Dodge dropped the ball.

[Stallion96Vert]

Though my Dad works for Ford, and I drive a Mustang, my father has allways taught me to keep an open mind about all muscle cars.

With that being said, Dodge has just come out with the new Charger. When I first saw it, I was immediatly disgusted. They created a 4-door Charger. But I thought, I've only seen this thing online, lets go see it in person and give it a chance.

So today I stopped in the Dodge dealership and had a look at it. Overall the car is not that bad looking, though it still hurts my feelings with the extra doors. On the interior the car was rather nice. Im not sure if the car will be offered in a manual drive version but this one had the automatic with the "triptonic" shift capablities. (For those of you who arent aware of what the "triptonic" is, it is where you put it in drive and you can control the gear your in by pushing it to the right to shift up, and to the left to shift down.) So I asked to test drive it.

Now this is a R/T version so it has 340 hp and 390 ft lbs. torque. The car is really smooth, and really doesnt feel like a muscle car, more like it's sister the 300C. I got on the highway and drove it smooth down and got off and ramped back on to come back. I got on it getting back on the highway and this is when I knew dodge had dropped the ball. The wheels on this car couldent have been any wider than 7 inches, and with the hp I figured it would atleast bark going into 2nd. However it didnt, and the car felt extremely sluggish getting to 60mph. Also, the triptonic shifting seems to lag.

If that werent enough, this car has a base price of $29K. The car I was driving was $35k. (Navigation, moonroof, leather etc.) Seems alil high to me. Looks like Ford still holds my vote with the Mustang, and if I were willing to spend $29k, it would be the upcomming Cobra, hands down.

Has anyone else driven the Charger?

 

[bigcat]

i work for a dodge dealership....i saw a 06 charger r/t hemi on the truck (we haven't got one yet and they just lifted the charger up high enough to unload everything else on the truck), and it looks like a cross between an intrepid and a magnum. as far as performance, it has the same engine as the 300c and weighs about the same as well. they are based on the same platform, so the numbers will be similar......just as the 300c (even the 300c srt8 for that matter) it is a heavy car. the 300c/charger srt8's have 425 horsepower, but the numbers are almost identical to the 300 hp mustang, the extra weight really slows it down. the charger or the 300c are good if you want a 4 DOOR, that can really carry 4 people. the mustang really cant carry 4 people comfortably. if you want the performance of the mustang, but need the extra doors, then mopar is the choice for you...but remember that both are more expensive than a mustang.....THE MUSTANG IS BY FAR A BETTER DEAL THAN THE CHARGER-DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR.

 

[WSD42]

What with Dodge & Chrysler doing the "Retro" look on most all of its cars and trucks, you would think they would not create a re-skinned 330C and call it the Charger! Can we say Magnum (re 300C re-skinned!). I am a Charger fan from way back when I was a teen and expected much better from them on this updated version. I loved the look of the new Dodge 1500's in '02 and bought one. I now also have a new '05 Mustang GT in the garage for fun! Hopefully Dodge will get the message and come out with a 2 door version for all the old school addicts! Wonder what Chevy & Pontiac will cook up if they create a Retro Camaro Z28 or Trans AM........and not another one like the new GTO POC!

Now if Ford keeps the price down on the Cobra.......Vaarooom!!!!

 

[Thunder Road]

Hopefully Dodge will get the message and come out with a 2 door version for all the old school addicts! Wonder what Chevy & Pontiac will cook up if they create a Retro Camaro Z28 or Trans AM........and not another one like the new GTO POC!

Dont hold your breath for a two door anytime soon from the folks at DC. They are on record as saying the 2 door is dead. Also the rear wheel drive program from GM is dead. No Camaro/Firebird in the near future. On the other hand, the GTO, bland styling and all will return for at least 06.

 

[GottaBeRed]

Whats the deal with altering the Charger's image from the concept that they had a few years back. I realize that the platform is off the 300C, but the style that my kid's HotWheels Charger concept protrayed is light years beyond what they actually produced.

 

[WSD42]

If GM does not produce a retro Camaro/Firebird RWD varriant, they will have to continue to pull from their family outside the USA to find viable performance/muscle cars. This is one reason why the General is dieing and having to cut back on brands. Look what they did to the Olds line. Much better than Buick and in most cases Ponitac. Not trying to start a word war here....but at least Ford and DC are listening to us to a point. The Ricer's & Europeans are coming out with some pretty nice cars these days, even those asscoiated with Ford, GM & DC. You are probably right that DC will not listen and respond with a two door varriant of the Charger. Sad days in some cases, but not in the our world of Mustangs! Just need more power!

 

[kristopher]

Viva la Mustang!

 

[Klay]

I don't really care for the styling of the charger, looks too akward to me
The concept was nice though, it was on one of my auto class books and I didn't know what it was until I saw the same picture online
If they had built that one i could see it competing with the mustang (in sales) very easily

 

[ursastang]

It really is a shame that Dodge couldn't pull off the Charger. I think they missed the point on this newest one.

The Magnum and 300C are both interesting and different, but are very much on point to sell exactly something you can understand (like them or hate them). The new Charger is almost like a "sort of" car, with a muddy vision of what a Charger should be.

This seems to be along the line of the "GTO" from the late 1970s. It wasn't a GTO (it was a re-badged Chevy Nova), but it had GTO stickers on it. When we look back about 10 years from now, I think we'll be seeing the same sort of thing.

Just my two hundredths of a dollar.

 

[DarkFireGT]

The wheels on this car couldent have been any wider than 7 inches, and with the hp I figured it would atleast bark going into 2nd. However it didnt, and the car felt extremely sluggish getting to 60mph. Also, the triptonic shifting seems to lag.

Actually, the tires are 225's, which is 8.8", and if you would have turned off ESP, you would have found how easily the tires will break loose. 390 ft/lbs of torque get those tires moving easily. The only reason things felt sluggish was b/c of the ESP. The ESP doesn't just use the breaks, it backs off throttle and everything. It's alot different than your basic tranction control. With ESP on, my car takes off nice, but doesn't really squeal (a little bark, but that's all). When I turn ESP off and put the pedal 1/2 way down it lays marks.

 

[Doc GTO]

Dont hold your breath for a two door anytime soon from the folks at DC. They are on record as saying the 2 door is dead. Also the rear wheel drive program from GM is dead. No Camaro/Firebird in the near future. On the other hand, the GTO, bland styling and all will return for at least 06.

And 2007 on a new platform and a LS7 500bhp mojo! That's when I'll trade in mine.

 

[Klay]

And 2007 on a new platform and a LS7 500bhp mojo! That's when I'll trade in mine.

Is the GTO really going to be on a new platform for 07? I know that was the rumor but has it been confirmed?

 

[graphicguy]

And 2007 on a new platform and a LS7 500bhp mojo! That's when I'll trade in mine.

Now THAT would get my attention. If GM can pull off the body style in last month's MT, with the LS7, and keep it priced about the same, I'll seriously consider trading in my Mustang GT.

 

[DarkFireGT]

Is this what you're referring to? I don't think it looks that much different. Still doesn't have a GTO feeling at all

Besides, everything I've read has the GTO rumored to be cut for 2007, due to costs (meaning they can't sell them and they're spending too much for r&d, advertising, manufacturing, etc...) I highly doubt they will continue it for 2007, unless they completely redesign it and it looks nothing like it does right now.