IL Track Tested: 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 6MT

That is some incredibly impressive braking given how much of a pig this car is.

Nice job Dodge.

Two door sedan? Why not? They already have four-door coupes.

*sigh* here we go again.

Definition of a coupe vs. sedan according to SAE standards: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-coupe-and-a-sedan.htm

What's to get excited about here? Any Vette can blow the doors off this thing, on the drag strip or the track. Why would anyone want to buy one? Why would IL waste cyber space reporting on it?

Be Fast. Own a Vette!

Zr1man... REALLY? Just go away.

Uh......why is everything listed BUT the most important thing, the price of the car?

Way to go, Editor!
BD

We don't usually report the price on IL Track Tested. It's a good point, though, I'll add it henceforth when available. This one's $47,565 as equipped.
-mm

It's more relevant here, since someone brought up Corvette performance, and since this car cost only $2k less than a new 2011 'Vette

Honestly, I thought the thing was around $42k. Probably is stripped.

Not a good buy anywhere north of $40k. Camaro SS has similar performance for $10k less
BD

The Boss Mustang is just about as fast and is less expensive. With regard to handling, Chrysler keeps bringing this rubber chicken to a gun fight.

I long for the Viper vs Vette days when Chrysler actually made competitive performance relative to its rivals.

Please, for the love of God, ban ZR1Man's IP address.
He may have a right to free speech, but not if it infringes on my right to sanity.
Seriously, dude: 1. These are not the fastest times for this car. MT places this car to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. 2. The Challenger has a massive trunk, 5 seats, and an interior that's not held together with chewing gum and scotch tape, like the Corvette. And you don't look like a massive tool for owning one. Go away.

I know it's not the same type of car, but the Audi S4 has AWD, will get 29 MPG on the highway, and will do a 4.9 second 0-60 with 29 MPG on the highway, with a base of approximately $47K, same as the Challenger.

However, I like the Challenger's look and am guessing it sounds pretty good as well. Brakes well for such a large car. Also like the look of the Boss, but not the Laguna Seca version.

Does the SRT get the cylinder deactivation?

I know it's not the same type of car, but the Audi S4 has AWD, will get 29 MPG on the highway, and will do a 4.9 second 0-60 with 29 MPG on the highway, with a base of approximately $47K, same as the Challenger.

However, I like the Challenger's look and am guessing it sounds pretty good as well. Brakes well for such a large car. Also like the look of the Boss, but not the Laguna Seca version.

Does the SRT get the cylinder deactivation?

MT tested The Boss at 3.97, I think?
BD

What amazes me is that this monster car gets by with such skinny tires. 255 rear tires on a 470 hp, 4300 lbs car? The comparatively skinny M3 gets 265s and the similarly sized CTS-V gets 285s. Heck, even my 330 hp G37 (3650 lbs) runs 245 rears and I feel it is undertired. I bet some more serious rubber would knock a few tenths off its acceleration times.

Pretty impressive nonetheless.

nice images !! I like the Challenger's look and am guessing it sounds pretty good as well. Brakes well for such a large car. Also like the look of the Boss, but not the Laguna Seca version.

how does it axle hop if it has independent rear suspension? also 470hp and only 12.9 1/4 mile i find this hard to believe. the challenger definently is a nice car but i couldent imagine somone living with one every day. at least not considering how expensive they are. maybe when these cars get dirt cheep in the used market they will be more livable

@bassrockerx, actually the challenger resale values are high because their volumes are so low compared to common mustangs and camaros.

Can we get some old SRT numbers put up side by side to see the improvement? Thats really the story here.

When I test drove one I was able to get 26mpg cruising at 75 in 6th gear. You could live with this ting everyday. Its big, its comfortable, has a usable back seat and trunk, and gets decent gas mileage. Its loud when you want it to be, and quiet when you don't. Perfect cruiser, not a track queen.

zr1man, go to corvetteforum.com and gtrguy2012, go to gtrforums.com. I think I just made advise anyone could've given to anyone, although they'd prolly get their troll-a$$ kicked out there anyways.

That's a lot of cash for that car. Still think it's one of the best looking cars out there though. I don't know if I could take it over a Boss, even with the tradeoffs in livability/seating. At least the Boss gives me an excuse to not drive anyone around.

