2009 Challenger R/T - Challenger: V2.0 The No-Comprimise Solution

It gives us a headache just to think of the myriad choices that were made through the course of designing, engineering, and bringing to market one of the most significant performance cars to hit the road in more than 30 years. The goal with the 2009 Dodge Challenger was to capture proverbial lightning in a bottle-and in a very sexy bottle at that.

With an uncertain economy ahead and drastic CAFE standards looming on the horizon, all the smart money says run away and hide from a manufacturing commitment for a high-performance, rear-wheel-drive V-8 coupe-of which the new Challenger is the poster boy for. Except the smart money can't feel the surge of adrenaline when you stab the starter button on a pulsing V-8, or feel the pulse quicken when you grab the shifter and let out the clutch.

The reality is that logic doesn't rule over the auto industry, nor does it even pretend to reign over the world economy. Emotion is clearly the driving force, and that's a good thing, because the 2009 Dodge Challenger creates lots of emotion in huge, throbbing bundles. The principle issue at stake: Can a retro-styled, 100-percent purebred muscle car survive and thrive in 2009? We think the answer is a strong "yes."

We got the chance to sample the new 2009 Challenger in New York City this August. We experienced a variety of driving conditions, from gridlock traffic and potholes, to rolling countryside and some open track time. Since we already had driven the SRT8 back in the spring, and we've raved about the five-speed automatic overdrive with Auto Stick, we're concentrating on the bread-and-butter R/T version, which features an uprated 5.7L Hemi and a new six-speed manual trans. We did drive a handful of miles in the base V-6 version, but after the Hemi, it was somewhat anticlimactic. The V-6 will make a great-looking, fuel-efficient commuter, but we're all about the V-8, so the R/T is our focus here.

The Right Formula: V-8, RWD, IRS!
If you're going to steal the hearts and minds of enthusiasts, you need to push all the hot buttons. Lots of power, plenty of grip, deep brakes, and the right dynamic balance between all the players. For the most part, those traits translate easily into a cold, hard bill of materials, starting with the engine. The Challenger for 2009 comes equipped with an ample 250hp V-6 as standard, or in the case of the R/T, a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. And here's the first piece of good news: For 2009, the Hemi gets a huge bump to 376 hp. (Automatics get slightly less, at 372 hp.)

Hemi watchers will easily spot the increase in power over the previous year's model, which sported an already healthy 340 hp. A slight increase in static compression ratio and the addition of variable valve timing puts those extra ponies in place without any increase in displacement. In fact, the Hemi boasts a 4 percent improvement in fuel economy over the Hemi in last year's LX platform mates (Dodge Magnum, Chrysler 300C, and Dodge Charger R/T). As a side note, the automatic version of the Hemi retains its Multi Displacement System (MDS), which deactivates four cylinders on the fly for improved economy. When teamed with the new six-speed Tremec TR-6060, you'll have all eight cylinders running all the time, and that's fine by us.

Proven Architecture
The Challenger is built on a four-inch-shorter version of the LX platform (wheelbase measures 116 inches), which it shares with the longer Charger and Chrysler 300. Otherwise, the Challenger shares key suspension components and geometry. As a consequence, the Challenger enjoys a ride that is taught and responsive, yet smooth and livable like the near-luxury cars it's based on. This is no solid-axle kidney-banger for teenagers, but a grown-up car that handles crappy roads with authority and dignity. As the Challenger is aimed substantially at empty nest baby boomers, the LX platform is an excellent fit.

An SLA independent front suspension is teamed with a five-link independent rear suspension (IRS) to keep all four wheels planted for maximum effectiveness. We discovered how well it all works while negotiating the tight road course at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. The Challenger's LX chassis has a sweet progressive camber gain that maintains good grip deep in the corners, and is aided by a very transparent but effective electronic stability control program (ESP).

The entire chassis and suspension of the Challenger are confidence inspiring, and we found ourselves drifting through corners that would've had us puckering in some of our project cars. Beyond that, these sorts of antics are played out with just the right amount of mechanical drama-the right exhaust tones, the right tire noises, and the right feedback through the steering. All the correct cues get communicated, without giving you the harsh race car environment.

What we really dig is that the Challenger R/T feels far lighter on its feet than the scales otherwise show. The engineers have done a great job disguising the R/T's 4,041-pound girth. It's on this point that all the heated discussion will hinge in the coming weeks and months at all the internet forums. With the '10 SS Camaro just around the corner with more power and less mass, the battle lines will be drawn between those wanting more performance (the Camaro SS) or more of everything else (the Challenger R/T), such as comfort, room for humans, room for stuff, and more traditional muscle car styling. At the end of the day, one needs to understand that the additional mass (about 250 pounds) of the Challenger (over the Camaro) is there for a reason.

On the Track
After several hours of plodding through city traffic, then breezing through twisty two-lane back roads, we ended up at the E-town road course. It's an oddball little track in the sense that it's too short and narrow to be a full-blown road course, but too long with too much elevation change and too much speed to be a true autocross. We would've preferred the same high-speed course at Willow Springs where we flogged the SRT8 Challenger back in the spring, but as it turned out, the tightness of the track would actually be better at exposing any flaws of a relatively heavy car like the Challenger R/T.

