In an apparent effort to keep the momentum going on a car they aren't even selling yet, DaimlerChrysler has just introduced a high-performance version of the Dodge Charger.
That would be the Charger SRT8, and if you guessed that it comes equipped with a 6.1-litre Hemi V-8 and can go from 0 to 100 kmh in about five seconds you probably read too many automotive stories.
When Charger does go on sale later this year, says Darryl Jackson, the vice-president of Dodge marketing for the Detroit-based Chrysler Group of Germany's DaimlerChrysler AG, the SRT8 model will have an ''infusion of Street and Racing Technology (SRT) DNA. That means it will provide exactly what performance enthusiasts want in their American muscle sedan: more power, world-class ride and handling, benchmark braking, functional and aggressive-looking exterior enhancements, and a race-inspired interior.''
During the heyday of the original Dodge Charger, performance was measured mainly in straight-line numbers and, as any Dukes of Hazzard fan can tell you, its fictional ability to get airborne and keep running after
it crashed to earth. Today, says Jackson, ''SRT adds a complete approach with the all-new 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8.''
Dan Knott prefers to say the SRT ''approach to performance is multi-dimensional,'' and as the director of Street and Racing Technology for the Chrysler Group, his opinion has some validity.
By way of example, Knott points out that the 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 ''incorporates Brembo brakes to stop as well as it accelerates. Its handling is world-class across a dynamic range. Its interior is designed specifically for the performance driver. And its performance exterior characteristics don't just look great, they're also functional.''
Chassis improvements on the lowered (by 13 mm) 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 include SRT-tuned dampers, specially tailored spring rates and suspension bushings, and large-diameter anti-sway bars. Knott says handling is further enhanced for performance by a specially-tuned Electronic Stability Program.
Charger SRT8 gets unique SRT-developed five-spoke 20-inch forged aluminum wheels, surrounded by high-performance Goodyear Supercar F1 three-season (i.e. not winter) tires with asymmetrical tread -- 245/45/20 in the front, and 255/45/20 in the rear. Four-season tires are optional.
All four wheels feature Brembo performance brake calipers, with the red finish characteristic of all Dodge SRT vehicles. Each four-piston caliper grips a vented rotor -- 360 x 32mm discs up front, with 350 x 26mm in the rear.
''Functional performance is at the heart of the SRT credo,'' says Knott, and to that end an all-new front fascia ''includes integrated ducts that help direct fresh air to cool the brakes.'' The front fascia also incorporates an air dam to reduce lift, and the hood is equipped with a scoop to funnel cool air into the engine compartment.''
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| 2006 Dodge Charger SRT-8 (photo : DaimlerChrysler) |
When Charger does go on sale later this year, says Darryl Jackson, the vice-president of Dodge marketing for the Detroit-based Chrysler Group of Germany's DaimlerChrysler AG, the SRT8 model will have an ''infusion of Street and Racing Technology (SRT) DNA. That means it will provide exactly what performance enthusiasts want in their American muscle sedan: more power, world-class ride and handling, benchmark braking, functional and aggressive-looking exterior enhancements, and a race-inspired interior.''
During the heyday of the original Dodge Charger, performance was measured mainly in straight-line numbers and, as any Dukes of Hazzard fan can tell you, its fictional ability to get airborne and keep running after
 |
| 2006 Dodge Charger SRT-8 (photo : DaimlerChrysler) |
Dan Knott prefers to say the SRT ''approach to performance is multi-dimensional,'' and as the director of Street and Racing Technology for the Chrysler Group, his opinion has some validity.
By way of example, Knott points out that the 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 ''incorporates Brembo brakes to stop as well as it accelerates. Its handling is world-class across a dynamic range. Its interior is designed specifically for the performance driver. And its performance exterior characteristics don't just look great, they're also functional.''
Chassis improvements on the lowered (by 13 mm) 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 include SRT-tuned dampers, specially tailored spring rates and suspension bushings, and large-diameter anti-sway bars. Knott says handling is further enhanced for performance by a specially-tuned Electronic Stability Program.
 |
| 2006 Dodge Charger SRT-8 (photo : DaimlerChrysler) |
All four wheels feature Brembo performance brake calipers, with the red finish characteristic of all Dodge SRT vehicles. Each four-piston caliper grips a vented rotor -- 360 x 32mm discs up front, with 350 x 26mm in the rear.
''Functional performance is at the heart of the SRT credo,'' says Knott, and to that end an all-new front fascia ''includes integrated ducts that help direct fresh air to cool the brakes.'' The front fascia also incorporates an air dam to reduce lift, and the hood is equipped with a scoop to funnel cool air into the engine compartment.''