2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 - '08 Challenger SRT8

***Ed Blown Vert*** · 04-09-2008, 09:50 AM

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 - '08 Challenger SRT8

The '08 Challenger is available only as an SRT8. Of more than 6,000 buyers who've already signed up, over half chose Hemi Orange Pearl. The other two '08 colors are Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl and Bright Silver Metallic.>
This story actually began two years ago in snowy old Detroit at the '06 North American International Auto Show. Chrysler shoved its Challenger Concept out in front of the assembled mob at Cobo Hall and coyly asked, "Hey, think we ought to build some of these?" Needless to say, the crowd went mad for the new/old unit. Fast-forward to 2008 and here we are: The retro-futuristic Challenger is now going into production. Dodge dealers officially started taking deposits early in December, racking up over 4,300 confirmed orders on the first day.
Remember back when retro was the latest thing? In recent times the automakers have given us the New Beetle, the New Mini, the '05 Ford Mustang, the Ford GT. . . all efforts to hearken back to past glories while also prying some brand-new cash from buyers' wallets. Chrysler and Dodge have as much memorable motor history to call upon as anyone, so it's only right they would want a piece of that action too. In that regard the original Dodge Challenger is a natural, the perfect choice for vehicular retro-cloning. While the Challenger came to the ponycar/musclecar wars a little late in 1970, it was always regarded as one of the sharpest-looking of the bunch with its clean, distinctive lines. And with the optional 426 Street Hemi, it was one of the hairiest performers of the era, too. Clearly an encore was justified.
This new Challenger is built on what is known internally at Chrysler as the LC platform, a variation of the LX platform upon which the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Magnum station wagon are based. And like its brothers, the Challenger will be produced exclusively at Chrysler's Bramalea Assembly Plant in Brampton, Ontario, just west of Toronto. (The slow-selling Magnum was recently discontinued, no doubt in part to make room on the line for the Challenger.) Naturally, the two-door LC shares much of its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive architecture and parts catalog with the four-door LX floorpan; the main difference is a 4-inch reduction in wheelbase from 120 to 116 inches. That's 6 inches longer than the original 110-inch Dodge E-body back in 1970. The new Challenger's front and rear track are identical to the four-doors at 63.0 inches front and 63.1 inches rear. So while the new Challenger is a ponycar, it's a plus-size.
Although the LC/LX floorpan is designed to accommodate a wide array of V-6 and V-8 drivetrains, the '08 Challenger will be available only as an SRT8 with a 6.1 Hemi. With 425 hp at 6,000 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm, it's the same unit found in the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300C SRT8 models. It features an oversquare 103mm bore and 90.9mm stroke, a deep-skirted cast-iron block with cross-bolted main caps, aluminum heads with a 10.3:1 compression ratio, and Chrysler's contemporary rendition of hemispherical combustion chambers. And while it makes its power in a whole different way-with sequential EFI instead of dual Carter AFBs and with high-tech efficiency instead of brute torque-its power rating is identical to that of the original Chrysler Street Hemi: 425 hp, of course.
The Hemi is coupled with the usual W5A580 five-speed AutoStick gearbox, built at Chrysler's Kokomo, Indiana, transmission facility but originally designed by Chrysler's former owner, Mercedes-Benz. Word is that for the '09 model year, the latest Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual box, the same unit used in the '08 Viper, will be an option. A 5.7L Hemi V-8, a 3.5L V-6, and four-speed automatic and five-speed manual transmissions reportedly will be available for 2009 as well. But these aren't official facts just yet; the formal announcement will be made soon.
All Challengers will have Chrysler's five-link independent rear suspension with antiroll bar, while the '08 SRT8 gets a limited-slip differential with 3.06:1 gears. Front suspension is short/long-arm with coilover gas-charged dampers. This is only a loose estimate we extracted from Chrysler program engineers using enhanced interrogation techniques, but curb weight for the Challenger in SRT8 spec is projected at 4,140 pounds. That means, we guess, that acceleration figures should be roughly in the same neighborhood as the slightly heavier four-door Charger: 0-60 mph in around 5 seconds, with quarter-miles in the low 13s at approximately 107 mph, give or take.
Michael Castiglione of Chrysler's Pacifica Studio designed the original Challenger Concept for the '06 Detroit Auto Show, with Allen Barrington performing the dash and interior. However, when it came time to turn the Concept into a real volume-production vehicle, Chrysler Design Manager Jeff Gale and Brian Nielander took the controls. Brian is responsible for the ME-412 and Chrysler Firepower concept vehicles, while Jeff was lead designer on the most recent Chrysler minivan lineup. Jeff is also the son of former Chrysler design chief Tom Gale, who coincidentally participated in the design of the original '70 Dodge Challenger.
Though it's difficult to spot when comparing the two cars, there are considerable differences between the Concept and the production Challenger. For one thing, the production car is 4 inches narrower. "We had to pull in the A-pillars 2 inches on both sides," says Jeff. A number of styling tricks were employed to create the classic long-hood/short-deck ponycar look on a contemporary floorpan: The front overhang was pushed out 2 inches, the windshield was raked back, and the lower thrust line was raised to pull the weight of the look upward.
While the '70 Challenger and the new one may be very different in proportion and detail, the goal was to capture and represent the true essence of the original. "We call it creating a 'mind's-eye view' of a 1970 Challenger," says Jeff. What was the greatest challenge of the job? "Aerodynamics" Jeff answers, a little surprisingly. "We worked very closely with our guys in the wind tunnel to make sure the car handles well. We spent a lot of time getting the balance and downforce right."
No, we didn't really get to drive the Challenger. We barely got to touch it. Due to our magazine's lead time, we were kindly given the opportunity to photograph and examine the SRT8 over two months before it was scheduled to be officially unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in February. The car was delivered to our Detroit photo studio via enclosed truck, in full camouflage and under cover of darkness, with a technician practically handcuffed to the door handle. Super nice guy, but a little jumpy-especially when we suggested stuff like smoky burnouts. But we'll be getting our hands on a new Challenger soon enough, and when we do we'll have the full report.

