burningman

I came in expecting the typical Challenger BS bashing that is so bloody tired already. but what I got instead was one persons balanced opinion of the car and it's characteristics. Thank you for a great review.

brazeagle

Thanks buddy,
You have an awesome car.
Really, no need to think about a SRT, or maybe soon you will fulfill your obsession, keep it up.

Take care and drive safe.
braztang

brazeagle

Excelent you read it.
Take care and stay cool.

Regards,
braztang

Gladiator

I'll fill in the gaps where my bud umbra left off. The SRT with the 6.1 is a different animal entirely from an R/T. I know because I own one. The power, breaking and suspension are a night and day difference. The improvements team SRT puts on their vehicles is worth the premium IMO. I imagine the 6.4 is even more of a monster. It won't hit GT500 numbers off the showroom (not much does) but if you are a guy looking for a bigger roomier car to start with then you have your vehicle. Also thanks to the OP for the honest and fair review. I'd pretty much agree with your impressions. I own a SRT Charger (yeah it came with two extra doors lol) but have been behind the wheel of the Challenger and Mustang and I believe you summed it up well. It's nice to see another guy appreciating a car and not just a name plate.

justindo

I think you've seen pics of my car on this forum, but there are a couple on the first page of this thread:

https://themustangsource.com/f726/no...ustang-495483/

MRGTX

Thanks for the kind words about the review, guys. Looking back, I would have tightened it up a bit if I knew so many would read it! In the end, I loved the car for reasons that aren't necessarily logical and that's a hard thing to get out in words.

I will just add that while I really paid attention to the car's behavior under certain conditions and scrutinize it as best as I could (desipte the friendly and enthusiastic salesman yapping in my ear ) , doing this defeats the purpose of the Challenger R/T. You really just have to let the Challenger "happen."

Looking back, it's a much more warm and inviting muscle car experience than the Mustang. With the Mustang, I find that I'm really aware of what you can extract from the car's engine and how hard you can push it through a corner...and I find myself constantly looking for that. The Challenger just feels good...and while you're aware that it's fast enough to walk away from 90% of the cars on the road, you just don't care. It has nothing to prove.

Yes, I still prefer the Mustang GT to the Challenger R/T... but again, I can easily imagine a guy preferring what the R/T has to offer.

Ah yes...I didn't connect the dots and remember that gorgeous machine was yours!

Too damned cool. I never thought that de-striping a Classic would look so good. I love the stripe package that comes on these cars...but it's amazing how clean and beautiful they can be with just the "classic" script badge and the Cragar style wheels.

HPwhitevert

I agree, great write up, on par or better than Motor Trend etc. Don't take shots at my 4.6L GT however - LOL.

justindo

I like the clean look without the stripes best, but it looks good no matter what's on it.

I can't wait to get my new Mustang, which is supposed to be here next week, so that I really compare the two cars over an extended period of time.

speedform

Rumor has it that the 392 SRT8 Challenger will soon be avail. for the friends and family corporate discount, as it hasn't been in the past. So 475hp for under $40g's. Tempting...
I'd still buy a Mustang though. Well, once this whole MT82/ #8 cylinder issue is resolved.

MotoMikeydo

Back in January, I was in the market for a new car. I was interested in the Mustang and the Challenger. After my experience with a 2002 Z28, I had pretty much ruled out the new Camaro. All the research I did suggested that a stick shift Challenger R/T was going to be my next vehicle. I went to my local Dodge dealer, the same people who have been servicing my Ram for the last 5 years, looking to buy. There were no R/Ts on the lot. There was an auto SRT8 (with the 6.1 liter engine). I was persuaded to test drive it even though I told them it was not what I wanted. It turned out that I was allowed to take it for a drive around the block ("It's a rare car and there's very little gas in it."). It felt huge and pickup was slow. I was disappointed. When a stick shift R/T came in, the sales guy called me. I went to test drive it, but was told I could only take it around the periphery of the dealership as "It's a very valuable car and there's not much gas in it." It too felt big and slow, but I still liked it. I went to a Ford dealer in the evening and asked to test drive a Mustang. I was given the keys and asked to bring it back within 30 minutes or so. As soon as I got it on the highway, I knew it was the car for me. I came back the next day and bought it. I love my Mustang but still like the look of the Challenger. For daily enthusiastic driving, the Mustang is the right choice, at least for me. For longer trips, I think the extra size and space of the Challenger might be better. If I had the money I would have one of each.

Whammer

I've test driven an SRT8 (not the 392), an RT and the Mopar 10 RT. IF there wasn't a Mustang I would own a Challenger. But it comes in 2nd to the Mustang in every possible category.
The Mustang brings a true smile to my face, the Challenger was just enjoyable.....except when the RT I test drove DIED in an empty parking lot when I was seeing how it handled! Thankfully it restarted after sitting for 5 mins.

wjones14

I guess acceleration is a relative term, and for me, it was one of the strong suits of the car. My '05 GT is my 3rd Mustang GT, after an '87 and a '95. The '05 felt like a hot rod compared to those two!

As far as the Challenger R/T, I honestly think it's the best looking of the holy trinity of current pony cars. And I bet it's the most comfortable too, when it comes to a long trip. As a track car, however, it's going to come in 3rd to the Camaro and Mustang every time. Not that it wouldn't be fun on a track -- it's just not going to be as quick as the other two.

