Dodge Challenger SRT8

Challenger SRT8 at a glance

A 2008 launch with one version only

Dodge revealed the production Challenger SRT8 at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2008, 35 years after the last E-body Challenger. The company planned 6,400 cars for the 2008 model year, and Leftlane News reported 4,300 pre-orders on the first day, more than half of them in Hemi Orange. The other two colours were Bright Silver Metallic and Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl.

Every 2008 car was an SRT8 with a numbered dash plaque, carbon-fibre-look bonnet stripes and an automatic gearbox. Wikipedia counts 7,119 cars for that first year, more than the announced plan; the 2008 run ended in July 2008, and the wider 2009 range with SE and R/T versions started production in August. The body sat on the LC platform, a shortened version of the LX that carried the Charger and the Chrysler 300, with 20-inch wheels and Goodyear tyres sized 245/45 front and 255/45 rear.

Dodge's own targets for the car were a 0-60 mph time in the low five-second range, a quarter mile under 14 seconds and 0-100-0 mph in less than 17 seconds. For 2009 buyers could finally order a six-speed manual gearbox.

From the 6.1 Hemi to the 392 in 2011

The SRT8 392 was shown at the SEMA show on 2 November 2010 for the 2011 model year. Its 6.4-litre Hemi raised power by 33 kW and torque by 68 Nm, and at 2,900 rpm it gave 122 Nm (90 lb-ft) more than the 6.1, according to Dodge. Automatic cars gained Fuel Saver cylinder deactivation, which runs the engine on four cylinders at light load; manual cars did without it.

Dodge quoted more than 180 mph (290 km/h) for the 392 with the manual and 173 mph (278 km/h) with the automatic. Production of the 392 began with 1,492 Inaugural Edition cars, 1,100 for the United States and 392 for Canada, painted Deep Water Blue with Stone White stripes or Bright White with Viper Blue stripes. The 2012 Yellow Jacket special edition cost US$45,490, about US$500 more than a regular SRT8 according to Street Muscle. For 2014, Wikipedia records launch control as the last addition before the SRT8 name was retired.

Road tests and performance figures

Period magazines measured the 392 more than a second quicker over the quarter mile than the first 6.1-litre car.

Chrysler itself claimed 12.4 seconds at 110 mph (177 km/h) for the 392. The Edmunds manual car pulled 0.91 g on the skidpad and weighed 1,931 kg (4,257 lb) as tested. Consumer Guide found the ride firmer and noisier than in the SE and R/T, with more side-to-side motion.

Fuel economy and gas-guzzler tax

The SRT8 needed premium petrol and paid the US gas-guzzler tax. EPA figures converted to metric give a clear picture of the cost of the Hemi:

The 2011 manual 392 is rated 17 mpg combined (13.8 L/100 km) on fueleconomy.gov. Consumer Guide's automatic test cars averaged 15.8 to 16.8 mpg, about 14.0 to 14.9 L/100 km. The tax was US$2,100 for 2008, US$1,700 (automatic) or US$1,300 (manual) for 2009, and fell to US$1,339 or US$1,030 for 2011, so a new 392 carried a lower tax than the 6.1.

Safety and recalls

NHTSA gave the 2009 Challenger coupé five stars in each of its four crash tests under the pre-2011 programme; the result covers the body shared by all versions. Consumer Guide lists model-wide recalls for driver airbag inflators (2008-2010), tyre pressure sensors (2009), wheel spindle nuts (2009-2010) and the wireless ignition module (2010). Whether a given SRT8 is affected depends on its VIN, so a recall check with a Dodge dealer is part of any purchase.