Motor Authority - blog Tag: SRT8

  • Chrysler Bumps Price of 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 To $41,230

    Chrysler Bumps Price of 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 To $41,230

    With the muscle car wars now in full swing - the  Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger are all back on the street and dealership lots again - the issue of price is more sensitive than ever. And for the 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8, things are about to get a bit tougher.

    About $1,000 tougher, actually, as the price of the 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is up $1,010 over the previous model. With its 425-horsepower output and roughly 4,100-pound curb weight, it was already at a bit of a performance disadvantage to the 426-horsepower, 3,800-pound and even more retro-futuristically styled 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS.

    Now that it's priced to...

    With the muscle car wars now in full swing - the  Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger are all back on the street and dealership lots again - the issue of price is more sensitive than ever. And for the 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8, things are about to get a bit tougher. About $1,000 tougher, actually, as the price of the 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is up $1,010 over the previous model. With its 425-horsepower output and roughly 4,100-pound curb weight, it was already at a bit of a performance disadvantage to the 426-horsepower, 3,800-pound and even more retro-futuristically styled 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS. Now that it's priced to start at least $8,000 over the MSRP of the Camaro SS (base price: $33,430 in 2SS trim), the Challenger is even less competitive. But that puts it in good company with the 2010 Ford Mustang GT, which doesn't offer anything in the Camaro SS's performance range, topping out with a 315-horsepower V-8. Sure, you can jump up to a special-edition GT500 or similar vehicle, but you'll pay two to three times the asking price of the Camaro SS, putting the hot 'Stand well out of the realm of fair competition. With Chrysler now under Fiat's leadership, it's intersting to see that pricing is going up, not down, on some key models. Even the lower-spec Challenger SE and R/T (catch our review of the R/T here) - the higher-volume sellers - are up in price over 2009, to $22,735 and $30,860, respectively. Ford does have a plan to return to competitiveness in the muscle/pony-car sector, however, with a 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 due to drop under the hood of the 2011 Ford Mustang 5.0. Until then, however, it looks like the already-hot Camaro SS and its stable mates will continue to hold the best on-paper package. [Chrysler] American Muscle Gallery Read More
  • Mr. Norm unveils 7.0L V8 Challenger and Cuda Convertibles

    Mr. Norm unveils 7.0L V8 Challenger and Cuda Convertibles Legendary Dodge dealer and tuner Mr. Norm has already shown off its 'Super' Challenger and Cuda models earlier this year, but now the firm is back with some new Dodge Challengers and Cuda models on offer. Titled the 2009 426 Hemi Challenger and 426 Hemi Cuda Convertible, both vehicles are based on the 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT-8 but have been modified to echo the styling and performance of the original Mr. Norm muscle cars from the past.

    In the performance department, Mr. Norm’s 426 Hemi Challenger and Cuda Convertible have both had their engines equipped with a new reciprocating assembly that includes a forged crank, rods and pistons... Legendary Dodge dealer and tuner Mr. Norm has already shown off its 'Super' Challenger and Cuda models earlier this year, but now the firm is back with some new Dodge Challengers and Cuda models on offer. Titled the 2009 426 Hemi Challenger and 426 Hemi Cuda Convertible, both vehicles are based on the 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT-8 but have been modified to echo the styling and performance of the original Mr. Norm muscle cars from the past. In the performance department, Mr. Norm’s 426 Hemi Challenger and Cuda Convertible have both had their engines equipped with a new reciprocating assembly that includes a forged crank, rods and pistons that increase engine displacement to a hefty 7.0-liters. The new assembly is needed to handle the Mr. Norm Signature Kenne Bell 2.8L twin-screw supercharger that whips the final power output to a tire-shredding 725hp. A new low restriction cat back dual-exhaust is also on offer to give the car a unique sounding growl, and both vehicles also get a new rear suspension system from Mr. Norm to handle all that extra power. Incidentally, the suspension system uses the same differential from the mighty Dodge Viper SRT-10 model. In terms of appearance, both vehicles feature a set of Mr. Norm 'Thrust' custom wheels, apparently inspired by the mag wheels that were popular when the first Hemi Challengers and Hemi Cuda's appeared on the muscle car scene. At 20-inches in diameter, the wheels are shod with high-performance Pirelli - just as well considering how much torture they will eventually be going through. At the front of the car is a 1971 Hemi Cuda-inspired grille, with other throwbacks to the original Mr. Norm cars seen throughout such as a custom tail panel with genuine 1971 Cuda-style writing, and actual 1971 Hemi Cuda tail light assemblies.2009 Mr. Norm 426 Hemi Cuda Convertible2009 Mr. Norm 426 Hemi Challenger Convertible Read More
  • New images of Hurst’s ‘Competition/Plus’ Dodge Challenger

