Auto Trends

Not that it’s anything new, but since it was at the show this year, it makes it a good excuse to go ahead and feature it this week… the 2009 Dodge Challenger. The news I guess you could say is that the Challenger has at last been formally introduced to car enthusiasts and some guesstimates can at last be put to rest to a small degree.

Well, we can all be certain that there won’t be a “green” version of the Challenger, with a 1-liter cow flatulent bio-diesel engine, and there won’t be an electric version either. You won’t be able to float on water, travel through time, or blow the doors off of the Shelby GT-500, but what you will get…

Is a choice of three weapons, the Challenger SE, Challenger R/T (Road & Track), and the Challenger SRT-8. The Challenger SE will be their base model and will be set in the low $20K range. It will come with the Dodge 3.5 liter, 250 horsepower, 250 lb-ft torque V-6. It is said to get around 25 MPG, which sure beats the old base Dodge Challenger back in the 70’s with its 225 cubic inch V-6, that was probably lucky to see much over 18 MPG lugging around its monstrous solid steel body.

Dodge is expecting the SE to be a four speed automatic for the most part, while the enthusiasts will obviously prefer either the R/T or SRT-8’s 6-speed manual.

The Challenger SE may not quite have the power of the R/T or SRT-8, but if you open the books of time back to the old Dodge 318 cubic inch V-8, you would most certainly beat its 230 horsepower, 2-barrel carburetor, and probably stand up quite well to the ancient 3-speed of the 290 horsepower 383 cubic inch.

Rising up to the SRT-8 and R/T Challenger, you will probably be looking at Dodge’s 6.1 liter impressive 375 horsepower 6-speed, with 404 lbs of torque. The R/T is guaranteed a 0-60 rating of at least under 6-seconds, which should be the bare minimum for any retro muscle car today. The SRT-8 will certainly have some ground to cover to reach the power potential of the 400 horsepower ‘mid-level’ Chevrolet Camaro Concept.

While one of the best parts of being an owner of one of these retro classics will be walking out to your garage to see it nestled safely on your driveway, the other best part will be slipping behind the wheel inside the well designed interior layout.

Similar to the Camaro Concept, Dodge took a retro, yet very upscale futuristic approach to the layout, which will remind you of the past, but definitely let you know that you aren’t in 1970 anymore, with such features as:

• MyGIGâ„¢ cutting-edge multimedia audio and entertainment system, with navigation

• UConnect® Hands-free Communication System with voice-activated communication

• SIRIUS® Digital Satellite Radio

• Keyless Go & Remote Start

The material quality looks to be of higher grade than the Ford Mustang’s, with less hard plastic and a little more refinement. The main difference between the SE from the R/T and SRT-8 interior will be cloth seats, which isn’t too bad of a downgrade considering the thousands of dollars difference in the price tag.

Similar to both the Mustang and the Camaro, the Dodge will bring its base model customers most all the frills, with only the loss of the thrills of the V-8 grumble with barrels of torque and horsepower. For the standard everyday non-enthusiast, this will be a trade-off that shouldn’t be too hard to stomach!