UPDATE:We've got all the pictures now added of the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 live reveal in Chicago! Viva la revolution! After years of looking at spy photos, renderings and concept versions — the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is here, for real. Powered by the 6.1-liter HEMI V8, this HEMI orange muscle car puts out 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. for a total of 69.8 horsepower per liter. How fast is it? Good question. The performance "targets" were a 0-60 mph time in the low fives, a quarter-mile in less than 14 seconds, at least 0.88 g's on the skidpad and a 60-0 mph stopping time of about 110 feet. However, you -- like us -- are waiting to see the actual performance numbers to see how close they got to the targets. To make the SRT8 trackworthy, engineers employed a multilink short and long arm suspension up front. In the back, the Challenger sports a five-link independent suspension with multiple bushings, allowing it to be tuned for ride or comfort. It's your choice of tires on the forged aluminum 20-inch wheels that will be keeping the 4,140-lb monster on the track. Keeping the Challenger out of the ditch is the job of the red, four-piston Brembo calipers. Drivers of the first batch of SRT8's will be controlling that power with a five-speed AutoStick, which might make some a little unhappy. More details should emerge Wednesday morning. In the meantime, there is a full press release and tons of photos in the gallery below the jump.
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Look at the bold... so its slower then a 300 hp Mustang GT both to 60, and to the 1/4 mile, and with IRS, it doesn't skidpad as well??? come on.... :(

Mopar has really upset me recently. The only thing that still makes me proud is the Viper. Everything else is marketing rubbish.

I'll take this opportunity to once again point out that a good archaic 3 link can be set up better than IRS. :-P To be fair though, the Challenger is carrying a lot more weight.

The Viper is Dead...

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/08/h...led-the-viper/

With the Viper gone, and Gm cancelling the V8 rear drive platforms, might the Horse Power Wars be over again?

Is 2008 the 1971 of the new millenium?

If it is maybe you shouldnt have knocked my purchase so much ;)

A bit off topic but Daimler AG got rid of Chrysler to Cerberus Capitol Management at a loss of $650 million USD. The corporation is now just Chrysler LLC. I have never been a MOPAR fan but I would drive the Dodge Challenger, but not buy it. After owning 2 Ford T-birds (pre retro makeover) and currently a Chevy Monte Carlo, I can't waste my money on another American made car. All three required new automatic transmissions, and leaked oil everywhere. My problem is being 6'2" and the Asian automakers make cars for midgets.

no, 2008 is 1968..... we have 3 good years left before we are all forced to only go shopping on the used market.

This time, is all in the name of the great global warming haox. :(

yeah, old news.... likely posted here, but not in the right section.

But the problem with the previous American cars you owned/ and own.... it is that they are crap. Our cars today are on par, or better then the Japanese competitor... and there is a reason I prefer driving a manual ;) ;) I'd rather be responsible for destroying a clutch... and be in control of how the power hits the pavement... but thats just me ;)

The T bird old generation was so wollowy, under powered, bad differential, .... ugly... poorly assembled that many are falling apart... however, the Monte Carlo is the FWD Chevy competitor to it... i guess to each their own.

Until 2012, I will continue to support the domestic auto industry... and maybe even then to some degree...

STOP THE PRESS

Chrysler forces employees into mandatory 2 week vacation to save money..... this is BREAKING news

The beginning of the end of Chrysler is at hand.... and the nation doesn't care :( :( :(

Mark my words... as legislation continues to break the domestic auto industry, our "one state recession" is going to infect the other north eastern manufacturing states... its going to infect the whole financial stability of the nation, and perhaps the world...

Chrysler to shut down all operations for 2 weeks in July
3/13/2008, 12:25 p.m. EDT
By DEE-ANN DURBIN
The Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler LLC is telling employees worldwide to take a mandatory two-week vacation in July.

Chrysler informed employees of the plan in an e-mail sent to employees that was obtained by The Associated Press. Chrysler spokeswoman Mary Beth Heilprin confirms the e-mail was sent.

Chrysler plans a corporate-wide shutdown the weeks of July 7 and July 14. Heilprin says some employees may be asked to stay on to work on special projects.

It's common for automakers to shut down plants in July, but this also would affect salaried workers.

Chrysler says the shutdown should help it boost productivity and efficiency. Heilprin didn't have any details about why the decision was made.

Chrysler is dead.

The raiders who bought it just want to sell the assets, dump the people and pocket the difference.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26422051/

DETROIT - Chrysler LLC is exploring strategic options for its Dodge Viper sports car business as the struggling U.S. automaker tries to raise cash to ride out a deepening U.S. auto downturn.

“We have been approached by third parties who are interested in exploring future possibilities for Viper,” Chief Executive Bob Nardelli said on Wednesday in a memo to employees.

“As the company evaluates strategic options to maximize core operations and leverage its assets, we have agreed to listen to these parties,” he added.
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The Dodge Viper is a low-volume V10-powered sports car, which was first produced in 1992.

Chrysler spokesman Todd Goyer said about 11 Viper cars are built daily at Chrysler’s Conner Avenue assembly plant in Detroit. Chrysler has sold 682 Vipers so far this year, up 111 percent from the previous year.

Like its larger competitors General Motors Corp and Ford Motor Co, Chrysler — majority-owned by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management — has faced scrutiny over its ability to ride out a downturn in U.S. auto sales that many analysts expect to stretch through 2009.

All three U.S. automakers have been hit hard by the sharp decline in sales of pickup trucks, SUVs and vans that followed the rise in gas prices this year.

Chrysler said the decision on Viper is “a stand-alone strategic review, unique to Viper” and it has not set a definitive timetable for completion of the review.

Chrysler, which has retained Lazard as its financial adviser on Viper, had said earlier that it has identified about $1 billion in non-earning assets for potential sale to raise cash.

The company, which has released limited financial data since Cerberus bought it from Daimler AG about a year ago, ended June with $11.7 billion in cash and had earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of $1.1 billion in the first half of the year.

So Cerberus is abotu to gut Chrysler.

Viper could never survive as its own niche brand. Without a dealer network, the economy of scale of the Chrysler brand for marketing and R&D it is as absurd an idea as expecting TVR to ever amount to anything again.

Besides which, they barely sell 600 cars a year at $90,000 - they would sell 10 maybe 20 at $250,000+ each... which is what a boutique Viper would have to sell for.

When this goes dow, expect lots of people to park their Vipers, as the remaining ones will become parts donors for the guys needing spares ;)

which is what we've been saying since they bought them out...

It was obvious - but there was little indication of the timeline though.

They have had some success stories though - Cerberus turned Ducati around from a washed up, zero-quality, minimal sales, zero-profit Eyetalian junk bike builder into what it is today.

Then again, it's a lot easier to sell hot looking bikes for $15,000 a piece as millions watch the red rockets zip around race tracks of the world.