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2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 Road & Track Test

The Perfect Drive

There are a lot of reasons for wanting to live in Southern California, from the laid back left coast culture to the seemingly endless sunshine and sandy beaches, Hollywood celebrity sightings and famed car culture, but one of the most enticing prospects would be regular jaunts up the circuitous Angeles Crest and Angeles Forest highways to the equally appealing Willow Springs raceway.

Such was the day I just experienced during a full-line SRT ride and drive event that started from and ended at the Ritz Carlton in Pasadena, the aforementioned roadways tempting immature, reckless, albeit most enjoyable behavior in between. I started the drive in Jeeps new Grand Cherokee SRT8 (read about it Dec 1), filled in the middle of the day with on-track stints in the new Viper Coupe,

Out in front of the Ritz Carlton, Pasadena, CA, journalists and Chryco PR reps hover around Dodges latest super sedan, the Charger SRT8. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

various other SRT cars and worlds fastest SUV (at least for the time being), and capped it all off with a drive on the track and then back through the mountains in the new Charger SRT8.

This is the meanest looking LX car of the bunch, which in case you have been off continent for the last two years include Chryslers adrenaline inducing 300, and the equally tantalizing Dodge Magnum sport

The Charger SRT8 is the meanest looking LX car of the bunch, more Viper-like than the 300C SRT8 and Magnum SRT8. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

wagon. Charger has been positioned to take on mid- to full-size models of all sorts, and with a range beginning at $22,320 it offers a lot of car for the money. The same business proposition holds true throughout the line, with the range-topping SRT8 possibly offering the best "bang-for-the-buck" in the auto industry - period!
What grounds do I have for such a bold claim? Well, the majority of sedans that its up against offer very little bang at all, so it kind

The Charger SRT8s fully independent suspension, large-diameter wheels and tires, body hugging seats and all-powerful HEMI V8 put it in a league of few. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

of stands alone in its field. Even sport coupes, such a Fords Mustang GT pale in comparison, and when it comes to handling corners even the blue-oval brands supercar-defying Shelby Cobra GT500 will most likely be left eating the SRT8s proverbial dust. What makes it so good?

Thats easy. Start with a fully independent suspension system derived from Mercedes-Benzs previous E-Class, a steering rack, robust five-speed automatic transmission with Autostick manual functionality, and other

Willow Springs raceway was the ideal location for track testing a bevy of North Americas most enticing cars, trucks and SUVs. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

components pulled (after being reworked for their new application) from the same premium vehicle, and then stuffed under the hood, one of the most powerful naturally aspirated engines the world has to offer, also, along with various go-fast suspension parts such as SRT-tuned dampers, specially designed spring rates and suspension bushings, and large-diameter anti-sway bars, as well as larger wheels and tires, aerodynamic add-ons and sport-oriented interior enhancements, and then wrapping it all up in a package that has a similarly intimidating visual presence to Dodges

Partly because of the SRT divisions eleven-strong lineup, Chrysler Group is the jewel of Detroit (Auburn Hills actually), and the pride of Brampton, Ontario, where its flagship LX models are built for global consumption. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

outrageous Viper supercar, and finally, topping it off with a completely approachable $35,320 price tag, nothing can compare dollar for dollar.

Heck, not much can compare no matter how much you spend. Willow Springs raceway, where I first slid behind the wheel of the all-new Charger SRT8, is a serpentine track that combines dramatic elevation changes with some of the more complex corner combinations Ive ever had the pleasure of negotiating. It was the ideal location for an SRT event, not only due to the opportunity to track test a bevy of

Few rivals, at any price, will dice, slice and spice up the road or track any better than Dodges mid-$40K Charger SRT8. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

North Americas most enticing cars, trucks and SUVs, allowing for speeds over and above 130 mph and long sweeping corners seemingly designed to push vehicles as close to their breaking points as physically possible, with only open deposits of the Mojaves fine desert dust and gravel mixture and/or tire barriers to limit any overzealous behavior, but also an arid climate that almost ensured ideal weather conditions.

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