Born on the fourth of July
May 23, 2008
The American dream is alive in the form of the new Dodge Challenger, ready to drive at last. Cooler than the original?
Challenger and Son of Challenger. The family resemblence is almost uncanny...
If there's one thing life teaches you, it's don't, 
whatever you do, buy the first generation of any new car on the market. Inevitably, they have been built to hit an on-sale deadline, which doesn't allow for a proper fettling of the thing. If you wanted to be cynical - and accurate - you'd almost say the companies do it on purpose, so that the second generation can herald thousands of improvements that should have probably been on the original.
Take the 2008 Dodge Challenger as an example. When the 6,400 people who ordered the first run of the all-new Dodge Challenger climbed over each other to get their name on the title of one of the first cars, they probably didn't pay too much attention to the spec of their new-old ride. They were one of the first to own one, and that
was all that mattered. They'll have known they were taking delivery of an SRT8 version - the highest state of tune in the Dodge hierarchy, after the mid-range R/T and base V6-powered SE variants. They'll have taken comfort from the 6.1-litre V8's 435bhp and five-ish second 0-60mph time. And they'll have thought they'd got a bargain.
But the purists can't have been anything other than a little disappointed to have a five-speed auto as the only gearbox option. They don't want to go cruising in the Challenger, they want to go for a Vanishing Point-style blast. And for that fully authentic thrill, you really need a manual gearbox - and the original pistol-grip shifter.
whatever you do, buy the first generation of any new car on the market. Inevitably, they have been built to hit an on-sale deadline, which doesn't allow for a proper fettling of the thing. If you wanted to be cynical - and accurate - you'd almost say the companies do it on purpose, so that the second generation can herald thousands of improvements that should have probably been on the original.Take the 2008 Dodge Challenger as an example. When the 6,400 people who ordered the first run of the all-new Dodge Challenger climbed over each other to get their name on the title of one of the first cars, they probably didn't pay too much attention to the spec of their new-old ride. They were one of the first to own one, and that
was all that mattered. They'll have known they were taking delivery of an SRT8 version - the highest state of tune in the Dodge hierarchy, after the mid-range R/T and base V6-powered SE variants. They'll have taken comfort from the 6.1-litre V8's 435bhp and five-ish second 0-60mph time. And they'll have thought they'd got a bargain.But the purists can't have been anything other than a little disappointed to have a five-speed auto as the only gearbox option. They don't want to go cruising in the Challenger, they want to go for a Vanishing Point-style blast. And for that fully authentic thrill, you really need a manual gearbox - and the original pistol-grip shifter.
>'It's fair to say the super-exclusive '08 car became the how-can-I-offload-this-and-get-an-'09-model-instead'
So the news released at the New York show in mid March that the second batch, all R/Ts and
SEs, will have not only a six-speed manual gearbox with pistol-grip shifter option, but also a limited-slip diff and tweaks to make the suspension better, will have probably spoilt several hundred people's day. At that drop-the-mug, sonofabitch moment, it seems fair to say their super-exclusive '08 car became the how-can-I-offload-this-one-and-get-an-'09-model-instead...
While it might seem like detail freakery to worry about such things, I'm afraid it really does matter on cars like these. The five-speed auto box might do a great job at slurring between the gears, and its semi-auto mode might work well, but it just isn't any real substitute for the full
manual experience. On third, or even fourth, cars like this Challenger (after his car, her car, the kids' car, etc.), it's the detailing that makes all the difference. They are being bought as full-scale toys, not transport. Which is why the interior is one of the key moans with this car. Having driven the fabulously detailed concept a couple of years ago, the updated take on the original inside was one of the standout features. That clearly didn't make the cut as, short of a couple of minor detail changes, it's almost exactly the same as the rest of the big Dodge models. It's all nice and comfy, with music hard drives, satnav and buttons galore, but the Challenger is about raw detailing, not electrickery.
