Hurst Hemi Challenger
Thread Starter
GTR Member
Joined: October 18, 2006
Posts: 5,553
Likes: 11
From: England
Hurst Hemi Challenger
I could live without the part-gold wheels, and the pistol-grip shifter should be attached to a manual 'box, but other than that, I love it 
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/29/f...mi-challenger/
The first thing we have to admit is that this just barely qualifies as a "First Drive". This car is the SEMA car we showed you in November, and it's still wearing prototype wheels, and those wheels don't like to go more than 25 mph. So yes, our first drive was conducted at something like parking lot speeds. That, and the fact that Orange County roads are exceptionally smooth, means our report is a little low on dynamic details. We can reveal that the car sounds great even at 25 mph, and we imagine we'd have fun going a lot faster... and that's got to count for something, right?
As for going fast around turns, that remains unknown. When it was in the Autoblog Garage, the unadulterated Challenger SRT8 was given three cheers for straight line ability and a limp handshake for twisties prowess. Unless we're talking about a Bentley GT, we wouldn't expect a 4,000-pound coupe to throw the smackdown to esses, but Hurst's installation of an Eibach suspension and Bilstein shocks should take this one at least a few rungs up charts.
If you plunk down for this car, though, we assure you that you'll have parking lots handled. Don't even worry about them – this car has your back. And depending on the parking lot you're in, there's a good chance you'll own the lot in more ways than one.
That's because the Challenger is like a great white wonder – and we don't mean a Dylan album. It's huge. Unless you're parked at a Flying J, there's no way you could lose this car. And this particular example, a Series 5 wearing the white flake paint job studded with gold pearl mica and gold inlays on the 5-spokers, is especially attention-getting. If you ever needed to tell someone how to find it in a crowded lot, your best instructions would be "Look for the Inca pyramid with gold pinstripes."
It is a very good thing then that it's beautiful. Previous to this, if anyone had offered us a white car with aluminum rims with gold insets, we'd have responded with "Hmm... yeah..." like Peter Gibbons' boss in Office Space. But even the wheels work, and the entire cosmetic package boosts the basic Challenger presence from impressive to "Gringo Badass."
There are some changes in store for the car, however. Those prototype wheels that like the slow lane will be milled slightly differently on the production car. The 5-axis program didn't like the sharp curve where the spokes meet the hub, so that arc will be shallower. The rear spoiler will also be faster, more curved, and the increased curve means it will lose the inset Hurst logo.
Finally, the car pictured wears staggered B.F. Goodrich G-Force tires, 245/40 ZR20 in front, 295/40 ZR 20 in the rear. Initially, however, Hurst will only offer the factory-spec Goodyears. The car's electronic stability control can handle a certain amount of stagger, but Hurst wants more time to calibrate the system appropriately. Hurst says it hopes to offer the staggered tires "in the very near future," especially since BFG has offered technical assistance to tune the car.
Otherwise, what you see is what you get. This particular Challenger is the new Series 5. At SEMA, there were only four different series' offered, none of them with the gold flake paint job, but a number of ready-to-buy customers at the show said "I want that car... no, that one right there." Voila, the Series 5 was born.
Another customer-created concept: Hurst will place a camera in the glovebox of every car being built, and the wrenches working on it will take pictures of the car during the build. Should the owner wish, the Hurst techs will even autograph the car. It's better than a plaque on the engine – in this case, every car comes with its own story, in pictures.
We have been told that the production wheels are due in January. If all goes well, we'll arrange a more thrilling First Drive, one that will use the Hurst HEMI Challenger's 572 hp and 528 lb-ft. to see how much we can make its white and gold fade together into a triple-digit blur. Then, if there is any real comparison with this great white wonder and the Dylan album, we hope it will be "This Wheel's on Fire." In the metaphorical sense, at least. Until then, enjoy the high-res gallery of photos below.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/29/f...mi-challenger/
The first thing we have to admit is that this just barely qualifies as a "First Drive". This car is the SEMA car we showed you in November, and it's still wearing prototype wheels, and those wheels don't like to go more than 25 mph. So yes, our first drive was conducted at something like parking lot speeds. That, and the fact that Orange County roads are exceptionally smooth, means our report is a little low on dynamic details. We can reveal that the car sounds great even at 25 mph, and we imagine we'd have fun going a lot faster... and that's got to count for something, right?
