Dodge has been heating up the pony car market with its high-performance Challenger coupe. For 2012 the Dodge Challenger features the kind of performance and comfort car buyers have grown to expect from the vehicle. Incorporating even more modern technology, Dodge now offers models with automatic transmissions with steering wheel mounted shift paddles similar to what’s used in many race cars.
SXT models come with a V6 engine that provides the 2012 Challenger with 305 horsepower and 268 pound-foot of torque while still achieving an EPA-estimated 27 mpg on the highway. R/T models come with a legendary HEMI 5.7 liter V8 engine, which pumps out 375 horsepower and 410 pound-foot of torque. Drivers looking for even more power can option for the SRT8 392 model with the 5.7 liter HEMI V8 engine tuned to thunder out 470 horsepower and 470 pound-foot of torque. SXT models come with either a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission, while models with the V8 engine only come with the six-speed manual.
The exterior of the 2012 Dodge Challenger features cool retro design cues that hearken back to the Challengers of the early 1970s. Standard are eighteen-inch alloy wheels, while twenty-inch retro-styled alloy wheels are offered as standard equipment on SRT8 392 models and as optional equipment on R/T models. Black racing stripes on the sides, functional hood scoops and xenon headlights are also standard exterior equipment. Heated side mirrors are available as an option.
Unlike other high-performance pony cars, the 2012 Challenger provides spacious and luxurious seating for up to four adults. All accessories on the Challenger are power-operated, including the front seats. Rear passengers enjoy dual AC power outlets to plug in gadgetry. Optional equipment is extensive for the Dodge Challenger, such as fog lamps, auto-dimming rearview mirror, satellite radio, an iPod input jack for the stereo, heated front seats and a sunroof. SRT8 392 models can come with optional sport front seats, which featured bulkier side bolsters to hold the front seat occupants in place during hard cornering.
2013 marks the return of the Dodge Dart. After a long hiatus from the car market, times have changed and fortunately the Dart has changed with them. The car marks a new direction for Dodge. Gone are the cheap plastic interior components from the Neon and Caliber, as well as numb handling characteristics and questionable exterior build quality.
The first thing anyone will notice about the Dodge Dart is that it’s a strikingly beautiful car both inside and out. Overall the car has a sleek profile, which is accented by the aggressive and gaping front grill. Available 17 inch alloy wheels further help the Dart achieve a high-end look. Inside, the Dart contains more soft-touch surfaces than many competitors. The overall design is stylish and modern. The higher trim levels feature splashes of color on different parts of the interior, as well as leather with colorful stitching. Standard equipment includes power doors, keyless entry, power locks, air conditioning, CD player and an auxiliary jack for plugging MP3 players directly into the stereo system.
All trim levels come with the same 2.0 liter four cylinder engine, except the R/T. The 2.0 liter engine produces a maximum 160 horsepower and 148 pound-foot of torque. An optional 1.4 liter four cylinder turbocharged engine produces a maximum 160 horsepower and 184 pound-foot of torque. Both a six speed manual and automatic transmissions are available. The R/T comes with a much more potent 2.4 liter four cylinder engine that can produce up to 184 horsepower and 171 pound-foot of torque, as well as the same transmission options.
Dodge did not skimp on safety features for the 2013 Dart. Each model comes with standard safety features such as four wheel ABS brakes, traction control, stability control, front airbags, side seat airbags, side curtain airbags and knee airbags for the driver and front passenger. Optional safety equipment includes a blindspot monitoring system and a backup camera.
A video is spreading around the Internet like wildfire right now. It features a Tesla Model S P85D drag racing a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. The big deal is that the Tesla, which is an electric car, absolutely destroys the Challenger. Quite a few people without any real knowledge of both cars are throwing around ignorant, poorly-formed opinions about the race. Considering that and my expertise as an automotive writer, I cannot help but jump in and give my two cents, so here we go.
To start off, I should let everyone know that I like Tesla. I live in an area where every winter the air becomes so polluted that on some days it's hard to see two miles away, making it blatantly obvious that we need to do something to clear the air. Much of our pollution here is related to driving vehicles that burn fossil fuels, particularly since there are multiple refineries to the north that kick out an amazing amount of pollution. Tesla is helping push for change in the industry, and it's starting to really work. On top of that, the Model S is a genuinely beautiful car and an amazing piece of tech.
