2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8
Dodge Challenger SRT8 - What the Auto Press Says
The 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is a powerful and capable back road burner -- giving competitors like the Mustang Shelby GT500 and Camaro SS a run for their money.
The Challenger SRT8 is a performance-tuned variant of the Dodge Challenger, a heritage muscle car that ranks highly for its satisfying combination of raw power, attractive retro design and roomy cabin.
The SRT8 -- which is visually distinguished from the base Challenger trims by its racing stripes, sport seats and high-performance logos - ups the ante with a 425-horsepower HEMI V8 engine, Brembo brakes and many other enhanced performance components. Overall, auto writers report that the package is a success, "Inspired by the 1970s original, this retro coupe takes athletic responses and sports-car braking and adds them to the good looks and tire-shredding power of the original," writes Car and Driver.
Still, the Challenger SRT8 isn't without faults. Test drivers complain of poor fuel economy, as well as some handling woes -- including numb steering and less-than-agile handling. On straightaways, however, where muscle cars are more at home, it's fast, powerful and can burn rubber with the best of them.
The 2010 SRT8 is available with either a five-speed automatic transmission or six-speed manual. New for '10 is a limited edition "Plum Crazy" model, which features the plum-colored paint of its muscle car past.
- "Comfortable, stylish and impressively capable in terms of performance, the...Dodge Challenger is exactly what a modern version of an old muscle-car icon should be." -- Edmunds
- "Challenger is not an ideal choice for those looking to save on gas, at least in V8 form. That said, Dodge's muscle machine comes off as more practical than Chevy's Camaro." -- Consumer Guide
- "The test car was the top SRT8 performance model from Chrysler's press fleet, and while its 425 horsepower and six-speed manual transmission were entertaining, the price, $39,320, and gas mileage, 13 mpg in the city and 18 on the highway, are bound to give some people pause." -- Kansas City Star
The Bottom Line
Equipped with a 425-horsepower HEMI V8, the Challenger SRT8 is one mean muscle car.
Nevertheless, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 serves up some serious competition. Like the Challenger, it features an attention-grabbing retro exterior design, as well as 75 extra ponies. Test drivers report that it's also more agile. However, the Challenger might still be a better value. Motor Trend writes: "The Shelby GT500 remains a fast and compelling piece, but the Challenger is simply a better-sorted automobile, a 20th-century icon reborn with 21st-century sophistication and poise. It's also a remarkable value, its base price undercutting the Shelby's by more than $4000 and the gap with options even wider."
The all-new Camaro SS is also worth checking out. Equipped with a 426-horsepower V8 and one badass look, it undercuts both the Challenger SRT8 and Mustang Shelby GT500 in price. And though both of its competitors pack a meaner punch, the Camaro easily keeps pace with both on the track.
Performance Dynamics
Test drivers find that while the Challenger SRT8 is powerful and quick, its hefty curb weight prevents it from attaining sports car agility. That, however, is to be expected -- as muscle cars are engineered for straight-line performance, not cutting curves. On balance, critics assert that the Challenger SRT8 is a capable road machine -- suitable for both spirited jaunts and burning rubber. Best of all, it's comfortable for everyday driving too. However, its fuel economy may deter some drivers from using it for that.
The Challenger SRT8 is equipped with a 6.1-liter HEMI V8 engine that produces 425 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 420 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. While a five-speed automatic transmission is standard, an AutoStick automatic and six-speed manual is available. According to the EPA, the Challenger SRT8 nets a city/highway fuel economy of 13/19 mpg when equipped with an automatic transmission and 14/22 mpg with the manual.
The rear-wheel drive SRT8 features a performance-tuned steering and high-performance multilink suspension system. Bringing the SRT8 to a halt are anti-lock four-wheel disc performance brakes with Brake Assist and Brembo aluminum calipers. What's more, an Electronic Stability Program senses over- and under-steer and automatically applies individual brakes and controls the vehicle's throttle to help maintain control in adverse driving conditions. The SRT8 also comes standard with Traction Control.
- "Turn the key, and you're hit with the sound; the Challenger's balance of exhaust rumble, intake noise, and actual engine music make for the perfect muscle car sound track." --Automobile Magazine
- "Unlike the dual-quad 426 Hemi of 1970-you had to push through two stiff detents in the carb linkage to get all eight barrels open-the 6.1 Hemi just pours it on, 425 horses in increments as slender as one or two from the wonderfully gradual throttle. This is a heroic performer: 4.8 seconds to 60 and on through the quarter in 13.3 seconds at 108 mph. ... The Hemi sounds more distant than the Bullitt's V-8, too, and the Chrysler five-speed automatic shifts without the blur between ratios that makes most automatics sound slushy." -- Car and Driver
- "The optional six-speed manual in the red SRT8 was a joy to use, thanks to the new double-disc clutch adapted from the Viper." -- Popular Mechanics
- "The SRT8 has robust performance. Stomp on the gas and you're greeted with a mellow bellow. If you want to do burnouts at the drag strip, this is the car, but it also cruises on the highway as quietly as a luxury car." -- Kansas City Star
- "Accurate steering is marred by excessive power assist. Though not as agile as a Mustang, Challenger handles well given its sheer size and heft. Body lean in fast turns is well controlled, and the brakes provide sure-footed stopping control." -- Consumer Guide
- "You can't pull up to a stoplight in the SRT8 without someone yelling, "Light 'em up." Well, that ignores the unseen best attribute of the hottest Challenger coupe, its well-sorted independent suspension that makes this drag-race legend a true thrill on a challenging road course." -- Road and Track
- "Large Brembos in the SRT8 (about 14 inches front and rear) are fitted with four-piston calipers and provide abundant stopping power. The brakes also automatically keep their pads closer to the rotors when driving in the wet, lightly wiping the discs off for improved braking in these conditions." -- Edmunds
- "The Challenger is too big and heavy to merit any consideration as a sports car and isn't ideal for tossing around on tight racetracks or mountain roads. However, it is close to surprising (if you didn't know the SRT division) how well the SRT8 copes with the weight and doesn't feel like the big, nose-heavy car it is." -- New Car Test Drive