    New images of Hurst’s ‘Competition/Plus’ Dodge Challenger The Dodge Challenger has been a welcome arrival for many muscle-car fans. Willing to overlook its hefty weight for the old-school looks and meaty Hemi power, they've already purchased just about every car scheduled to be made for the next year. But Hurst wasn't content to leave the Challenger alone, and has decided to prep a high-powered version complete with a collection of Hurst accessories available soon through Dodge dealers.

    Joining the tuning firm’s previous Challenger Series 2 R/T and Dodge Challenger SRT8 packages, comes a new Competition/Plus Challenger that gives a nod to the company's most popular shifter of the same name... The Dodge Challenger has been a welcome arrival for many muscle-car fans. Willing to overlook its hefty weight for the old-school looks and meaty Hemi power, they've already purchased just about every car scheduled to be made for the next year. But Hurst wasn't content to leave the Challenger alone, and has decided to prep a high-powered version complete with a collection of Hurst accessories available soon through Dodge dealers. Joining the tuning firm’s previous Challenger Series 2 R/T and Dodge Challenger SRT8 packages, comes a new Competition/Plus Challenger that gives a nod to the company's most popular shifter of the same name – one million of which have been sold to date. The Competition/Plus Challenger is an $18,495 package and includes a number of accessories, both performance and style related. The cars are available in red, white, silver and blue, and all come with matte black Hurst graphics. The final exterior touch is a set of forged aluminum wheels shod with BF Goodrich KDW tires. Inside, the cars get a black shift knob as well as a plaque of authenticity located on the dash. For the performance nuts, Hurst also offers a K&N high-flow air filter, a Magnaflow stainless-steel exhaust, and an Eibach suspension system with coil-over adjustable shocks, springs, and a sway bar.Hurst Performance Competition/Plus Dodge Challenger Read More
  • Dodge Challenger SRT8 gets German makeover

    Dodge Challenger SRT8 gets German makeover German running gear specialist KW Automotive has chosen a very peculiar vehicle for its latest modification program, one of the purest examples of a modern-day American muscle car, the Dodge Challenger SRT8. As with any production car, there are always weaknesses and in the case of the Challenger the biggest sticking point is arguably the car’s road holding ability.

    In stock form the Challenger SRT8 comes with a 6.1L HEMI V8 engine churning out 425 hp (313 kW) – More than enough power for most. Therefore, KW has not concentrated on the engine performance apart from fitting a K&N sport air filter and a Magnaflow 3.5in diameter... German running gear specialist KW Automotive has chosen a very peculiar vehicle for its latest modification program, one of the purest examples of a modern-day American muscle car, the Dodge Challenger SRT8. As with any production car, there are always weaknesses and in the case of the Challenger the biggest sticking point is arguably the car’s road holding ability. In stock form the Challenger SRT8 comes with a 6.1L HEMI V8 engine churning out 425 hp (313 kW) – More than enough power for most. Therefore, KW has not concentrated on the engine performance apart from fitting a K&N sport air filter and a Magnaflow 3.5in diameter exhaust system. But when it comes to its road holding characteristics in bends, KW has performed many changes. Engineers have fitted VW’s Variant 1 stainless steel suspension upgrade, which lowers the car at either axle by up to 50mm. The stainless steel casing guarantees that the components inside remain continuously flexible even when they are strained more in winter. Other modifications include HRE 22in forged aluminum wrapped in Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires, as well as a pair of vertically lifting ‘Lamborghini-style’ doors.KW Automotive Dodge Challenger SRT8 Read More
  • Chrysler previews 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

