I would heed this warning – watch for leaky fluids: if you bought a logical, yawn-inducing, FWD sedan and parked it next to a 2011 Dodge Charger – it may wet itself. Everything about the 2011 Dodge Charger says, “I got the latest smack-down for ya’!” It’s bold, brawny and so much better than the car it replaces.
No, I’m not a lackey for Dodge – I disliked all but the SRT8 regarding the last generation’s Chargers. I hated the old interior, the V6 was weak and it was too old-school in its dynamics. So, when I say that Dodge has fixed all of the old problems AND built a better looking car – I mean it.
The Dodge folks were nice enough to invite TFLCar.com to the event and they turned us loose on the Infineon Raceway in Northern California. Unfortunately, they let a few namby-pamby old men drive on that track too – this resulted in a few dented fenders. Well, at least the under 60 crowd has a blast. The 2011 Dodge Charger R/T was fantastic fun on the track.
Here are the 2011 Dodge Charger highlights:
• The 2011 Dodge Charger SE starts at $25,170 and comes with the Pentastar V6 that cranks out 292 horsepower (at 6,350 RPM) and makes 260 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 RPM. The MPG figures will be comparable to many, larger FWD and AWD sedans. It’s a fun setup that begs the question, “Why buy a boring sedan when you can get THIS for the same price?”
• The 2011 Dodge Charger R/T starts at $30,170. It comes with the über-powerful 370 hp/395 lb-ft of torque 5.7 liter Hemi. It’s the same Auto-stick five-speed automatic transmission as before and when I asked the Dodge guys about a manual… well they kicked sand in my face, gave me a Wet Willy and said mean things about my mother before saying, “No!” Not really. They did remind me that the 5.7 liter has cylinder deactivation allowing the R/T to run on four-cylinders when cruising – which helps the MPGs.
• Drop 32,320 bones and get the R/T with all-wheel-drive (AWD). The thing is, this is one of the best kept secrets in the industry. This is a V8 strapped to rear AND front wheels for less than 35K! Dodge lowered the ride height of the AWD to make it look as badass as the RWD model – it handles better too. Also, the system works better than before for performance AND it automatically decouples from the front wheels (when not needed) helping with MPGs.
• The 2011 Dodge Charger’s interior was redesigned by a seven-foot-tall German guy who tore out the girly-man old interior and replaced it with a high-quality/high-end European worthy interior… no kidding. All joking aside, the new interior is not only the best Dodge interior I’ve seen – it’s one of the highest quality American interiors I’ve sampled – ever.
Here’s a few performance highlights:
1. The new electric steering system provides better feedback while increasing MPG by not sapping engine RPMs to power it.
2. Suspension, shocks, springs, bump stops – pretty much everything has been recalibrated for better handling, feel and ride. Even the base model feels light on its toes.
3. They got rid of that friggin’ ugly, four-spoke steering wheel in favor of an all new, (good looking) three-spoke steering wheel. Thank god.
4. Lots of sound deadening material, double laminated front windows, thicker fabrics, foam filled pillars and better aerodynamics make for a substantially quieter car. Fortunately, you can still hear the V8 rumble.
5. The body is more aerodynamic, chiseled, naughty and mean. Nearly every panel is new. As you examine the exterior, keep in mind the original Charger AND some of the cool prototypes – yup, Dodge used a lot of nostalgic influence and built something cool.
So, it’s up to you reader. Seeing what Dodge is up to and considering their reemerging commitment to craftsmanship – a car like the Charger makes a case for itself. I mean, what would you rather have – a Toyota Camry, a Nissan Altima maybe a Honda Accord or Subaru Legacy? Or – would you rather have something cool that makes you feel powerful?
If they ever put a stick in the thing – I’m selling the kids on Ebay to get one!
Automotive media, racing, vehicle evaluation, wrecking yards, and car sales are just a part of Nathan Adlen’s vehicular past. He writes out of high octane passion! To read more reviews by Nathan Adlen or just to enjoy more of excellent writing please visit him on at his examiner.com page HERE.
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