hopefully unnoticed, and put a smile on his face.

Correct me if i’m wrong, is not the first years production already sold out? I may not be using the right measuring stick. This smell like a winner.

What about writing about the merits of the car, rather than some treatise on gas prices? Not a biased Mopar fan here, but an auto enthusiast who seems to have more of a clue than the author.

for a base price of 41,200, u can get a 335i coupe (albeit without leather)with twin turbos and a tested 0-60 of 4.9, almost as fast as the challenger. u get better gas mileage, legendary handling, perfect 50/50 weight distribution, AND full FREE maintenance for 4 years. how could anyone buy the challenger?

Looks like Chrysler’s timing was terrible enough to be completely sold out of all 6,400 2008 Challenger SRT8’s produced. And at a huge premium over sticker no less!

THEY DIDN’T BRING THIS CAR OUT FOR FUEL MILEAGE.THE PUBLIC WANTED THEM TO BRING THIS CAR OUT IT ALMOST DID’T BRING IT OUT. AS FAR DETROIT AUTOMAKERS GO THEY HAVE AS MANY FUEL EFFICIENT CARS AS THE JAPENESE YOU IN THE MEDIA JUST DON’T WRITE ABOUT THAT!

They must be doing something right, as all of the 2009 Challengers were sold before they were even built.

Try buying one. They already have orders for all of the 2008 production run. When someone buys a car like this they are not buying it for fuel economy.

Nardelli and Company should have had the courage and wisdom to have stopped production of this relic dead in its tracks, and sent the prototype (if there was one) to a museum or a Hollywood props department. Bad judgment. 18 mpg highway?13 mpg city? What planet are these folks on?

Please, what a one sided article. There will still be huge demand for this car even with the ever increasing price at the pump.