Comments on: 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T: a blast from the past – and into the future http://www.geardiary.com/2009/08/05/2009-dodge-challenger-rt-a-blast-from-the-past-%e2%80%93-and-into-the-future/ Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Perryhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/08/05/2009-dodge-challenger-rt-a-blast-from-the-past-%e2%80%93-and-into-the-future/#comment-47692 Perry Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:24:03 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=40920#comment-47692 One of my favorite weekend shows, Gears, did an episode comparing a modern Challenger to a classic one. It was a great look at both cars. The host, Stacy David, then dropped a supercharger into the modern Challenger giving it an extra hundred-and-some-odd horses. Very nice car! One of my favorite weekend shows, Gears, did an episode comparing a modern Challenger to a classic one. It was a great look at both cars. The host, Stacy David, then dropped a supercharger into the modern Challenger giving it an extra hundred-and-some-odd horses. Very nice car!

]]> By: Joel McLaughlinhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/08/05/2009-dodge-challenger-rt-a-blast-from-the-past-%e2%80%93-and-into-the-future/#comment-47675 Joel McLaughlin Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:56:28 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=40920#comment-47675 Ahh the fun has been removed from most daily rides. This ride isn't practical by a long shot. However, it is FUN! :-D Ahh the fun has been removed from most daily rides. This ride isn’t practical by a long shot. However, it is FUN! :-D

]]> By: mchinskyhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/08/05/2009-dodge-challenger-rt-a-blast-from-the-past-%e2%80%93-and-into-the-future/#comment-47672 mchinsky Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:05:37 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=40920#comment-47672 I know these cars are for a very special demographic. The originals were for teenagers, but at nearly $40k, that's not going to be high on the list of most teenagers except for rich ones. My $38k Infinity G35x has a 3.5 liter v6, pushing 308 ponies, and rockets me with all wheel drive from 0 to 60 in about 5.4 seconds. It can do pretty close to that in almost any whether condition. It pushes 100% rear wheel drive on dry pavement, and graduates up to 50/50 when things get slippery (can't do that on these live axle retro cars). It's loaded with an interior that makes that Walmart interior on the challenger look seriously cheap. US auto maker interiors, IMHO are one of the biggest reasons for their downfall. Skidpad, handling, luxury are years apart between the two. There is no way you can look/drive a challenger and my Infiniti and roughly the same price tag and say they are in the same universe. But again, I recognize there are alot of 35 to 55 year olds who remember their muscle car and want to bring back that hay day and that's what this is for. However, will they move enough units to get out of bankruptcy? I doubt it. Toyota is alot more pragmatic. Rather than live in the past with a remake of the Supra etc, they know what todays kids want with brands like Scion. The rest of us 'old kids' realistically need the mini-van or SUV with the families we now have and the real concerns of $3+/gallon gas. In addition, now that the US government owns 2/3 of america's automakers, these cars are going to be short lived to be replaced by some type of modified golf cart. I know these cars are for a very special demographic. The originals were for teenagers, but at nearly $40k, that’s not going to be high on the list of most teenagers except for rich ones.

My $38k Infinity G35x has a 3.5 liter v6, pushing 308 ponies, and rockets me with all wheel drive from 0 to 60 in about 5.4 seconds. It can do pretty close to that in almost any whether condition. It pushes 100% rear wheel drive on dry pavement, and graduates up to 50/50 when things get slippery (can’t do that on these live axle retro cars).

It’s loaded with an interior that makes that Walmart interior on the challenger look seriously cheap. US auto maker interiors, IMHO are one of the biggest reasons for their downfall.

Skidpad, handling, luxury are years apart between the two.

There is no way you can look/drive a challenger and my Infiniti and roughly the same price tag and say they are in the same universe.

But again, I recognize there are alot of 35 to 55 year olds who remember their muscle car and want to bring back that hay day and that’s what this is for. However, will they move enough units to get out of bankruptcy? I doubt it.

Toyota is alot more pragmatic. Rather than live in the past with a remake of the Supra etc, they know what todays kids want with brands like Scion. The rest of us ‘old kids’ realistically need the mini-van or SUV with the families we now have and the real concerns of $3+/gallon gas.

In addition, now that the US government owns 2/3 of america’s automakers, these cars are going to be short lived to be replaced by some type of modified golf cart.

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