SEs, will have not only a six-speed manual gearbox with pistol-grip shifter option, but also a limited-slip diff and tweaks to make the suspension better, will have probably spoilt several hundred people's day. At that drop-the-mug, sonofabitch moment, it seems fair to say their super-exclusive '08 car became the how-can-I-offload-this-one-and-get-an-'09-model-instead...While it might seem like detail freakery to worry about such things, I'm afraid it really does matter on cars like these. The five-speed auto box might do a great job at slurring between the gears, and its semi-auto mode might work well, but it just isn't any real substitute for the full
manual experience. On third, or even fourth, cars like this Challenger (after his car, her car, the kids' car, etc.), it's the detailing that makes all the difference. They are being bought as full-scale toys, not transport. Which is why the interior is one of the key moans with this car. Having driven the fabulously detailed concept a couple of years ago, the updated take on the original inside was one of the standout features. That clearly didn't make the cut as, short of a couple of minor detail changes, it's almost exactly the same as the rest of the big Dodge models. It's all nice and comfy, with music hard drives, satnav and buttons galore, but the Challenger is about raw detailing, not electrickery.The inside of the manual R/T is better than the 
SRT8's, as it features at least two of the key interior features from the original car. There's the pistol-grip shifter and the seats are pleated, albeit horizontally and not vertically as per the original. The three-spoke steering wheel is nowhere to be seen, though. But as disappointing as the interior is, the rest of the car is an almost exact copy of the gorgeous concept. The trademark gaping front grille and broad rear light bar still sandwich the classic design's fluid curves, the five-spoke alloys fill the wheelarches perfectly, and there are a couple of eye-popping colours apart from the fierce orange of the concept. It looks right.
And best of all, it goes right, too. It's four inches shorter than a Charger, but the Challenger's chassis is otherwise a direct lift from that same,
rear-drive, independently suspended LX platform. It's not light - at 1,833kg, it's actually a complete porker, being some 268kg heavier than a V8 Mustang - but it puts out so much power and torque it hides its bulk well.
The suspension is on the authentically soft side of firm, but the handling isn't too bad. With independent rear suspension, it doesn't need vision-blurringly hard suspension to get grip, and so the ride is nothing short of plush.
SRT8's, as it features at least two of the key interior features from the original car. There's the pistol-grip shifter and the seats are pleated, albeit horizontally and not vertically as per the original. The three-spoke steering wheel is nowhere to be seen, though. But as disappointing as the interior is, the rest of the car is an almost exact copy of the gorgeous concept. The trademark gaping front grille and broad rear light bar still sandwich the classic design's fluid curves, the five-spoke alloys fill the wheelarches perfectly, and there are a couple of eye-popping colours apart from the fierce orange of the concept. It looks right.And best of all, it goes right, too. It's four inches shorter than a Charger, but the Challenger's chassis is otherwise a direct lift from that same,
rear-drive, independently suspended LX platform. It's not light - at 1,833kg, it's actually a complete porker, being some 268kg heavier than a V8 Mustang - but it puts out so much power and torque it hides its bulk well.The suspension is on the authentically soft side of firm, but the handling isn't too bad. With independent rear suspension, it doesn't need vision-blurringly hard suspension to get grip, and so the ride is nothing short of plush.
>'The SRT8 sounds rumblelicious, the new R/T takes the silverware for the best muscle car exhaust sound ever'
The unexpected flip side of this is the car's extraordinary high-speed stability. It might not look
like it, but, Dodge says, the new car creates enough downforce to do a 150mph rapid lane change without somersaulting. I'll take their word for that...
I'll also take a recording of the exhaust note, please. While the SRT8 sounds rumblelicious, it's the new R/T that takes the silverware for the best muscle car exhaust sound ever. The reason for the distinct difference is the R/T's exhaust system. Where the SRT8's engine exhales out of a pressed steel muffler, the R/T fires its exhaust out of two low-backpressure bottle resonators that gargle the fumes before spitting them out.
So the manual R/T is definitely the pick of the Challenger bunch, the closest to the original and
the most fun. All the time you're driving the SRT8, you're thinking what extra fun you would be having if you were in the manual car, with the better noise, the better drive, and for less money. 6,400 people got it wrong the first time around.
Now the important thing for them to remember is not to make the same mistake with the convertible, due out sometime next year. Can't wait - but then again, maybe I can
like it, but, Dodge says, the new car creates enough downforce to do a 150mph rapid lane change without somersaulting. I'll take their word for that...I'll also take a recording of the exhaust note, please. While the SRT8 sounds rumblelicious, it's the new R/T that takes the silverware for the best muscle car exhaust sound ever. The reason for the distinct difference is the R/T's exhaust system. Where the SRT8's engine exhales out of a pressed steel muffler, the R/T fires its exhaust out of two low-backpressure bottle resonators that gargle the fumes before spitting them out.
So the manual R/T is definitely the pick of the Challenger bunch, the closest to the original and
the most fun. All the time you're driving the SRT8, you're thinking what extra fun you would be having if you were in the manual car, with the better noise, the better drive, and for less money. 6,400 people got it wrong the first time around.Now the important thing for them to remember is not to make the same mistake with the convertible, due out sometime next year. Can't wait - but then again, maybe I can
No comments:
Post a Comment