Kinda a fatty, but looks like the power makes up for that problem rather well.

For all those doing comparisons: you just don't get it. This car is like a drivable version of an old GTO or Challenger. It's not supposed to out track a sports sedan or sports car.

It's big. It looks cool. It sounds great. It gets out of its own way. Comparing slalom numbers is just dumb. Go cruise a strip in an Audi S4 or a Mustang and see how much attention you get. Even ecominded business women I know have asked me what these are when they go by.

I would never buy one of these - I'm not a boulevard cruiser myself - but I think it's cool that Dodge is building them. And in my opinion, REAL car lovers should enjoy a diversity of vehicles. And I tell you what - these are going to be some serious collectors' items down the road. Low sales, lots of gas guzzling horsepower - you will be telling your kids about how you could have picked one of these up for a measly $45 grand, and kicking yourself that you didn't do it.

Love the sound of that engine.

I too think alot of people are missing the point of the Challenger. It won't out run everything out there. It's not the best value out there.

It's a big, brash, comfortable muscle car. Oh, and it's straight line and braking numbers aren't too shabby either.

I would take one over a Mustang or Camaro because I think it just looks cooler and you don't see as many on the road.

I said it once and I'll say it again. I would chose this car all day long over the Mustang, Vette, Camaro and ect. ect. None of them have the road/street presence that this car has. I saw a black one the other day and didn't notice the Mustang and Camaro til they were about a quarter mile away. When you see one you just can't help but stare wishing it was you behind the wheel(at least that's my thoughts).

@bassrockerx: IRS can still get axle hop. I thought the Challenger was using Nivomats to combat this? Maybe they need to look at asymmetrical half shafts instead?

I own a 09 Challenger R/T. I didn't buy it based on numbers. Who cares what the numbers are. I bought based on looks and the fact that that it has a ton of road presence. You'd be surprised how many famous people drive a Dodge Challenger. Do they catch your eye when you see one?

Like others have stated these are low volume cars and they aren't cheap. Dodge sells about 3500 of them a month. I understand that there are many people out there that don't get this car. And that's OK. Just enjoy what you're driving.

Looking for a new car? Go test drive a Challenger. I think you'll understand what these cars are all about after a drive. Who knows, maybe you'll even buy one.

I'm sure a Corvette will outrun this in a straight line and around curves.

But the Challenger SRT-8 is less common, it's still very fast, it has a back seat you can use if you need it, and while I think both the Corvette and the Challenger are beautiful I like the look of the Challenger better.

New challenger, same old challenger ............

1970: immense motor, crappy chassis, brakes and non existent handling. Half the HP wasted on burnt tires.
Enter the time machine and warp to 2012..........
Same thing!!!!!! WOW!!!!!! Now that's progress ROLF!

@6sptl, yes it has a big motor, the chassis is great, the brakes are great, and the handling is good (just not competitive to things it doesn't compete against)

Go troll somewhere else or get a valid argument.

Regarding axle hop, an IRS-equipped car is much more prone to it than a car with a straight axle. Every IRS-equipped car will do it to some extent, even the high-end Euro sedans.

Dodge changed most of the bushings along with the other suspension refinements for '11, partly in an attempt to address axle hop.

Pros: Most faithful retro look, size gets it noticed, largest interior, you don't see one everyday, sounds like a bad-ass
Cons: 2nd rate performer compared to other pony/muscle cars, zero steering feel, others beat it easily in bang for buck

Verdict: Poseur-mobiles don't get any better than this. Chicks will love it. Avoid stoplight races at all cost!
BD

I think I'd be more interested in a 470HP minivan. This thing weighs as much as one, so might as well make it a little more versatile....

Amazing braking... buts its just too f-ugly for me. Its ungainly.

5.0 Mustang yes.

Challenger hell no.

It's too big for my tastes....but I understand why some like it.

@blackdynamite0: Posermobiles generally don't run 12's. I've driven all 3 of the pony/musclecars, and the Chally is by far my favorite. It's nice to be able to say your car puts down the best numbers, but it's even nicer to put down numbers almost as good while not compromising on style, comfort, or the other intangibles that go into making a car great.

