The Dodge Charger R/T Product Preview
Reborn Dodge performance sedan may offend purists because it's not a clone of the original
If you have any doubt about what a polarizing car the new 2006 Dodge Charger is, just check out some of the Internet chat rooms devoted to the new performance-oriented sedan from DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group.
The all-new, rear-wheel-drive Charger is a fabulous follow-up to the mighty Chrysler 300 sedan on which it is based. It's a terrific example of "a chest-out car that shows its confidence," an inspirational phrase that Ford's U.S. design director Peter Horbury has used to rouse his troops at Chrysler's cross-town rival.
The 2006 Charger, which is on sale now, has the potential to offend purists because it's not a clone of the original (it has four instead of two doors).
But it manages to provide an intriguing post-modern riff on what a New Age version should look like.
And, of course, there's even a Hemi stuffed under the hood of the more expensive versions, with a satisfying baritone exhaust note blasting out of the twin exhausts in the rear.
In other words, we're crazy about Charger, which sounds the perfect note between such retro-inspired competitors as the 2005 Ford Mustang and 2005 Pontiac GTO.
In other words, it's not a direct replica of an earlier design, as the Mustang is, nor is it totally disconnected from the original, as is the case with the GTO. Like both of its Motor City rivals, however, the Charger stirs positive and negative emotions.
We tested the up-level 2006 Dodge Charger R/T with a base price of $29,995, which includes a $675 destination charge.
It had several options, including a $950 power sunroof, a $1,495 navigation radio system and the $1,600 road-track performance group that included a performance suspension, heated front seats and power adjustable pedals. Bottom line: $35,565.
A base Charger SE with a 250-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 starts at $22,995, including destination.
Any discussion of the five-passenger Charger, which is built in Ontario on the same line as the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Magnum, rightly starts with its looks.
In very broad strokes, it is somewhat true to the soul of the 1960s original, with a long hood, short deck, dominant grille and fastback roofline. Our test car was painted with "brilliant black crystal pearl coat," a color that manages to give the Charger, with its furrowed "face," an even more sinister look.
Inside, rear passengers will pay a price for that fastback roof. It intrudes on headroom. But that's our only major complaint with the cabin. The new Charger interior has a sophisticated look with a two-tone cabin treatment. The dash is linear, which gives the sedan a no-nonsense, almost police squad-car kind of feeling. But our test car had nice chrome cabin accents at the places that your hand touches, the handles and the knobs.
The white-faced gauges are easy to read and the controls are clean and simple. It's one of those vehicles that gets high marks for intuitive design. The R/T model features high-quality materials, including suede seat inserts that help grip your posterior as you're throwing the Charger around curves.
Our test Charger was equipped with the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 that makes 340 horsepower and 390 pounds-feet of torque. That compares with 300 horsepower and 320 pounds-feet for the Mustang GT's 4.6-liter V-8 and 400 horsepower and 400 pounds-feet for the GTO's 6.0-liter V-8.
One twist: The Hemi features the multidisplacement system that allows the Charger's engine to switch from eight cylinders to four cylinders at part-throttle. This is a fuel-saving system that allows the Charger R/T to return 17 miles per gallon in city driving and 25 mpg on the highway -- not great, but OK, considering the car's 4,000-pound curb weight.
The Hemi is mated to a Mercedes-Benz-designed five-speed automatic transmission with the AutoStick feature that allows you to shift without a clutch -- a great addition for enthusiasts who might bemoan the fact that there is no manual transmission offered on Charger. Both the Mustang and the GTO can be ordered with manual gearboxes.
The powertrain combination on our test car was a nice complement to the Chargers looks.
The new Dodge sedan has impressive horsepower, accelerating with authority around slower vehicles on the highway and negotiating merges onto the freeway with ease. The biggest problem we had was keeping our speed well within the legal limit.
The Charger further benefits from German sibling Mercedes with grippy brakes that are adapted from the E-Class, although the power steering unit feels too disconnected from the road for our taste.
Be prepared for a firm ride with the R/T package -- the suspension settings are much stiffer than on the Magnum or the 300 -- but you won't get beat up too much, even on dirt and gravel roads.
Handling is another issue. The Charger is big and long and heavy, so you won't find words like "nimble" and "agile" in its personal vocabulary.
You can't quite see where the nose or the tail ends, and that can prove to be quite challenging when parking.
We noted some visibility issues, too, mainly due to the thick C pillars in the rear. The driver's side mirror also cut off our vision, especially when making left turns.
In what likely is an effort to defuse any worries about buying a rear-wheel-drive car, Dodge has wisely loaded up Charger with lots of standard safety equipment, most notably an electronic stability program that keeps the car from fishtailing or sliding on slippery roads, along with antilock brakes and traction control.
However, front and rear side curtain air bags cost $390 extra, according to Chrysler.
And then there are the intangibles. We found that the Charger provoked a reaction, even from consumers too young to have owned an original. The 28-year-old guy with the tongue stud who cuts our lawn raved about the Charger, which he called "General Lee," a reference to the old "Dukes of Hazzard" TV show with its orange Charger.
He didn't seem to have the angst about Charger that some chat-room denizens do.
Charger Chief Engineer Burke Brown tackled with ease the controversy about whether the car is retro enough for all tastes.
"There are diehards who hoped we'd take the formula Mustang has taken where they try to replicate a car from the early '70s," Brown said.
"That's not our formula. Take a few steps back and look at what customers need today. You don't even see two-door pickups around anymore. Charger is a little retro with all of today's amenities. It's a totally different formula, but exactly the formula that most people are looking for."
1969 Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger R/T interior gets high marks for intuitive design.
With a Hemi, the Charger has impressive horsepower, accelerating with authority around slower vehicles on the highway.
"Charger is a little retro with all of today's amenities," says chief engineer Burke Brown.
-Matt-
Hemi-packed Charger is ready to ROCK!
