Will it be what we really expect?

[Guest]

Ok, bear with me here for a sec....

The Challenger will have to outperform the current LX platform to be a success in many people's eyes. As it stands the R/T will have the drivetrain of the LX's SRT8's , and the Challenger SRT8 could be a new motor so it stands to reason that the Challenger will indeed beat out the LX's.

BUT

I don't think it will be by a huge margin. Why do i think this way you ask? Well, here' my own theory:

I don't think DCX will allow a $35-$60k car outperform their flagship Viper. But the problem is that I would want to see a significant performance increase over my Magnum SRT8 if I'm going to lay out the rumored $60k for my Challenger SRT8.

Do you think that if the Challenger came really close to the performance of the Viper that it would impact Viper sales? The Challenger would be way less money, more roomy, more practical, and probably a better driver for daily driving.

[STAGE 3 R/T]

in english please! lol

[Jaak]

I hear what you're saying, but we don't know what they might be doing to the Viper as well. After all, the new 'vette's pretty nasty, so the Viper has some catching up to do!

Besides, all they really have to do is make the Challenger a bit faster than the others, and accidentally on purpose slip out how to open up and tweak the PCM as well as making sure the Challenger's high end motor is built to take modifications well. That with a mechanism to detect when the PCM's been tampered with and they would sell a lot as well as still be able to bill you for the repairs when you push it too far, without sneaking it in as a warranty claim.

[FloridaRT]

The Viper has a V-10, the Challenger has a V-8, come on, get real.

Yes, the Challenger will be fast, but NOT as fast as a Viper.

I would buy the Challenger just for the looks..........hope they come out with a convertable (they won't), but I can dream.

I want one but my wife would kill me, am still in the doghouse for buying the Magnum RT................2 years later.

Oh well.

Bob

[Dano]

Ok, bear with me here for a sec....

The Challenger will have to outperform the current LX platform to be a success in many people's eyes. As it stands the R/T will have the drivetrain of the LX's SRT8's , and the Challenger SRT8 could be a new motor so it stands to reason that the Challenger will indeed beat out the LX's.

BUT

I don't think it will be by a huge margin. Why do i think this way you ask? Well, here' my own theory:

I don't think DCX will allow a $35-$60k car outperform their flagship Viper. But the problem is that I would want to see a significant performance increase over my Magnum SRT8 if I'm going to lay out the rumored $60k for my Challenger SRT8.

Do you think that if the Challenger came really close to the performance of the Viper that it would impact Viper sales? The Challenger would be way less money, more roomy, more practical, and probably a better driver for daily driving.

I am guessing the Challenger will be four to five hundred pounds lighter which should give it four to five tenths in the quarter alone over the SRT's not to mention it being more nimble. Give it more ponies and than the current SRT's and it will only amplify performance gains.
As far as the Vipers go I am in total agreement with you. No way is DCX going to allow a " non exotic " from their own stable whoop on them. To combat that I would take another guess that they have something underway to up the Viper's performance aswell.

[Hemi31]

Bandit,
The new Viper will have a bare minimum of 650hp,with the possibility of 700.I wouldn't worry too much about the Challenger outperforming it.Rumor was Dodge waited for Chevy to release the Z06 so they could see how high they needed to go.

[RandomAccess]

When it comes down to it... nobody has any clue what will actually hit production... we know what the concept looks like, but who knows how they'll ruin it for production...

[SUPERBEESRT8]

Description
This is a Limited make 2007 Charger SRT8 Superbee. Only 1,000 to be made. This is number 68. Leather trim seats with perforated suede trim accents. 6.1 liter SRT HEMI (R). SMPI V8. 5 speed automatic transmission. Aluminum SRT design wheels. Performance tires. High performance suspension. Performance tuned steering. All speed traction control. Electronic stability program. Brake assist. Halogen headlamps. Power windows. Lumbar adjust. Air conditioning. Tilt steering wheel. Sirius satellite digital radio. AM/FM CD with changer controls. 11 Kicker SRT High Performance speakers. 276 watt Kicker SRT Amplifier. 200 watt Kicker SRT Subwoofer. Navigation system with GPS, DVD based with 6 CD/MP3 player. Heated front seats. Automatic dimming rearview mirror. Power sunroof. I CAN GET THIS THING TO HAVE OVER 600 HP. I DON'T THINK THE CHALLENGER WILL OUTPERFORM THE VIPER BUT REMEMBER BACK IN THE 60'S AND 70'S THEY HAD CHOICES. CHALLENGER, BARACUDA, CHARGERS, SUPERBIRDS, ROADRUNNERS, HEMI CUDAS ETC....

