When I first got the keys to our 2009 Dodge Challenger as my weekend car on Friday, I have to admit I was kinda bummed about it. "If I change my mind, I'll let you know," I told Mike Schmidt, the keeper of keys, so he could pass them on to the next person in line for cars. The Challenger is too big for my urban lifestyle, I'm not crazy about driving stick in the omnipresent L.A. traffic and ever since I got in a car accident last year (different car) I've been extra skittish about its blind spot via the passenger-side B-pillar.
But then things changed over the course of the weekend. I LOVE this car. It's so bad-ass. People actually move out of my way. Yesterday when I was on the freeway on the far left lane, I was at least two or three car lengths behind a 350Z. We were going the same speed and I wasn't putting pressure on him or anything but inexplicably he moves out of my way. And when I drive past him, he jumps back into the lane right behind me. Weirrrd and neat! This happened with other cars, too, even SUVs.
I wouldn't mind having this as a road-trip car. The seats are comfortable; score that there are seat heaters. And it has satellite radio.
My only beef is with the navigation. It feels like it takes forever to plug in an address. But no biggie. Anyway, I'm glad I didn't hand the keys over to someone else this weekend.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 20,341 miles
lowmilelude says:
11:58 AM, 02/22/10
It is somewhat menacing, isn't it? In California do they let you park something that looks that sinister within 100ft of a school or public park?
dougtheeng says:
12:16 PM, 02/22/10
I love its presence and authority. Handling numbers be damned!
clay92 says:
01:00 PM, 02/22/10
Is that the rear-view mirror of the XC60?
exnevadan says:
02:21 PM, 02/22/10
When I see one in my rearview, I move over, turn down the radio and roll down the window. M3, S4/S5, Mustang, Challenger, most things V8 - same treatment. Different sounds maybe, but all worth it.
roadburner says:
03:51 PM, 02/22/10
If I wanted a retromobile to relive my ill-spent musclecar/street racing youth the R/T would be the only choice. I'd buy a Mustang GT if I wanted something that looked retro but was still a somewhat competent track toy.
nlxsteve says:
08:08 PM, 02/22/10
Is it me or does it look like that Challenger is a right-hand driver?
badblackrt says:
09:35 PM, 02/22/10
Yeah those Challengers are "one of a kind"
I love mine!!
sk8nsanta says:
05:16 AM, 02/23/10
I get the same treatment when I'm out with mine! It's a truly great feeling. And I do the same thing as exnevaden does, roll down the windows when I'm around any other car worth hearing....which isn't many these days.
chuckg says:
06:51 AM, 02/23/10
Part of the Challenger experience is yes, people will move over for you. When you pass them up, they'll just gawk at you and wonder what type of car is that. I can go months without seeing another one on the road.
Last fall, my buddy and I, who also owns a Challenger, were cruising down the Ohio Turnpike at 70mph. Now, you can drive the entire length of the turnpike and not see another Challenger, but here were two of them in a row. The mouth-open stares, the kids smiling, the drivers slowing down to take a good look, that's how it went for our 75 mile trip.
They move over because the Challenger is bad-ass, yes. Most just want to look at the car though. It's one beautiful machine.
cr_driver says:
04:49 PM, 02/23/10
Just 2 car lengths? Maybe 3?
That is still kinda close to the other car, so a bit understandable.
But point taken nonetheless.
caroscuro says:
04:05 PM, 03/ 1/10
cr_driver,
Yeah, there was some traffic.