As for going fast around turns, that remains unknown. When it was in the Autoblog Garage, the unadulterated Challenger SRT8 was given three cheers for straight line ability and a limp handshake for twisties prowess. Unless we're talking about a Bentley GT, we wouldn't expect a 4,000-pound coupe to throw the smackdown to esses, but Hurst's installation of an Eibach suspension and Bilstein shocks should take this one at least a few rungs up charts.
If you plunk down for this car, though, we assure you that you'll have parking lots handled. Don't even worry about them – this car has your back. And depending on the parking lot you're in, there's a good chance you'll own the lot in more ways than one.
That's because the Challenger is like a great white wonder – and we don't mean a Dylan album. It's huge. Unless you're parked at a Flying J, there's no way you could lose this car. And this particular example, a Series 5 wearing the white flake paint job studded with gold pearl mica and gold inlays on the 5-spokers, is especially attention-getting. If you ever needed to tell someone how to find it in a crowded lot, your best instructions would be "Look for the Inca pyramid with gold pinstripes."
It is a very good thing then that it's beautiful. Previous to this, if anyone had offered us a white car with aluminum rims with gold insets, we'd have responded with "Hmm... yeah..." like Peter Gibbons' boss in Office Space. But even the wheels work, and the entire cosmetic package boosts the basic Challenger presence from impressive to "Gringo Badass."
There are some changes in store for the car, however. Those prototype wheels that like the slow lane will be milled slightly differently on the production car. The 5-axis program didn't like the sharp curve where the spokes meet the hub, so that arc will be shallower. The rear spoiler will also be faster, more curved, and the increased curve means it will lose the inset Hurst logo.
Finally, the car pictured wears staggered B.F. Goodrich G-Force tires, 245/40 ZR20 in front, 295/40 ZR 20 in the rear. Initially, however, Hurst will only offer the factory-spec Goodyears. The car's electronic stability control can handle a certain amount of stagger, but Hurst wants more time to calibrate the system appropriately. Hurst says it hopes to offer the staggered tires "in the very near future," especially since BFG has offered technical assistance to tune the car.
Otherwise, what you see is what you get. This particular Challenger is the new Series 5. At SEMA, there were only four different series' offered, none of them with the gold flake paint job, but a number of ready-to-buy customers at the show said "I want that car... no, that one right there." Voila, the Series 5 was born.
Another customer-created concept: Hurst will place a camera in the glovebox of every car being built, and the wrenches working on it will take pictures of the car during the build. Should the owner wish, the Hurst techs will even autograph the car. It's better than a plaque on the engine – in this case, every car comes with its own story, in pictures.
We have been told that the production wheels are due in January. If all goes well, we'll arrange a more thrilling First Drive, one that will use the Hurst HEMI Challenger's 572 hp and 528 lb-ft. to see how much we can make its white and gold fade together into a triple-digit blur. Then, if there is any real comparison with this great white wonder and the Dylan album, we hope it will be "This Wheel's on Fire." In the metaphorical sense, at least. Until then, enjoy the high-res gallery of photos below.
CalStang
Bow Chica Bow Wow
TMS Staff
TMS Staff
Joined: January 29, 2004
Posts: 7,446
Likes: 12
From: Proudly in NJ...bite it FL
that there is one darn good looking car...the black one should be even better
the stance on that car is dead on perfect
the stance on that car is dead on perfect
Last edited by burningman; Dec 29, 2008 at 06:27 PM.
