Up Close: 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8

The Challenger SRT8 looks terrific in person — I might even go so far as to say breathtaking in the metal-flake black paint, one of three colors offered. Each color brings out different elements of the car’s exterior. For example, in the orange and silver models, the black rocker panels and bumper extensions make the car appear to ride higher than it does, recalling the classic Challenger. The black one looks lower and sleeker. If Dodge had only three colors to offer, I think it chose the right ones. From the panel gaps to the way the rectangular tailpipes fit into the bumper cutouts, it looks like Dodge has cut few, if any, corners.

As for the interior, the quality is good in some important areas, including the dashboard material, which is low-gloss and soft to the touch. The seats, also, are about what I’d expect from a car of this price. There are some switches and other elements that could be nicer, though. The gear selector gate looks like it would age poorly, and the carbon-fiber-look bezel around it seems as inauthentic as it is. It’s important to remember that this is an SRT8, the only trim level that will be sold for the 2008 model year, starting in May. SRT8 versions of the Charger and Chrysler 300 also have some higher-quality materials and special sport seats, so we can’t conclude that the lower, more affordable trim levels will compare when they appear for 2009.

I folded myself into the backseat, which was a mild challenge, but once seated I found ample headroom. I’m 6 feet tall, and the front seat could be pushed back far enough to crowd my legs, but there was more than enough legroom in the front seat for the average occupant to share and make us both comfortable. Dodge calls this a five-seater, but with the high center floor hump and the seat contour, I don’t think I’d want to be the poor sap who gets stuck in the center seat.

Dodge has cited a 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds, a top speed of 170 mph and “benchmark” braking performance. The most unique feature is an integrated computer that clocks 0-60 times, lateral g force and the like, and displays the results on the instrument panel.

Dodge is already taking orders; it sold 4,300 cars in the first day. There will be a total of 6,400 in North America, and Dodge says they’re going fast.