2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 - Chrysler deliver some old school American muscle

There is something about a big old American muscle car that just floats my boat. Obviously I’m not alone, as Chrysler have seen it in their wisdom to revive the classic Dodge Challenger from its 35 years of slumber.

The Dodge Challenger revival began at the North America International Auto Show in Detroit in January in 2006, and is now set to hit the shop floor in the U.S. spring.

Tagged as the “Ultimate Modern American Muscle Coupe”, the Challenger is powered by a mammoth 6.1 litre HEMI V-8 engine capable of a gutsy 425bhp (or 317kW) and 569 Nm of torque.

Performance wise, the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 hits the very American 0 – 60 mph time in the low 5 - second range, and can run through the quarter mile in less than 13.5 seconds.
Whilst the Challenger looks unmistakably modern, there is no doubt that it has taken its design cues from the Challengers of old.

“The all-new Dodge Challenger SRT8 is engineered to give customers everything they want in a modern muscle machine,” said Mike Accavitti, Director – Dodge Brand and SRT Global Marketing, Chrysler LLC. “The new version of Dodge’s American classic boasts tyre-smoking performance and head-turning design while offering a wide array of state-of-the-art technology, such as GPS navigation, ‘Keyless Go’ entry, a MyGIG™ infotainment system and UConnect hands-free communication.”

Standard on the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is a 13-speaker Kicker High Performance audio system that features a 322-watt amplifier and 200-watt subwoofer, and SIRIUS Satellite Radio. A MyGIG infotainment system is also available.
In the U.S. the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 will hit the market at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $US37,995. Unfortunately the Dodge Challenger SRT8 is not available to markets outside North America.

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