Take a guess a what's wrong with the numbers (below) that we recorded for this week's review of the 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8:
G-Tac Test Data
1/4 Mile: 14.83 second at 103 mph
0-60 mph: 6.73
60-0 stopping: 125 feet
Max Acceleration: 0.59 g's
For a car with 425 horsepower the acceleration times are way too slow.
Other reviews have recorded 0-60 times in the mid 5 second range with quarter mile times in the 13 second mark.
The problem is straightforward.
With the traction control on, the car leaps from the line like a scalded cat, but all too soon the car's computer decided that rear wheel spin is forbidden and electronically puts a halt to all of the fast forward fun. This causes the car to feel like it just lost 200 horsepower, which it probably did, and lurch to slow motion stall until the rear wheels regain grip and the car rockets ahead.
Unfortunately with the traction control turned off the rear wheels party like it is 1999, and the car just lights up the rear tires.
We put this in the "good problem to have file".
Watch below what happens when we try to transfer the HEMI's 425 horsepower to the road without the aid of traction control.