Photo Gallery: 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 - '08 Challenger SRT8 - Hot Rod Magazine

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**Spaz** · 04-10-2008, 10:29 AM

i seen that last year at the philly auto show... it is sooooo sexy... i want one sooooooo bad!!!

**shawn84&92** · 04-10-2008, 10:43 AM

I want one!

**Spaz** · 04-10-2008, 10:47 AM

the one thing i noticed tha really got me at the show is the butterflys in the hood are functional!!!

**third_shift|studios** · 04-10-2008, 11:55 AM

That Thing Is Heavy!!! but it looks great!

**Spaz** · 04-10-2008, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by third_shift|studios

That Thing Is Heavy!!! but it looks great!

a good damn excuse to the Impala to get it's ass back to rear wheel drive and no more sissy 6 cyl... that would be a good 2 ton shoot off!!!

**LightEmUpLs1** · 04-10-2008, 01:55 PM

sooo much better looking then the new camaro

**Spaz** · 04-10-2008, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by LightEmUpLs1

sooo much better looking then the new camaro

YES!!! far better looking... probably weighs less...

**Nitro_Junkie97** · 04-10-2008, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by Spaz

YES!!! far better looking... probably weighs less...

i think they weigh about the same

**ibanez7** · 04-10-2008, 10:40 PM

dont like it!!!

had a 73 challenger, looked just like it, didnt like that car either..

I hate the whole retro throwback bullshit. it just prove that this era of designers cant be creative.

The new camaro should be an evolution off of the 4th gen.
If you line up every year corvette, you can see an evolution through out, which is what the camaro should have been. Not a follower of mopar and ford.

In regards to the challenger, looks like the original just with more plastic and curves. does nothing for me

**Spaz** · 04-11-2008, 03:59 AM

Originally Posted by ibanez7

dont like it!!!

had a 73 challenger, looked just like it, didnt like that car either..

I hate the whole retro throwback bullshit. it just prove that this era of designers cant be creative.

The new camaro should be an evolution off of the 4th gen.
If you line up every year corvette, you can see an evolution through out, which is what the camaro should have been. Not a follower of mopar and ford.

In regards to the challenger, looks like the original just with more plastic and curves. does nothing for me

oh... i agree sooooooooooooooo much... i'm sure they will bring the trans am back and have it look all stupid and retro... then they will sit around again scratching thier asses wondering why they didn't sell again... GM's design dept is obviously full of dead beats...

**MagicMan** · 04-11-2008, 04:00 AM

The 2009/2010 interior needs to be better or it will be crossed off my list

**Spaz** · 04-11-2008, 04:03 AM

Originally Posted by MagicMan

The 2009/2010 interior needs to be better or it will be crossed off my list

the interiors are horrible... the new vette's interior is hideos and looks cheap... GM's design dept and the people who say "lets put it in production" are a bunch of fuck ups...

**C&Cbird** · 04-11-2008, 04:23 AM

They are doing the whole retro thing b/c the new mustangs are selling big and they figured that was the best way to sell lots of camaros, but they dropped the ball and the car is ugly.

**snaggeltooth** · 04-11-2008, 07:42 AM

It looks like a bad cross between a Challenger and a 71 Roadrunner ..but at least it is a V8 RWD car....Hopefuly when the whole lineup comes out it my grow on us ..

**00 formula** · 04-11-2008, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by C&Cbird

They are doing the whole retro thing b/c the new mustangs are selling big and they figured that was the best way to sell lots of camaros, but they dropped the ball and the car is ugly.

The only problem is the new Rustang design has been out for a few years, by the time the Camaro actually makes it out to show room floors the current muscle car/ retro craze will be at a decline and as Spaz said, GM will miss the mark again.

It's kind of expected from the people that pulled the f-bodys right before the current muscle car craze.

**krese** · 04-11-2008, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by Spaz

the interiors are horrible... the new vette's interior is hideos and looks cheap... GM's design dept and the people who say "lets put it in production" are a bunch of fuck ups...

i agree 100% the new vette interior is such a let down... the new camaro also for that matter....

**random-strike** · 04-11-2008, 09:47 AM

badass machine

**snaggeltooth** · 04-11-2008, 10:52 AM

you guys worry about what an interior looks like to much.. Ohh for the days with no consoles and roll up windows and no AC...

**00 formula** · 04-11-2008, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by snaggeltooth

you guys worry about what an interior looks like to much.. Ohh for the days with no consoles and roll up windows and no AC...

I don't think it's so much the accessories and ammenities of newer vehicles (which these certainly have) as much as just a cheap look/ feel to the interior and fit of the interior.