It is enormous- like a cartoon version of old ones. New Camaro is too big too. Anyway, it's good at what it does but I would bet that most of the people who love them were teenagers in the early 70s. Why else would we do an homage to some of the ugliest cars ever built? Seriously, is there a worse decade for auto enthusiasts than the 70s? Huge bloated ugliness that somehow with 7 liters of displacement still had poor performance (and yes I am aware what fuel economy regulations did to this biz). Even most of the exotics from the 70s stunk. Though I loved the General Lee when I was growing up in the early 80s!

Ugh, I think what irks most about zr1man's comments is that he uses the same f-ing annoying taglines at the end of every comment, which bear not repeating. You have no idea that what you're saying makes you sound ignorant.

If I want to drive fast for the price, Corvette is not the only choice. Fast is a broad term, anyway. If I want to be a proud American, then I will support the idea of capitalism and free market economies and buy whatever the hell makes me happy. If it's American then great, if it's not, then oh well, it's still my ability as an American to buy whatever I want, and THAT is what being a proud American is all about. Having and appreciating the freedom to buy whatever car I desire, in a market where there are incredible amounts of choice.

As for the Challenger, cool car. Not exactly for me, but I can appreciate it for someone who wants one. For it's purpose it's great, and looks amazing, but I want something with a little more zig/zag in its step, a little more feel in its steering, and little less weight on the scales.

I know this is apples and oranges, but I can't help but compare this to your long-term Z06. This car is nearly half a second and 5mph slower in the 1/4 mile, which is the only place where the Challenger stands a chance against the Corvette. Simply awful. Why in the world does it weigh so much?? Has the collective body of automotive engineers simply given up on performance? Must we have two-ton coupes? Can someone please think of the children??

Seriously, if you're considering the Challenger, just go buy a full-size truck. It still makes V8 sounds and you get a bed to haul your stuff around. It doesn't handle any better, but since you were considering a Challenger to begin with you won't know the difference.

@brian_k, maybe you should look again, the new challenger isn't much bigger than its original. Its bulkier because of pedestrian regulations on how low your front end can be.

Let me first off by saying that I own a 2009 Challenger SRT8, I'm 24 (not a teen from the 70's), and I bought it used with less than 1500 miles for 35k (not 47k). Yes I could have bought far faster, better handling, more refined cars but there's such a "road presence", as some have put, that makes this car so desirable.

I don't understand the passion of hate some have towards this car. I don't go to track days so what should I car what the numbers say? This car has so much character it's ridiculous. In the 6 months I've owned the car, more people have sparked conversation with me and given me thumbs up than all my years of driving (not a lot I know). It brings back memories of more simpler days and has such a rawness about it that I think that everyone can respect it, car enthusiast or not.

I think some forget that this is a muscle car more than a sports car. It associates itself more with the true roots of what muscle cars used to be rather than the sports cars, mustang and camaro, that now exist yet carry the muscle car name. I have great amounts of respect for the new mustang and camaro and the cars they've become but that's no reason to say that their "better" than the Challenger. Numbers are only a small portion of the overall package of a vehicle.

I'm very happy Dodge hasn't forgotten this and hope they continue to build push rod, gas-guzzling V8's. In the automobile world I think it's important to not forget where these cars started.

Most importantly, whatever makes you happy, drive it!

I know this is a muscle car guys wet dream, but I am interested to find out how the Pentastar 6 cylinder with the ZF transmission will pan out. Time for the HEMI to go aluminum and shed some body fat.

Fast for a pig heap of a car. Fast in a straight line that is. Fun to race from red light to red light I guess.

To those who don't understand HP and TQ. Hyundai can make a 5.0L engine with 400 hp, but it doesn't have the TQ of a larger displacement engine. HP is a function of TQ. So if you have an engine that you want more HP but can't make TQ you make it go up to higher RPM. That's why you can see a high revving V8 with lots of HP, but little TQ.

For most people TQ is more important.

There's a saying...HP sells cars. TQ wins races.

Don't get me wrong, a 12.9 1/4 mile time is pretty crazy fast but I would have gussed it would be faster with 470hp and 470 lb-ft.

I'm going to put this out there. If you were to park this car next to a Camaro and Mustang, which one do you think will get the most attention? Answers please.

The biggest problem with this car is......

it's too damn expensive for what it is!

I think it looks great, sounds great, and I would love to own one but not for that kind of money.