Normally, we'd expect two tons of fun to plow through corners (The Challenger R/T is over 300 pounds heavier than our big-block '68 Chevelle), but Dodge's engineers were able to mitigate virtually all of the negative characteristics of the mass. We are big fans of the Challenger's ESP programming, which is chiefly responsible for the Challenger's excellent track manners. ESP is automatically activated in its strongest form upon start-up. If you do nothing to turn it off, it will pretty much save your bacon if you hang it out too far. ESP collates huge amounts of information, including yaw angle, braking, throttle, steering angle, wheel speed, and accelerometer data, then makes transparent changes to throttle and braking. On the R/T model, you can turn ESP "off," but portions of it will still remain active. With the SRT8, it is even possible to completely deactivate ESP by pushing down on and holding the ESP button for several seconds. Be forewarned: If you choose to completely deactivate ESP on your SRT8, you better be awesome behind the wheel!

Our time on the track was primarily behind the wheel of several manual transmission-equipped R/Ts. The Challenger R/T gets a Tremec TR-6060 six-speed for 2009 (all '08 SRT8s were automatics). This box is built to handle abuse, and we piled heaps of it on. We were impressed with the shape and feel of the pistol grip shifter handle; the uptake of the dual-disc Sachs clutch was seamless. The dual-disc clutch is a necessity on such a heavy, powerful car-its twin discs effectively doubling the clamp load without doubling the effort. Coupled with hydraulic actuation, the R/T's dual-disc clutch was silky smooth.

With the ESP turned "off," we were able to combine hard trail braking with heel-and-toe downshifts for some very satisfying driving. The Challenger flicks easily-a tad of throttle just before the apex sets the rear at the proper angle, and exiting a corner is a joyous mix of throttle and steering. The relationship between the brake pedal and accelerator seems a little too distant, and takes some getting used to. This is our only complaint with the Challenger R/T as a track day car, but the aftermarket will address this, no doubt with a wider, bolt-on scuff plate for the accelerator.

Good brakes seem to be on everybody's radar these days. The Mustang had them on the GT in 2005, the Camaro will have them when it hits in 2010, and the Challenger has them right now. The front discs are 13.6 inches in diameter (vented) with aluminum dual-piston sliding calipers; the rears are 12.6-inch vented discs with single-piston aluminum calipers. Running multiple laps at full tilt created no fade, and seemed to have no adverse affect on braking. Chrysler engineers have really done their homework here.

Finally, A Six-Speed!
With the RWD Hemi formula established back in 2005 with the introduction of the Magnum and 300C, the only serious questions being asked by enthusiasts were, "Where's the coupe?" and "Where's the six-speed?" The coupe seen here answers that first question in spades. The other shoe finally dropped when Dodge uncorked the Challenger R/T with the world-class Tremec six-speed manual. Essentially an updating of the bulletproof Borg-Warner T-56 we all know and love (Viper, '93-02 Camaro/Firebird, C5 Corvette, Mustang Cobra, and so forth), the TR-6060 is the way to go if you want to have fun with your new Hemi.

One look at the traditional pistol-grip shifter, and we were sold. If you've ever banged your knuckles on the dash with the original (we have), don't worry-the new one has none of the bad manners of the old one, which felt more like a wooden yardstick stuck in a bucket of marbles. The new one will have you shouting "yee-haw!" in no time flat. Shifts are snappy, and gear gates are right where you expect them to be. The feel may be slightly rubbery for some, but aftermarket shifters will be available soon. One last cool feature on the six-speed is the automatic Hill Start Assist (HSA) feature. When coming to a stop on an incline, HSA senses the brake pressure and incline of the ground. When your foot comes off the brake to slip the clutch, HSA holds the brake pressure for 1.5 seconds, or until the clutch is let out-whichever comes first. If you select reverse gear, HSA holds the brakes for three seconds to give you more time to parallel park. In our cross-country drive, we encountered inclines at stop lights several times, and gained a quick appreciation for HSA. We got to thinking about the HSA's programming, and figured it would be an easy chore to hijack it for line-lock duty.

Conclusion
With the availability of the six-speed and the increase in power to 376 hp (for manuals), you can pretty much do the math in your head-the Challenger R/T is one fast car. We would've loved testing it on E-town's quarter-mile, but the road course turned out to be far more revealing of the R/T's true character. High 13s should be the norm for 5.7L Hemi cars with the six-speed and an experienced (i.e. powershifting) driver. Chrysler quotes 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds, 60-0 mph braking in 125 feet, a top speed of 138 mph, and 25 mpg on the highway (16 mpg city). Based on our driving experience on and off the track, those numbers are right in line. And the most important number: the Challenger R/T starts at $29,995.

In 1970, a new Challenger R/T sold for $3,226, which works out to $17,925 in 2008 money. While we're on the subject of cost, a '70 Challenger R/T in restored condition today starts around $35,000. What the numbers don't show is that today's Challenger R/T is far better in every respect, and can hardly be compared to the inflationary price of a dozen eggs. The new R/T far exceeds the original in every measurable category. Yet Challenger R/T gives up none of the original's styling or attitude. In our judgment, the '09 Challenger R/T is a no-compromise solution for anybody wanting the classic styling of an iconic muscle car, along with all the performance, handling, safety, economy, and conveniences of the future.

Mopar Performance Options
Dodge dealers and private owners will be able to customize their Dodge Challengers with these cool over-the-counter options. Check out the "Shaker" hood (not a true shaker), the strobe graphics, 20-inch "Cragar S/S-style" Mopar wheels, and "Hurst-style" Mopar shift handle. No word yet on pricing or availability.