CAR GAZING
Challenger brings back American muscle
All-American design, powerful Hemi V8 make this Dodge stand out
By Derek Price
This is a car that's easy to love.
It's the Dodge Challenger, a reborn muscle car that flaunts its all-American roots. It's proof that the Chrysler Corp. – and indeed, the entire American auto industry – still knows how to make exciting cars for the masses.
Let's put the Challenger in perspective.
For decades, starting in the early 1980s, American cars continually became more and more like Japanese cars. This has been a great thing for quality, as the American brands have finally caught up with – and in some cases exceeded – their Japanese competitors in recent years.
At the same time, it was a terrible thing for automotive styling.
America used to lead the world in design with luxury cars in the 1930s, aerodynamic cars in the '40s, tailfin-decked cruisers in the '50s, meaty muscle cars in the '60s and dramatic yachts in the '70s.
The rest of the world followed our lead.
But in the '80s, American cars turned into bland boxes, which happened to look exactly like the bland boxes from Japan and Europe. They were no longer distinctive. And worst of all, they were no longer truly American.
The new Challenger, though, is completely American, following in that grand tradition of making cars that look distinctive and powerful.
It's very retro, looking like it would be right at home cruising Woodward Avenue in 1968, but it also has a hint of modern tension. Any way you look at it, it's a stunning design.
Inside, though, it's not quite as interesting. Materials and construction are only so-so, and it doesn't have the same styling flair as the exterior.
Front seats are comfortable and supportive. The back seats are fairly roomy, but it can be tough to get back there, especially from the driver's side. In my test car, the passenger-side front seat had a lever that let you easily slide it forward for the back-seat passengers to climb in, but the driver's seat didn't have it. You had to use the power-seat controls to slowly motor the seat forward to let a passenger climb to the back seat.
Fortunately, the Challenge drives exactly like a modern muscle car should. It's a big, heavy car with sloppy, truck-like steering, but it handles better than you'd expect for a vehicle this size. Body roll is kept in check, and braking is superb.
Best of all, it can spin the back tires at will.
While the base Challenge comes with a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 250 horsepower, I drove the Challenger R/T with its big 5.7-liter Hemi V8 that makes 372 horses. It's an intoxicating feeling, knowing you can stomp the gas and squeal the tires any time you want. Coupled with that hot body, it makes even the nerdiest driver feel James-Dean cool.
And really, that's what the Challenger is about. It's not the most practical car, nor the most fuel efficient.
But wherever it goes, it's sure to be the coolest car around.
(Derek Price is a newspaper editor and freelance writer living in Texas.)
The above article is provided for the interest and entertainment of our visitors. The views expressed in this article are only those of the author, who is solely responsible for the content. AutoGuide.net does not endorse any of these views, and is not to be held responsible for any of the content provided in the above article.
Click here to read Derek's past articles!
If you have any questions or comments for Derek or the AutoGuide.net, please fill out this form.