[Guest]

I hear what you're saying, but we don't know what they might be doing to the Viper as well. After all, the new 'vette's pretty nasty, so the Viper has some catching up to do!

Besides, all they really have to do is make the Challenger a bit faster than the others, and accidentally on purpose slip out how to open up and tweak the PCM as well as making sure the Challenger's high end motor is built to take modifications well. That with a mechanism to detect when the PCM's been tampered with and they would sell a lot as well as still be able to bill you for the repairs when you push it too far, without sneaking it in as a warranty claim.

You make a good point about upgrading the Viper to meet or beat the Zo6. That thing is absolutely insane. I doubt however that DCX will let us by HAL on the Challenger. It's been a couple of years and we still can't craack the HAL on the LX's.

The Viper has a V-10, the Challenger has a V-8, come on, get real.

Yes, the Challenger will be fast, but NOT as fast as a Viper.

I would buy the Challenger just for the looks..........hope they come out with a convertable (they won't), but I can dream.

I want one but my wife would kill me, am still in the doghouse for buying the Magnum RT................2 years later.

Oh well.

Bob

Well Bob, I am being real. Look at it this way...

Viper 1/4 mile: 11.7
Charger SRT-8: 13.5

(R&T numbers)

That's not a huge difference. With the Challenger we can expect a car roughly 500 pounds lighter, and it is possible that the drivetrain will produce substantially more rwhp than the current LX SRT8's do right now. Let's say that even fully tweaked from SRT the Challenger hits 12.0's... that's dangerously close to the $80k+ exotic flagship of Dodge.

V10 vs V8 means very little. I can show you tons of guys who pull 8 sec passes from a smallblock 350.

When it comes down to it... nobody has any clue what will actually hit production... we know what the concept looks like, but who knows how they'll ruin it for production...

Dodge is pretty well known for producing a car nearly identical to their concepts. This began with the Stealth and Viper, then carried through on the Magnum as well. It's Chevy that is notorious for changing a substantial amount from concept to production.

Description
This is a Limited make 2007 Charger SRT8 Superbee. Only 1,000 to be made. This is number 68. Leather trim seats with perforated suede trim accents. 6.1 liter SRT HEMI (R). SMPI V8. 5 speed automatic transmissionSRT design wheels. Performance tires. High performanc. Aluminum e suspension. Performance tuned steering. All speed traction control. Electronic stability program. Brake assist. Halogen headlamps. Power windows. Lumbar adjust. Air conditioning. Tilt steering wheel. Sirius satellite digital radio. AM/FM CD with changer controls. 11 Kicker SRT High Performance speakers. 276 watt Kicker SRT Amplifier. 200 watt Kicker SRT Subwoofer. Navigation system with GPS, DVD based with 6 CD/MP3 player. Heated front seats. Automatic dimming rearview mirror. Power sunroof. I CAN GET THIS THING TO HAVE OVER 600 HP. I DON'T THINK THE CHALLENGER WILL OUTPERFORM THE VIPER BUT REMEMBER BACK IN THE 60'S AND 70'S THEY HAD CHOICES. CHALLENGER, BARACUDA, CHARGERS, SUPERBIRDS, ROADRUNNERS, HEMI CUDAS ETC....

Nice car man. Although I have no idea how it relates to the conversation.

But as nice as the Super Bee is, it has the exact same performance as the rest of the SRT8 lineup. The main difference between the Super Bee and the standard Charger SRT8 are a few black vinyls and a numbered plaque.

[aries4life]

ya, I was trying to find the relavance too..

[FloridaRT]

I would buy the Challenger even if it only had a V6....................

It just looks so cool.

I always wanted a Challenger in the old days.

Bob

[2ndmag]

The Viper will no doubt be upgraded. Right now the Vette is the better value comparing price/performance. No way will DC let this stand!

[COOKZ32]

Bandit from what I know of you, I think you would be really happy with the Challenger, even if it was not as fast as the Viper. What color Challenger would you get...............?............. Let me guess........

[RT NOMAD]

The Challenger's competition is not the Viper (totally different vehicle). The Challenger must compete with the Shelby Mustang when it hits the showroom floor. That is the sole issue: Mopar vs Ford or GMC.

[nick_danger]

No matter how good they make the Challenger, one thing will remain:

Viper > LX/LY at both the track and in exclusivity. Completely different classes.

If the new Viper will truly be in the 700HP range, that will clearly seperate the two even more. Even if someday Dodge unveiled a 600HP LZ-platform car that ran high 11s off the factory floor, it still wouldn't be as unique looking or as unique of a driving experience as the first Viper release.