'Meeting the Challenge' – 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8

Text and Images by Michael A. Marrs

Once upon a time, in the land of plenty, where drive-ins were where you could see a movie, get a burger, or just hang out, in a land before $1 gallon fuel prices enabled a boy to dream, there were efforts by the “Big 3” to create the latest and greatest muscle car on the streets of America – part of the passion for power. 

 Unfortunately, by the time the early ‘70s were firmly taking hold, insurance rates were on the way up, as were the EPA mandates, and Federal Government requirements, so that no matter how hard they tried to hang on, the muscle car as we knew it was slowing slipping away.  It was during these trying times that the Dodge Challenger was created as part of the 1970 model year – the year that many people consider as the last real muscle car production cycle from Detroit.

  As any business that wants to survive will do, the automobile industry has been ever changing since that time, and just when many people are about to write off the concept of performance being an admirable, even salable aspect of a car, here they come again – Modern Muscle.   Back in ’08, the Challenger SRT8 re-emerged with what the market seemed to crave as part of a desire to return to a time of ‘ol school style.  With the 2010 models, there is plenty of that style to go with modern day performance, modern day technological advances, and even a little bit of that ‘ol Mopar Magic.

The exterior lines on are easily recognizable as having vintage Dodge influences, with the SRT8 body showing a wide performance oriented stance that creates a commanding presence on the road.  Adding to the aggressive street attitude is a full-width grill and fog lamps, which are another styling queue from earlier times that goes right along with the raised hood center that houses dual functional fresh air scoops.  Tack on a modern black stripe in the form of Carbon Fiber, and it is 1970 all over again, or at least as we prefer to remember.  It is under that massive hood that the circle of life is complete for the Challenger SRT8.   Fitted with the new techno 6.1-liter HEMI V8 that fully expects Premium fuel to keep the 10.3:1 compression engine from doing the octane knock with the multi-port fuel injection, but a HEMI is a HEMI is a HEMI.  And a HEMI by any name is still 425 horses, to which Dodge happily announces works out to be 69.8 horsepower-per-liter, or for those that are trying to remember how to convert, it translates to 1.14-horses per cu. in.  This is compared to the ’70 HEMI Challenger rolling out of the factory with .9-horsepower per cu. in.  The new SRT8 standard package comes with a 5-speed automatic transmission that includes Auto Stick – for that occasional momentary lapse in Saturday night good judgment.  There is also an optional 6-speed manual transmission for anyone that thinks if it shifts manually, it should have a clutch.  Sitting in the rear end is a 3.06 geared Anti-Spin differential that works with the All-Speed Traction Control system to keep street launches well under control.  Of course, the rolling surge of the big block creates an immediate wondering of the mind to the possibilities of something in the range of a 3.55 or 3.73 gears…or even a 4.10?  Kill the Traction Control and the answer is quick and to the point, as the factory rubber immediately looses that battle with the asphalt…or so I am told.  To hold the rear housing in place, there is a 5-link setup that includes a link-type stabilizer bar, coil springs, and Bilstein shocks.  Up front, the independent suspension also utilizes a rack and pinion steering setup along with monotube Bilstein shocks, which does produce a surprisingly good ride on city streets.

Of course, if there is enough power to go fast, there should be enough power to stop fast. With a factory 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds time stamp for the 4,132 lb vehicle, the 14.2-inch vented and slotted front disc brakes, and 13.8 vented rear disc combine with the Brembo 4-piston performance calipers to pull the SRT8 down to a complete stop in 110-feet.  In an attempt to win the war with the asphalt, the test SRT8 rolls on 20s that are a full 9-inches wide, and wrapped with optional 3-season Performance Goodyear rubber measuring 245/45ZR20 up front and 255/45ZR20 on the rear.  But the exterior is not the only place the new SRT8 pays homage to the Challenger heritage. 

The interior of the new SRT8 comes with the modern day standard features such as air conditioning, PS/PW/PB, tilt/telescoping steering column, and a fore/aft sliding center console that doubles as and arm rest with storage.  The test vehicle came with the standard SRT8 premium leather seats that sport an accent stripe and include an 8-way power adjustable driver seat.  The front wrapping buckets are hearted, and there is a really feel-good-in-your-hands Carbon Weave Leather – wrapped steering wheel.  Of course the list goes on, including the steering wheel controls for the audio system that consists of a CD/DVD/SAT/HDD Radio media center that feeds six Boston Acoustics speakers as standard equipment.  The test SRT8 came out with the upgraded media center that includes CD/DVD/HDD/NAV Radio and SRT Option Group II.  This package includes 13-Kicker SRT High-Performance speakers, a 200-watt Kicker SRT Subwoofer mounted strangely in the trunk area, and a 322-watt Kicker SRT amplifier for power.  While there seems to be power everywhere on the new SRT8, there are the subtle touches that a co-pilot is quick to point out, such as the LED accents on the cup holders and in the map pockets.  Other interior touches include the upgraded safety aspects such as the Advanced Multistage Front Airbags along with the supplemental Side-curtain front and rear airbags.  There is an Electronic Stability Program, optional GPS Navigation, and the optional 1-year SIRIUS Traffic service.

The test SRT8 carries a base price $41,230.00, and loaded with additional options that include the outstanding Detonator Yellow exterior paint and the power sunroof, it rolled out at a MSRP of $46,490.00. 

Dang sure something to think about…