I ran into a beautiful 2010 R/T when running a HPDE track day event at Watkins Glen last year. I uploaded a video of him and me running together for a lap on YouTube:

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

crescent_wrench

Great writeup and classy bunch of folks here on a Mustang site. Some of the other Pony sites don't tolerate praise for any other cars that compete in the same segment.

2k7gtcs

dafreeze

Nice review, thanks for taking the time to type all that out. Old Mopar fan, myself, and I love the new Challengers. Sat in an SRT8 last fall, but it was on the showroom floor and they wouldn't roll it out. Had a chance to test drive a Camaro SS but couldn't make it back to that little town to do so. (I'm in the sticks).

What I'm driveing now is hands down the best for me. No comparison, in my mind. Awesome car. Put 9000 miles on it in 9 weeks.

If you all don't mind, how about a quick flashback to 1977.

Quickest car in Lincoln NE, my best friends '71 Plymouth. A 340 Duster.

I'm behind the wheel, Scott's checking the timing, Marks vacuuming. We're gonna wash her quick and hit 'O' Street.

There was a 70 dart in town w/a 4 speed and he'd pull with us. Big blocks would eventually catch us but we'd shut down by then. Do the qtr in a respectable 12.9, but not it's nitche. This was a hole shot car...stop light to stop light.

This vid and article are a year old and I imagine most have already seen them. Excellent comparison, although not the 392. Here's the Car and Driver test results from last December on it w/6-spd manual, and a link to that article.

C/D TEST RESULTS:</B>
Zero to 60 mph: 4.5 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 10.2 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 16.3 sec
Zero to 150 mph: 24.7 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.9 sec @ 114 mph
Top speed (drag limited, est.): 170 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 160 ft
Roadholding, 200-ft-dia skidpad: 0.88 g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW5fk..._safety_mode=1

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...n/viewall.html

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...take_road_test

eric n

The challengers are GREAT looking cars. Better looking, I'm sad to say, than the mustangs. That said, I enjoy the performance advantages of the mustang. I just don't seem me carving the heck out of an on ramp in a Challenger, even an srt8 which is a dead sexy ride.

I am a huge fan of all American Muscle and am glad that all of the big three have pretty **** amazing products (think back 3 or 4 years) at reasonable (if you go stripper) prices. It's a hell of a time for red blooded American Males and the occasional females to enjoy some serious HP.

MARZ

I agree that the Challengers are great-looking cars; however, in my opinion, they're pretty mundane. The fact that they're as big as they are don't help aesthetically, either. Rear end notwithstanding (I personally like the rear of my Mustang), I prefer the smaller, more-aggressive design of the Mustang when compared to the whale-like, boring Challenger and the overstyled, stealth bomber of a Camaro, which is huge too. I will add that I absolutely love the new Charger -- including the SRT8 model -- and, given what Chrysler's been able to do in terms of vehicle design as of late, I have a feeling the next-generation Challenger, although undoubtedly still too big to compete with the Mustang, will inject some much-needed aggression into the overall aesthetic.

Furthermore, having had the ability to drive all three of the "pony cars," the new Mustang is in a league of its own. There really is no comparing it to the Challenger and Camaro, unless you're only looking at horsepower and torque figures.

brazeagle

Hello guys,
Here is my impression on the SRT8 392 test drive.
I finally got to test drive a 392, manual transmission 2011. (green envy)
Needless to say that it is one of the most BEAUTIFUL muscle cars out there; WITH NO COMPARISONS in terms of looks.

Now, the reason I am looking at it is because I am looking forward to trade my 5.0 to a EITHER Shelby GT500 (2013) or a SRT8 392 (2012).

PROS
It drives very smooth
Power is enough to feel that it is a muscle car
Comfort is superb; it feels like you are driving a luxurycar
Space great, well distributed
Technology into it is very nice
Nice to have a sunroof
AND MOST OF ALL...the price is great in comparison to other muscle cars.
44.800 + tax on a 2012 Black/silver stripe, 730 NAV and sound package, sunroof, and all other options available in it...not bad really, the 2012 will arrive in 2 weeks, in comparison with the GT500.

Now, I know I should not compare with the Mustangs since they are very different cars... but a few comparisons since I drove mustangs for a while and I currently own a 2011 5.0 premium with performance package.

CONS
The car is a bit too big.
Even though I will get used to it, but it has a BIG blind spot from the quarter end to the rear, no visibility from the inside, except from the side mirrors.
The power available with the 470hp is very weak in comparison with the 5.0 mustang; I thought it would feel at least the same.
The ride is a bit too confortable, no feeling of a muscle car once you are inside.
The throttle response is slow (in comparison with the 5.0)
You cannot rear the sound of the engine (needs a new exhaust system)

But everything else...REALLY, IT IS A VERY NICE CAR.
Now I will do some research and wait a little bit to see what is coming out on the 2013 Shelby, that should be out by March or April 2012! and then I will make a decision.

Thanks for all the inputs and help.

braztang

brazeagle

My GOD! what a picture! nostalgia TOTAL nostalgia...
By the way, I had one of those VWs back in that ERA!
Safe ride everyone!
braztang

MARZ

Great write-up, braztang. Vehicle looks are subjective, so I won't comment on that. I am surprised that the new 470-horsepower pushrod 6.4L Hemi can't motivate the Challenger any more than it does, even despite its two-ton curb weight. Oh, and I say definitely wait for the 2013 Shelby GT500 -- at least hold out until Ford unveils their latest monster. I have a feeling that, once we all see the spec sheet, we'll all be saying, "SRT what? Camaro ZL who?"