Better than: a Charger R/T
But not as good as: a Charger SRT-8 Hybrid
GRM Bang For The Buck Index: 81.91
Dodge continues to churn out model after model featuring their 6.1-liter, 425-horsepower Hemi engine. Just like in 1969, shoehorning the powerful engine into a four-door sedan with lots of usable interior space seems like a winning combination for today's enthusiasts and manufacturing bean counters alike. Although the Charger SRT-8 is billed as the quickest sedan in the Chrysler fleet, it earns those bragging rights without sacrificing any of the civil or utilitarian nature of the less-special Charger R/T we recently tested.
Our enthusiast-friendly SRT-8 test car actually featured more premium interior components than the consumer-minded R/T, including upgraded seats for the driver and front passenger as well an even further upgraded in-car entertainment—think rear-seat video screens for long trips with kids on board. The Charger SRT-8 even boasts an in-car "performance display" that measures and stores accelerometer data, including zero-to-60 times and peak lateral g readings.
While the performance of the SRT-8 may belie its curb weight, the price tag on our fully-loaded test car was an equally full-figured $47,155. Still, it's nice to know that Dad can have a fire-breathing Hemi and still take the kids to school in comfort.
Recently I had a Dodge Charger R/T to test and found it to be a pretty decent road car. Even more recently, I got to sample the SRT8 version of the same car. Again, we came away liking the Charger. By no means a sports car, the Charger, especially in SRT8 form, is a lot of fun as a highway car. With old fashioned rear wheel drive and prodigious amounts of torque, the SRT8 is good fun. The 6.1 liter Hemi engine, while not a fuel economy champ, offered effortless on ramp and passing power and flawlessly smooth operation. The chassis, while stiffer than the standard RT version of this car, was not unduly harsh, even on Northern Indiana and Michigan roads.
If you can swallow your guilt and don’t mind wasting perhaps more fuel than BP is doing in the Gulf, the Charger SRT8 is a lot of fun and nice car to drive long distances.
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