I like the Challys in white
Bullitt Member
Joined: March 25, 2004
Posts: 401
Likes: 0
My neighbor has a Challenger in silver-gray and I like the way it looks--sharp ride. I know looks are subjective, but…
The car in white looks like a beluga whale decked out in gold trim. The Challenger is a big car and the white emphasizes how enormous the vehicle is for a two door coupe. The gold stripes are not bad, but having them stop at the break in the rear deck gives the appearance of an unfinished work-in-progress. Though they are not ugly, the gold fan-blades (no faster than 25-mph?) do very little to improve the overall appearance of the car, in my opinion. The shifter (gold?) doesn’t appeal to me at all. For a twinge of nostalgia, and more in keeping with the white-out theme, the classic Hurst cue ball shift **** might have been a better choice.
The car in white looks like a beluga whale decked out in gold trim. The Challenger is a big car and the white emphasizes how enormous the vehicle is for a two door coupe. The gold stripes are not bad, but having them stop at the break in the rear deck gives the appearance of an unfinished work-in-progress. Though they are not ugly, the gold fan-blades (no faster than 25-mph?) do very little to improve the overall appearance of the car, in my opinion. The shifter (gold?) doesn’t appeal to me at all. For a twinge of nostalgia, and more in keeping with the white-out theme, the classic Hurst cue ball shift **** might have been a better choice.
Cobra Member
Joined: May 16, 2006
Posts: 1,322
Likes: 0
From: NV
The Challenger looks good in photographs as long as there is nothing in the picture that you can use as a reference to judge it's size, because it has pretty nice proportions, though not quite as good as the original.
In the real world, where you can see it compared to other cars, it looks very tall , long & wide. It's like a 12/10ths scale replica of the '70 Challenger.
In the real world, where you can see it compared to other cars, it looks very tall , long & wide. It's like a 12/10ths scale replica of the '70 Challenger.
FR500 Member
Joined: August 15, 2005
Posts: 3,084
Likes: 0
From: Honolulu
I think the proportions of that car in the pics remind me of a 1-series BMW. It would be interesting to see if it would still look good were it somehow reduced to something a little bigger than a 3-series... 
Cobra R Member
Joined: January 30, 2004
Posts: 1,725
Likes: 3
From: Florida
Cars in general today are getting more massive. I followed a new Lincoln MKS yesterday, and honest to God, the top edge of the trunk was almost level with the top edge of my 97 T-Bird's windshield. It was sitting next to a Chrysler Mini Van at the light and it looked almost as large as the Mini Van.
I had a similar feeling the first time I saw a new Challenger on the interstate. It looked good until I got up close to it and realized the sheer mass of the vehicle. Again, the top of the trunk as well as the the bottom of the Challengers side windows were almost to the top of my side window of my 97 T-Bird, and I have the back of my T-Bird raised 3 inches, since I like a more raked look. I had to look up into the Challenger.
The thing that really surprised me though, was when I went to my Parents for Thanksgiving. My Mom had her 05 Mustang GT pulled up under the Car Port, parked next to her 92 Lincoln Mark VII LSC-SE. Her Mustang is Every Inch as Large as the Lincoln. Honestly the two cars share a very similar shape, and size, with the only real noticeable difference being the more extreme drop off of the roof right behind the front seats on the Mustang.
These were some pictures of them together that she had from back in 05 at their old place right after she just got the Mustang.
I had a similar feeling the first time I saw a new Challenger on the interstate. It looked good until I got up close to it and realized the sheer mass of the vehicle. Again, the top of the trunk as well as the the bottom of the Challengers side windows were almost to the top of my side window of my 97 T-Bird, and I have the back of my T-Bird raised 3 inches, since I like a more raked look. I had to look up into the Challenger.
The thing that really surprised me though, was when I went to my Parents for Thanksgiving. My Mom had her 05 Mustang GT pulled up under the Car Port, parked next to her 92 Lincoln Mark VII LSC-SE. Her Mustang is Every Inch as Large as the Lincoln. Honestly the two cars share a very similar shape, and size, with the only real noticeable difference being the more extreme drop off of the roof right behind the front seats on the Mustang.
These were some pictures of them together that she had from back in 05 at their old place right after she just got the Mustang.
Last edited by TampaBear67; Jan 4, 2009 at 10:22 PM.
