2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Pricing and Commercial

[vorticon]

As we revealed a few days ago, the first Dodge Challengers to go on sale will only be 2008 SRT8 models. Today we've learned that those 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8s will carry an MSRP of $37,995 (including $675 for destination) and that dealers will begin taking orders for them as early as December 3rd. That's next Monday, people. If you were expecting to have the whole month of December to convince your domestic partner that a Challenger is much more important than Christmas presents, the deadline for that convincing argument has just been moved up.

The 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 will be available in three colors: Black, Silver and HEMI Orange. All will feature the same carbon fiber hood stripes as the concept vehicle, as well. The iconic muscle car that looks poised to beat the Chevy Camaro to market by a good margin is, of course, powered by a 6.1L HEMI V8 that's available with a 5-speed automatic or six-speed manual (though prior reports state you need to wait for the '09 for the latter). While power figures have yet to be revealed, this engine makes 425 horsepower in other SRT8 vehicles.

Stay tuned to us for more info on the 2008 Dodge Challenger as it becomes available, which we promise will be soon. We expect pricing for the rest of the lineup to be announced sometime around the Detroit Auto Show in January. Also check out the Dodge brand's official blog called Red Letter Dodge, as we find information gets posted there first usually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEGkmYm6yAY

(Image removed from quote.)

anyone have a spare $20,000 and some pants for me?

[FrodeMk3]

Have to wait until '09 for the manual? Bogus.

[LePaul]

Finally, a vehicle that can make my 3 mile commute cost me $40 a week in gas  

[eagl]

The HP rating is interesting...  The overall cost of the car seems a bit high but at that price point it doesn't seem unreasonable that the new camaro could utilize the LS6 vette motor and destroy the Hemi for brute power.  425hp was exceeded by the LS series motors quite some time ago without resorting to forced induction or any other weirdness except high quality high performance engine components.  Add on cylinder deactivation on the latest LS motors and they're still the best V8s available from a US manufacturer.  And for a performance enthusiast, they may be the best factory motors on the planet because of the number of easy bolt-on mods available.  Yea the BMW V8s are smooth, but you can't bump hp 20% on a beemer with a $2500 kit from SLP like you can with an LS series motor.

Also, I really want to see if ANY of these cars are worth a crap on the track (not dragstrip, a *real* track with both left and right turns).  My '98 trans-am can STILL beat anything in production in the US on a road track except a corvette, even though it's only rated at 305hp and was widely considered "overweight" when it was in production.  Compared to the challenger and new camaro, the old camaro and firebird was on a starvation diet.  Even the newest mustangs can't hang with a 10 year old camaro on a road course.

Hopefully the next firebird will be a real performance car, not some fat-ass lardball retro couch potato with a big engine.  Nothing wrong with the big engines, but damn those cars need to get on slim-fast.

[Grayeagle]

wow

Nice lookin car, great that it's an SRT-8 with a decent Hemi in it.

I too think the price is a bit high ..they're very close to base Vette price
(which is 430hp ..and.. well ..a Vette)

(check out Kerbeck's specials ..low 40k's will get you into some pretty decent '08 Vettes)

er ... an the Vette's get 30mpg at 70.

Heck I'm gettin 24mpg in the city drivin I do for an average.

-Frank aka GE

[1K3]

Is this car gonna have Vietnamese suspension technology? If yes, No thanks.

[SIG220]

Yes, but for only $5,000 more, you could instead get a 500 HP Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 Cobra:








OR, for a whopping $12,000 less, you could instead get a 300 HP Ford Mustang GT Deluxe:

[eagl]

For about $8000 you can get a 2001 camaro Z28 or Firebird with 320ish hp, and it'll blow the doors off of any mustang under $40,000.

The $32,000 you save will go a long way towards cutting off the mullet and making you feel good about giving the finger to any mustang fanbois

I wanted a mustang until I saw how badly the post-1998 f-bodies beat them on the track.

Oh yea, I'm beating a dead horse but holy cow those mustangs and other retro boats suck.  Every time someone says "yea buy a mustang!" I can't help point out that my '98 f-body with 125k miles STILL beats any production stang on the track.

Just look at any SCCA solo2 nationals results in F-Stock class.  The mustangs are either non-existant or get their butts kicked by cars built 8-14 years ago.  Even the old LT1 F-body camaros beat the stangs on the track.  That's pitiful.  And the new round of retro musclecars are even worse.

Adding insult to injury, my TA gets a solid 28 mpg on the highway and 22mpg around town, without driving particularly carefully.  Vettes without the optional short rear end gears will get about the same mileage.

[moot]

What Frode said..

[Furball]

That is really nice.

I like the Dodge Charger too.

[moot]

And if money's no object..

[1K3]

A mustang can be a corvette killer if it's equipped with Roush suspension/brake kit, and of course a 500hp engine from Shelby:aok

[Excel1]

that 08 challenger is one bloated looking car. it looks like it's up-the-duff and about to drop a honda.

even though 500 hp from a blown 5.4 mod motor is nothing to sneaze at the shelby cobra doesn't do it for me either. it's a grunty engine in a chicks car. it, and mustangs in general for a long time now just give me awful visions of "charlies angels"

i'd kill for one of these though, '68 gt 390 fastback

[Bronk]

There is also this little beasty to think about. This concept was the 500 hp version. Probably doable with parts from direct connection.

[RTHolmes]

Originally posted by 1K3
Is this car gonna have Vietnamese suspension technology? If yes, No thanks.

considering US manufacturers still consider a live axle as suitable "suspension technology" for the 21st century this is just hilarious
not a big fan of the retro thing but the challenger does look cool (it was always my fav muscle car). but no white/cream option? Barry Newman wont be ordering one