2008 has been dubbed the year of the muscle car and for good reason. All the automakers seem to be trying to get their entries in and for enthusiasts, there has never been a better time to take advantage of the trend. Dodge’s hopes are pinned on their Challenger SRT8, which they hope will attract old and young buyers alike. In fact, they are hoping that this may be the ticket to completely rebrand the company and give it the new life it so desperately needs.
"For those of us who are baby boomers it rouses old feelings and harkens back to those days in the 1960s and 1970s," said Chrysler Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli. "I also think there is a whole new generation that probably heard about this (car) and Woodstock, but now they can experience it."
Dodge appears to be trying to target those who they deem are in “transition” both with the Challenger and their new cross over entry, the Journey. By appealing to a wider segment of the population, the failing car maker may just be able to resurrect sales. The company decided to officially unveil the Challenger at the Chicago Auto Show, following months of speculation and spy photos.
The body design of the SRT8 harkens back to the heyday of the Challenger and should appeal to those who bought it the first time around as well as youngsters looking to get a cool looking car. During the show, 6,000 people put deposits down on the car that may not even be available until much later this year. This has the car maker hoping for the best and signifies that consumers aren’t quite ready to give up on the muscle car yet, even if they aren’t very efficient.
During the show, Jim Press, the vice chairman of Chrysler stated, "It's an old-school look with modern technology. It’s an instant classic, heart, soul and passion. It handles like a race car." This may be what moves Dodge back into play as a force to be reckoned with. Whether the Challenger can unseat the Ford Mustang as the most popular muscle car remains to be seen, but they are certainly making an effort.
One thing that certainly has changed since the iconic days of the Challenger is its price tag. While the 1970 model cost just $3000, the STR8 is expected to cost more than $37k. This may be the sticking point for many enthusiasts, particularly since Ford has managed to bring their Mustang in a lot cheaper.
However, you do get what you pay for and Dodge certainly hasn’t skimped on the power. The STR8 features a 6.1-liter Hemi V8 engine with a 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds. Its limited top speed is around 170 mph. 6,400 limited edition models will be produced, but the automaker hopes to sell between 30 and 40 thousand of the regular edition once it goes into full production.