    Chrysler previews 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 With Chrysler confirming last month that its Street and Racing Technology (SRT) division is safe from the company’s current budgetary cutbacks, we can expect to see new models sprout from the performance arm over the coming years. The first of these could be a replacement for the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, which has been previewed today in this official teaser sketch showing a new version based on the recently revealed 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

    Labeled as a 2012 model, the new model will likely arrive sometime in 2011. Power is expected to come from a brand new 6.4L HEMI V8 engine rated at around the 500hp (373kW) and 500ft-lb (678Nm)... With Chrysler confirming last month that its Street and Racing Technology (SRT) division is safe from the company’s current budgetary cutbacks, we can expect to see new models sprout from the performance arm over the coming years. The first of these could be a replacement for the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, which has been previewed today in this official teaser sketch showing a new version based on the recently revealed 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Labeled as a 2012 model, the new model will likely arrive sometime in 2011. Power is expected to come from a brand new 6.4L HEMI V8 engine rated at around the 500hp (373kW) and 500ft-lb (678Nm) of torque. Hopefully, this will be enough to allow the SRT8-prepped Jeep to cement its title as the world’s fastest SUV now that the pair of M SUVs from BMW have landed. The new engine will be called the 392 HEMI (in reference to its capacity in cubic inches) and is expected to first appear in updated versions of the Dodge Challenger and Charger in 2011. In addition to the power transplant, the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 will also sport a subtle bodykit, a lowered ride height, stiffed suspension, and chunky SRT 5-spoke wheels housing uprated brakes.2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 preview sketch Read More
  • Mr. Norm 'Super' Challenger and Cuda enter production

    Mr. Norm 'Super' Challenger and Cuda enter production One of the highlights of last year’s SEMA Auto Show was the seriously upgraded Super Challenger modified by legendary Dodge dealer and tuner Mr. Norm. The outfit’s latest addition to its long-running ‘Super’ line of cars is based around the new Dodge Challenger, more specifically the high-performance SRT8 model, and now it and its sibling the Super Cuda have entered production at Mr. Norm's facilities in Hudson, Florida.

    The Super Challenger takes its inspiration from the original 1971 Mr. Norm’s Super Challenger Super Fuel Funny Car. The show car featured a black paint scheme with red stripes and ‘Mr.... One of the highlights of last year’s SEMA Auto Show was the seriously upgraded Super Challenger modified by legendary Dodge dealer and tuner Mr. Norm. The outfit’s latest addition to its long-running ‘Super’ line of cars is based around the new Dodge Challenger, more specifically the high-performance SRT8 model, and now it and its sibling the Super Cuda have entered production at Mr. Norm's facilities in Hudson, Florida. The Super Challenger takes its inspiration from the original 1971 Mr. Norm’s Super Challenger Super Fuel Funny Car. The show car featured a black paint scheme with red stripes and ‘Mr. Norm’ labeling on the front fenders, but the one shown here is white with black accents. Inside, the Super Challenger gets custom Katzkin leather trim, a Hurst pistol grip shifter, and special door sills. Outside, the car sports 22in forged wheels by Rodtana, Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires, a Hotchkis suspension kit, a Mopar ‘Six-Pack’ hood, and a SSBC eight-piston brake package. A new front spoiler and side scoops by Hurst Customs provide the finishing touch to the exterior. Modifications to the car’s 6.1L HEMI V8 include a Corsa Performance cat back dual exhaust system and a Kenne Bell supercharger system with a front-mount intercooler. The end result is a claimed 900hp (671kW) output. For those that don't want to spin the earth backwards with every press of the throttle, there's a slightly more tame 650hp (485kW) kit available too. The Super ‘Cuda’ features similar modifications to the Challenger but has been designed to resemble the original AAR Cuda from the 1970s. It's intended as a modern interpretation of the classic Cuda grille and tail panel, coupled with an aggressive front spoiler and satin black body stripes. Unlike the Super Challengers, which are available in a range of colors, the Super Cuda is available only in Hemi Orange.Mr. Norm Super Challenger and Super Cuda Read More

More Headlines