I read a review on the SRT-8 challenger and indeed it weighs 4150 and will only be offered with an automatic the first year. It will be built in limited numbers at around 40 grand sticker and estimated mpg is 14/18 mpg. It will be followed by a tamer version. It's not as scarey as I first thought, as a limited production car we have all ready beaten it in hp with the shelby 500. We could give it a run for it's money with a GT at 4150 pounds and automatic. The tamer version will more than likely be the 5.7 and at that weight might be our launch or close stock. The mopar seems to be more hype than anything. Now the general maybe a different story, we'll have to see what the camero is bringing to the table, probobly us for lunch hee hee. The challenger only getting 14/18 mpg won't make many friends at the EPA. The stang still rules as I can be fast and still get 25 mpg on the highway.
SRT-8 challenger
- Thread starter ranger04
- Start date
DC really dropped the ball on that car. The outside is beautiful and completely retro. The inside is no different than a Charger or Magnum. No retro touches at all. It's like two completely different cars. I'm really disappointed, but glad I bought my '07 and didn't wait for that to come out. Also, the SRT8 was only supposed to be available in a 6 speed manual, but it's only coming in AUTO? 
They are supposed to auto only for the '08. The SRT-8 is the only '08 Challenger, the other models won't come out till '09. It looks good but sounds like it will be quite a pig.
But the whole point of the first year is to create hype. So why the hell did they go auto ONLY for the first year? It will be enthusiasts wanting to buy the first ones, and enthusiasts (for the most part) will want standard. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and COMPLETELY goes against what DC said they would do when they first announced the Challenger. I'm shocked the thing only has 2 doors.
I'm not a DC hater. I had a Magnum RT. But they have no aftermarket support and they seem to screw up everything they seem to get their hands on.
First of all I just want to say that the Challenger is a beautiful car, I think it looks just as cool as any Mustang. Unfortunately it is too heavy, expensive, automatic only, and there isn't likely to be aftermarket parts availablility anywhere near what we are so blessed with, at least for a few years anyway.
I have no idea what the pricing will be like when the Camaro comes out but I really couldn't care less because that thing is so frickin ugly. The only thing uglier than the exterior of that car is the interior. It looks like some special ed kids designed it for a comic book. I really doubt that you could get one loaded for anywhere close to the price of a loaded GT. If you take the difference in price and spend it on mods for the GT you will most likely be able to outperform the Camaro and have a much better looking car.
Once again Ford has a winner with the Mustang, and if they come out with a bigger and badder motor in the near future they will increase their lead and probably do so with a car that is still less expensive than the competition.
I have no idea what the pricing will be like when the Camaro comes out but I really couldn't care less because that thing is so frickin ugly. The only thing uglier than the exterior of that car is the interior. It looks like some special ed kids designed it for a comic book. I really doubt that you could get one loaded for anywhere close to the price of a loaded GT. If you take the difference in price and spend it on mods for the GT you will most likely be able to outperform the Camaro and have a much better looking car.
Once again Ford has a winner with the Mustang, and if they come out with a bigger and badder motor in the near future they will increase their lead and probably do so with a car that is still less expensive than the competition.
anthony05gt
Active Member
I think the Camaro will look much better once the aftermarket gets in on a front fascia which will straighten up the Cadillac pointy front end. If GM would just straighten that grill so it was leveled out and add some hideaway headlights they'd really have a hit in my book.
stangdude2000
Founding Member
I cant remember - is the 08 Challenger a special version of the SRT8? Expect the tamer version to just be a Charger with 2 doors.
Emay
Member
I have family in the Dodge business and friends on the executive side, there's already documentation release stating the following:
It has been announced that the late 2008 production Dodge Challenger will feature a still in development HEMI 6.4 liter version (a record 392 cubic inches), engineered to generate 505 horsepower.
I wouldn't write the car off yet.. I'll have one in my garage one day, too hot a car not to. Heavy or not, I want one..
It has been announced that the late 2008 production Dodge Challenger will feature a still in development HEMI 6.4 liter version (a record 392 cubic inches), engineered to generate 505 horsepower.
I wouldn't write the car off yet.. I'll have one in my garage one day, too hot a car not to. Heavy or not, I want one..
I wanted one until I saw the production interior. 
If I wanted that interior I would have kept my Magnum. It was fine for the Magnum, which really didn't have any retro style. But come on. Heck, they could've copied the Mustang's interior and I would have bought it.
If I wanted that interior I would have kept my Magnum. It was fine for the Magnum, which really didn't have any retro style. But come on. Heck, they could've copied the Mustang's interior and I would have bought it.
