Dodge knows the secret recipe for building great muscle cars, and has once again come up with the goods. The new Challenger SRT8 looks, feels and drives exactly the way we all expected it to – like a modern-era muscle car with that 70s flavour.
Zlatko Mulabegovic

The Challenger is finally here! Dodge’s long-awaited new muscle car finally hits our shores and showrooms, although beaten to it by a number of grey imports from the US and even the official preview of the car at last year’s Abu Dhabi Motor Show. Nevertheless, the excitement still runs high for one of the most talked about cars of the year and, judging by the interest generated by this car on the streets of Dubai, it should contribute its bit to the recovery of the trouble US car manufacturer.

It is a known fact that car designers and developers love to mix classic clues with modern technology, but it’s often tricky to find the right balance of both in a new car. With the Challenger, the designers have hit the nail right on the head, delivering an astonishing GT car that encompasses a few retro touches from the 1970 original, yet drives and feels like a contemporary sports car. This is a vehicle that Dodge could not afford not to make, and they brought the best of their heritage, engineering and design together to revive the legendary nameplate.

On the outside
Although the 6.1-litre HEMI lump is a gem of an engine, the Challenger’s best feature by far is its exterior design. The car is simply a stunner, aggressive, almost intimidating in fact, with the right amount of retro cues to make you go weak kneed. And, if the car in question comes painted in bright red, then it’s a straight knockout - you’ll be hard pressed not to fall in love at first sight.

Well, I did. Although not a great fan of muscle cars and retro themes, I fell for the Challenger after only a few minutes spent admiring its stunning body work. The first impression is that the car is huge, probably looks larger than it is and very impressive for that matter. There’s something about the way the car sits on those 20-inch rollers, the simplistic but aggressive front grille, the sculpted hood, the high waist line, accentuated rear fenders and the low roofline. Simple enough, yet very sophisticated at the same time – a very clever design I must say. And, best of all, the muscle car effect was achieved without recurring to an elongated front end, a rather popular feature of GM’s sport cars and the Challenger gets to keep its proportions. The beefy rear haunches are probably the single most effective touch of muscle and nostalgia on the new Challenger and its side view is of a pure retro street machine. The 20-inch five-spoke forged aluminium wheels complement the bold design and expose the new Brembo brakes with their signature bright red callipers – one of the many contemporary bits on the new Dodge. Lots of other details help add to the excitement and happen to be functional as well, like the pronounced chin spoiler, the hood vents and the rear boot spoiler.

Under the hood
The main selling point No.2 sits right under the raised hood, which is partly covered in carbon fibre film, and vented as well, for improved cooling. Yes, it’s the 425 horsepower 6.1-litre HEMI motor, a hand-built and massaged powerplant that delivers 420 lb-ft of torque and sends those rear wheels spinning with unbelievable ease. Look at the spec sheet of the 6.1-litre lump, and it reads like the dream tuning project. This engine has been blessed with a large displacement, a high compression ratio, a redesigned cylinder head, higher flow intake and exhaust systems, more aggressive camshafts and a recalibrated ECU. The power is transferred to the wheels through a five-speed auto box featuring a beefed-up torque converter and a custom-designed transfer case.

The powerful HEMI engine propels the porky Challenger to sub-5 second 0-100 kph times and sounds really wild when asked to perform. The twin tail pipes emit a throaty tune that sends shivers down your spine, reminding you that 420 pounds of torque are eagerly waiting to be unleashed. Pedal to the metal then!

The stiff stuff
Handling has never been the main selling point of most American muscle cars as the attractions lay elsewhere, namely in their image, design, powerful engines and straight-line performance. I approached this test drive with that notion in mind and wasn’t too disappointed to learn that the new Challenger still rolls, dips and wobbles if pushed hard through the twisties. Do not get me wrong here, there’s no drama even when maintaining a high pace, but one needs to know when and where to ease off in order to get the heavy SRT8 through the corner. The 4-pot Brembos inspire lots of confidence and manage to capably stop the speeding bullet with no fade to talk about.

The steering feel is again, as expected, a tad too vague and does not feed back as much information as I’d like, but then there’s a message in the bottle - this car is not intended to be a razor-sharp cornering machine. Fine with me.

On the inside
The cabin of the Challenger feels like that of an original hot-rod, with its high waist line, low roof and small side windows. The feeling you get when you’re sitting rather low relative to the side windows is typical of muscle cars, quite priceless. A rather retro-looking, large diameter steering wheel is your main accomplice in a simple-yet-robust cockpit. The interior is obviously not designed for cornering, as the front seats feel more like benches and it does not matter where you sit - you could be closer to the door or leaning on to the centre console, but just don’t expect any lateral support here.

At the wheel
Get your old leather jacket out, put some grease in your hair, tune into a country music station and you’re set for the ride on board the all-new Challenger. Seriously, the Challenger is not a sports car, but more of a fast grand tourer and definitely a great cruiser. Relaxed cruising in the new Challenger is simply awesome; there is none of the harshness associated with a sports car, the Challenger being endowed with a comfortable ride and effortless cruising capabilities. The subdued burble of the HEMI engine is only a distant reminder of what sits under the sexy hood of a very civilized and very much street-able machine.

It is only when you start charging hard that things become more hairy, as the 425 ponies come to life and the Challenger starts to show its true colors. Its straight-line performance is impeccable and, even with the traction control off, the car surges forward rapidly, thanks to a new limited slip differential that minimizes wheel spin. Kind of. If you’re heavy footed enough, you can get this Dodge to burn its rubber drag-racer style until you’re covered up in smoke.

There’s something about the way this bad boy feels on the road and, due to its raised hood and high shoulder line, the car feels much larger than it actually is, almost as if the passenger side wheels are reaching into the next lane on the freeway. You always feel special driving this car; must be the looks you get from other drivers, pedestrians or the petrol station attendant.

Our verdict
The all-new Dodge Challenger SRT8 marries classic muscle car tradition with a contemporary sports cruiser in an exciting body and with ample performance to back up the wild looks. Powered by a gem of an engine - the massive HEMI V8 - and bad boy charisma, the car is an attention grabber in the truest sense of the world, especially in the vivid red shade of our test car. Shy, retiring types need not even think about one!

As with most sports cars or grand tourers that look good, go fast and make a statement, this one sacrifices some practicality, frugality and rational thinking. What you get in return are hairy-chested macho-ness and appreciative glances from the fairer sex. Or you could simply see it as a tantalizingly delicious beef burger that is perfect for smoking all those weenies on a beautiful Friday morning.