2006 Dodge Charger Road & Track Test

Of course, if you're going to opt for the SXT make sure to not actually drive a HEMI-equipped Charger R/T. If you do, common sense

Of the cars Dodge chose for track duties, two were fully-loaded Charger R/T Daytonas in the old/new Go-ManGo! (mango) orange-copper and matte black color scheme. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

might take a back seat to unbridled endorphins, especially when factoring in that only $29,320 is needed so that you can say "yes" when someone asks you if your Charger's got a HEMI in it. The 5.7-litre V8's thunderous acceleration is quite bizarre, really. There's nothing like it anywhere outside of Chrysler Group's arsenal of HEMI-equipped models, unless you've got the bucks to step into a Cadillac CTS-V at just-under-$50K, or one of Europe or Japan's premium brands, often priced even higher. I was quite responsible driving the Charger R/T from Durham to VIR, knowing that I would have the opportunity to put it through its paces on the track, away from police radar. Once on the track, however, there were no such concerns, allowing me to extract full potential from the big sedan.

The cars Dodge chose for track duties included two fully-loaded Charger R/T Daytonas in the old/new Go-ManGo! (mango) orange-copper and matte black color scheme - Top Banana! yellow is also available - and four others featuring the power, handling and interior upgrades of the Daytona without the racy paintwork and body add-ons. The package is called the Performance Handling Group, and features wider 18-inch performance tires, a 9-land* steering gear and Nivomat self-leveling shocks. This suspension is tuned for greater feedback.

I don't know if I have the personal chutzpa to carry off a fully decorated Daytona for daily driving, but I completely fell

There's nothing like the Charger R/T anywhere outside of Chrysler Group's arsenal of HEMI-equipped models. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

for an all-black Performance Handling Group version that came complete with most of the Daytona's upgrades. Darth Vader of automobiles it is now (say that last line with Yoda's crackly voice and it works better); it's an especially menacing looking beast that, unlike a much younger me who wasn't up to much good, is very good indeed.

I should mention that the Charger comes in seven exterior colors, including Bright Silver Metallic, Inferno Red Crystal Pearl, Brilliant Black, Magnesium Pearl, Midnight Blue Pearl, Cool Vanilla and Silver Steel Metallic. The Daytona adds the orange and yellow I just spoke of previously.