I don't have a dislike of Dodge, but I have to admit I'm not a huge fan, either. There is something primal inside of me that loves to see a muscle car, hear the growling V-8 engine, and know that the thing is raw and untamed in so many ways. They're fun to watch, particularly on the drag strip where you don't have to worry about losing control and hitting an innocent vehicle carrying a family, etc.
The Challenger SRT Hellcat is an incredibly powerful car, but so is the Model S P85D. There are some big differences between the two, namely that the Dodge is rear-wheel drive and the Tesla has all-wheel drive and a setup that makes spinning the wheels impossible, or so I've been told.
To the uninitiated, the act of performing a burnout before a drag race just looks like chest-thumping, which is what some Tesla fans have insinuated about the Dodge. The reality is that doing a burnout comes with some distinct benefits, as long as it's not done at the line. It cleans off debris from the tires, which is a big deal if you or subsequent racers use slicks. Doing a burnout also heats up the tires, making them grip better and helping with launches and the overall quarter-mile time. The problem is that the guy who is driving the Challenger SRT Hellcat does a burnout at the line, causing him to lose valuable seconds for his run. It also gives the Tesla driver a huge advantage is it rockets forward with a perfect launch, turning out a great time of 11.68 seconds on the quarter mile. It's an impressive performance.
The Dodge, on the other hand, finishes the race at 17.46 seconds. I can honestly tell you I've seen naturally-aspirated (that means without a turbo or supercharger) Honda Civics put up that kind of a time at a drag strip. Anyone who thinks the race is representative of how fast the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is knows woefully little about the car. It puts out 707 horsepower and, according to Car and Driver, turns out a quarter mile in 10.85 seconds. Of course, that's with an experienced driver behind the wheel, not some fool who can get off the line in even relatively decent fashion. That kind of time would also best what the Tesla turned out at this race.
I 've heard all the accusations, including a "green" car blog I follow on Facebook saying that all the "dino juicers" are just going to make excuses about the results of the race. When I've written honest articles for different publications that don't shower Tesla with praise for every last thing it's ever done, these homers come out in droves and accuse me of being part of the "conspiracy" to keep electric cars down. What these people fail to realize is that I am a fan of electric cars and want them to succeed, but I also have to report the facts instead of just spreading around propaganda.
We've seen the Tesla Model S P85D destroy Ferraris and other cars in road races, which are a seriously stupid idea. We know the car is fast, but the above video is not the way to prove that it is faster than the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. It's an unfair representation, plain and simple. Is it funny to watch? Sure, because the Dodge driver is beat hands-down, but it does not indicate which car is quicker.
Perhaps with all the controversy swirling around the video, someone like Car and Driver will stage a drag race between the two cars, but with skilled drivers behind both wheels. Then we can all see which is truly quicker at the quarter mile and settle this thing once and for all.
2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Image courtesy of Chrysler.
If you've been fantasizing about the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, you can now delve deeper into the dream. The car brand's website has just launched the configurator, which means now employees can waste an entire afternoon making it look like they're doing something productive.
You can check out the configurator right here. The tool allows you to build the muscle car just the way you want it, and then spits out a price for all the fun stuff you add. Interestingly enough, one of the interior options is red seat belts. I guess that makes safety all the more exciting, or something like that.
Admittedly, the Challenger SRT Hellcat is one of the best deals around for anyone who is looking for sick amounts of power and raw acceleration. I optioned one up quite a bit, and the purchase price only came in at $64,865, or an estimated payment of $915 a month.
For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here.
Everyone has heard of a Hemi, but few people really know what they are. The context you usually hear about Hemis today is when someone is referring to certain engines used in various Chrysler vehicles, which include Dodges, Jeeps, and Rams. Some people mistakenly think that the Hemi engine was invented by Chrysler, but that would be like saying that Porsche invented the boxer engine.
The big difference between a Hemi and other engines has to do with the combustion chamber, which is set up to produce more power. The top of the combustion chamber is rounded off instead of flat. If that doesn't make sense, check out these useful illustrated explanations here.
Chrysler actually started toying around with Hemi engines back in the 1930s, but the octane rating in fuels back then was too low to accommodate the engine design. In fact, the first production car to use a Hemi engine was the 1948 Jaguar XJ6 and D-Type. Chrysler started using Hemis in various cars in the 1950s, which helped usher in the golden age of muscle cars in the 1960s.
One interesting fact about Hemis. They not only have been used to power cars and trucks, but also have powered a number of other machines, including air raid sirens during the Cold War.