red05bullitgt
Member
Not only is it heavy, but it's also huge. And yet some still complain that our S-197's are porkers 
I haven't heard anything from any source about a 500 hp challenger, a 6.2 425 hp hemie is what all the mags are reporting. It needs 500 hp just to get tubby off the line. I was told that our cars weigh in at 3,800, but a guy on pass time had an 06 GT and was ask what it weighed and he said 3,400. I took mine down to the gravel yard and without my fat butt in it, mine weighed in at 3,484 pounds and I had some junk and a full tank of gas. Are the scales wrong? cause I'm not getting 3,800. I'm pretty sure the shelby GT 500 would weigh in at 3,800. At anyrate, I believe a cleaned out GT with just mods, no FI would go toe to toe with an SRT-8. In MM&FF, they ran a new bullit against a STR-8 charger and the stang came out on top in the 1/4 as well as the twisties. The charger shares the same plateform as the chrysler 300, does the challenger as well? If so we have allready beaten the challenger just with another skin. I mean it's still a very sharp car and worth having, the interior does suck as mentioned. Lets face it, a stock Gt is no sloutch, so for the mopar to be close makes for a fast, good looking retro muscle car. I'm not hear to knock it, I'm a ford man, but I like the challenger, wouldn't buy one or anything. I just don't think the car is all it was once cracked up to be performance wise, not that it's slow, it's no stang. I dout if many of us will ever have to line up with the SRT-8 version anyway as it's a limited edition. More likely the tamer version as there will be a lot more of them. I'ld say were in pretty good shape against the mopar camp. Not to mention were due to get more cubes and power soon. I won't hide too hard with my n/a 281. I think a set of 4:10's or 4:30 gears in a GT will give them all they want. I think the new mpg regs and high gas prices is going to dampen what might have been and were still setting in the cat bird seat in decent shape. I'ld say the GM camp will be our bigger challege and GM is struggling with record looses, they don't have a lot of money to throw around either. I guess with the LS engines they don't need to as it's tried and true, they just need a body, even if it is an ugly one. "Well", as Rich would say on pinks,
"LETS RACE"
"LETS RACE"
stangdude2000
Founding Member
Specs for regular GT coupes without driver are in the mid-3300 lb. range. http://www.edmunds.com/new/2008/ford/mustang/100893416/specs.html
I am and always will be a Mustang guy, but the new Challenger looks fantastic. I think its one of the better (or best) looking domestic vehicles on the road right now.
3300? I guess I did have a lot of junk in my car and I'm sure a full tank of gas will weigh up. The challenger is stunning to look at with it's retro styling, but the interior is a flop. All the design went to the outside of the car, they were a sleep at the wheel with the inside. The retro mustang and challenger are the best looking new cars, the new camero comes up short in the looks department in my opinion.
I just saw the production model today at the Richmond Auto show (don't worry, it was very apparent that Richmond is considered a third tier city by the automotive industry.... you didn't miss much at all).
That being said, I'm still a bit mixed on the challenger. The exterior is nice but needs a bit of work. The interior is terrible, as many others have said. There is huge potential for the car in the aftermarket, but we'll have to wait an see how that plays out. Generally DC isn't that well supported by many aftermarket companies, but on the other hand, they produced anything to compete with the Mustang or Camaro in quite a while.... we'll just have to wait an see what the aftermarket does.
That being said, I was VERY sad to hear about a few choices they made with the Challenger, Arguably one of the single best muscle cars ever made.
They mean to tell me that I can't get one in SubLime, Top Banana, or Plum Crazy Purple? In addition, where the hell is my pistol grip shifter? No manual trans in that car is a travesty, and for me, no pistol grip is a joke. That was possibly one of the coolest options EVER offered on a car. If they want to try the retro thing, they need to stick with it. You can't half ass it.....
My father (who owned a brand new 1970 Challenger 440) was seriously thinking about buying a new one. When he found out that the pistol grip wasn't there and that the interior looked like it does, he decided on a Mercedes instead. I don't blame him.... They had a huge amount of potential there, and just blew it I think.
That being said, I'm still a bit mixed on the challenger. The exterior is nice but needs a bit of work. The interior is terrible, as many others have said. There is huge potential for the car in the aftermarket, but we'll have to wait an see how that plays out. Generally DC isn't that well supported by many aftermarket companies, but on the other hand, they produced anything to compete with the Mustang or Camaro in quite a while.... we'll just have to wait an see what the aftermarket does.
That being said, I was VERY sad to hear about a few choices they made with the Challenger, Arguably one of the single best muscle cars ever made.
They mean to tell me that I can't get one in SubLime, Top Banana, or Plum Crazy Purple? In addition, where the hell is my pistol grip shifter? No manual trans in that car is a travesty, and for me, no pistol grip is a joke. That was possibly one of the coolest options EVER offered on a car. If they want to try the retro thing, they need to stick with it. You can't half ass it.....
My father (who owned a brand new 1970 Challenger 440) was seriously thinking about buying a new one. When he found out that the pistol grip wasn't there and that the interior looked like it does, he decided on a Mercedes instead. I don't blame him.... They had a huge amount of potential there, and just blew it I think.
226embarcadero
New Member
+3
I can't believe that Dodge ******* up this car as much as it did.
Rarely can I remember as much buzz surrounding any car as did the anticipation of the Challenger. You basically had auto magazines and fans drooling for this car and handing the trophy from Ford to Dodge... and then they unveil this garbage???
1) The interior straight SUCKS!!! Look at the concept and then look at the production. I can't believe Dodge greenlit this piece of trash interior that is 98% Charger. What a mother*****in waste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2) Way to go. After all the anticipation for this car.... only to give everyone a wet noodle by offering the thing in AUTO ONLY!!!??? What the hell was Dodge thinking and who decided it? Whoever is behind this failure ought to be fired for *****ing up one of the coolest car campaigns ever.
It says to me that Dodge decided to market this thing as a retro muscle car to middle-aged yuppie a$$holes with $40,000 to spend on a total poser.
***** you, Dodge.
I can't believe that Dodge ******* up this car as much as it did.
Rarely can I remember as much buzz surrounding any car as did the anticipation of the Challenger. You basically had auto magazines and fans drooling for this car and handing the trophy from Ford to Dodge... and then they unveil this garbage???
1) The interior straight SUCKS!!! Look at the concept and then look at the production. I can't believe Dodge greenlit this piece of trash interior that is 98% Charger. What a mother*****in waste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2) Way to go. After all the anticipation for this car.... only to give everyone a wet noodle by offering the thing in AUTO ONLY!!!??? What the hell was Dodge thinking and who decided it? Whoever is behind this failure ought to be fired for *****ing up one of the coolest car campaigns ever.
It says to me that Dodge decided to market this thing as a retro muscle car to middle-aged yuppie a$$holes with $40,000 to spend on a total poser.
***** you, Dodge.
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