|
If you've driven any Dodge, much less a Dodge Charger, you might gather that the 2006 model moves about with an unusual finesse. The steering and suspension don't seem shaky in their transactions and the automatic transmission knows what to do. No surprise there: this trio of cars represents the biggest merger of cars following the biggest merger of companies. Yes, Dodge plucked a wealth of key components from a late-model Mercedes, and indeed, an echo of E-class emanates through the controls.
The biggest benefit was easy and free access to rear-wheel-drive. Chrysler could have done the rest on their own, but RWD is a time-forgotten tradition for the third of the Big Three, having not built any such passenger cars since its dark days in the 80s. The Charger makes good use of its push-me nature: hard acceleration puts the load on the right set of tires, the tail can be snapped out in corners (until the stability control catches it), and there's just a purer all-around feel than the old Intrepid could hope for. Clearly, Chrysler's getting some mileage out of this mixed marriage.
Of course, we Americans have a tendency to concentrate on the centerpiece in even the biggest of pictures. So in spite of all the German in the chassis, our attention drifts to the 100% American Beef Hemi engine, now sized at 6.1 monstrous liters after Chrysler increased the bores (and raised the compression from 9.6 > 10.3, raised the redline from 5,800 > 6,400, and strengthened it elsewhere). You'll know that's a Hemi pumping under there; the Charger's nervous shuddering at idle gives it away. This all-muscle motor clobbers these two tons of steel to 60 MPH in 4.7 scant seconds, whooping any car that's ever worn the name "Camaro." With horsepower and torque both in excess of 400, there's thrust everywhere, lots of it, right now.
Straight-line excellence is a given, but the Charger also holds its own out in the twisties. The steering cuts quickly, accurately and the all-independent suspension shrugs off most bumps - most muscle cars would fail right here - and as long as there's enough space, the bulk isn't much bother. Helping every situation is the glue-like adhesion of the tires, which cling to the road all the way up to 0.90g. 20-inch tires apparently solve all problems. Also, the AutoStick transmission is always propped for a spontaneous manual shift (though it feels weird to nudge the lever left/right instead of up/down, and you must shift to Neutral and back to restore normal operation) and you can always send thunder through the canyon with your right foot.
On the other hand, you don't forget the bulk completely. And Mercedes was never a true talent in steering feel; the Charger's could be less numb. Third, the brake pedal feels spongy at speed, making you press hard and unsurely before deceleration begins. The numbers do show those Brembo brakes stopping the car short, though. And the electronic throttle pedal feels perfectly precise - pretty important considering the power at hand here.
Achtung: the Just-Add-More approach to performance has monetary costs. A huge cast-iron engine needing a huge car needing huge 14-inch brakes clamping down huge tires calls for a huge fuel bill. I got just short of 17 MPG. In mostly highway driving. On premium fuel. Those offended by the $2,100 Gas-Guzzler Tax should chew on this: the Charger SRT-8 will drink that much in gas every 13,000 miles anyway. And expect to stop for refills every 280 miles.
There are some other costs. The SRT-8 gets the firmest springs and bushings of the Charger bunch (no mention about shocks) and lowest ride height, and despite the Mercedes refinement in its bump-suppression methods, the ride is too busy to be called any better than mediocre. You go right up or down with every rise and dip in the road, and the sharpest ones come with a really loud suspension BANG and/or the rattling of miscellaneous interior pieces. Could this be the consequence of taking a somewhat aged platform (1996) and stretching the wheelbase out to a truck-like 10 feet long? Likewise, the 20-inch dubs make a lot of noise, even if the rest is quiet. Lastly, low-hanging body parts mean you'll scrape the chin on half the world's driveways, and the 39-foot turning circle isn't great.
At least the Hemi is a citizen of model behavior. Unlike muscle cars of days past, its addicting and authoritative bassline only shows up when you order it; when you don't, it politely fades into the distance. Being the Charger's main thrill, though, you'll probably be hearing it a lot.
Remember the Intrepid/Concorde/Vision's "cab forward" styling, the strategy of pushing the wheels out to the car's corners to maximize interior space? The ruler says the Charger's wheels stand even closer to the corners, but "cab backward" better captures the feeling. A long hood, a huge mass of dash, and an in-your-face steering wheel confront the driver; the top of the windshield is also far forward, which might block some of the taller traffic lights if you're first in line. My 6'3" colleague crossed the Charger off his shopping list out of distaste for the high beltline. And even though the 200.1-inch-long Charger is 2.4 and 3.3 inches longer than the Magnum and 300C, it's got the lowest interior volume.
Sitting in this car also feels a bit cave-like thanks to those gun-slit windows, which taper off for back passengers. The Charger's falling roof compounds the feeling; 36.2 inches of rear headroom make it almost two inches squatter than its brothers' - a greater problem for the elevated center rider, who also gets dissed with no rear head restraint to protect him and a giant center driveline hump eating up his floor space.
Perceptions aside, this is a still a Large Car, and that's the EPA speaking. The second row is nearly as roomy as the first with 40.2 inches of legroom, fine space for feet, and wide doors easing access. If your passengers report feeling cramped, just tell them to close their eyes.
You, the driver, find a perfect driving position easily with the tilt-telescoping steering wheel. The front seats are a mix of strange suede and good-enough leather (with some nylon lining the sides), with effective side bolstering and good long-term comfort.
Materials and ergonomics are mostly standard-issue Chrysler. The dashboard has that rough, grainy look to it, bins and compartments aren't sprung well, and there's too much inexpensive plastic. The visors feel constructed of FedEx shipping cardboard, and the dumb map lights only illuminate the area behind the steering wheel.
Some redemption is found in the decisive movement of most knobs, switches, and buttons. The pretty cool instrument cluster simultaneously displays a lot of useful information: compass, temperature, radio station, odometer. The ignition slot stands nice and high on the dash and most controls are well sorted, though the jury's still out on how the stereo's six preset buttons contain 12 stations. The optional 276-watt Boston Acoustics totally supports the Charger's personality, adding a lot of depth to every note and featuring a trunk-mounted Kicker subwoofer that boasts a bunch of BOOM. And with a 6-disc CD player with MP3 playback, it scores big in features.
The easily-programmed navigation system makes a nice traveling companion, giving pleasant-sounding directions by voice, in its screen, and in a little dash display all at once. Minor gripes: it can't be used when moving (common), the color of highlighted menu items is camouflaged when it should be contrasted, and one time when I ignored a turn, it had only this to say: "Route cannot be calculated to destination. Please enter a destination."
Dodge transplanted one ergonomic region straight from Mercedes - the one region best avoided. That would be everything on the steering column's left side: the cruise control stalk awkwardly placed where the turn signal should go, the now-displaced turn signal now down by your knee, etc. Oh well. As with Benzes, it goes on auto-blink with one tap - four times, in this case.
The trunk has no carpeting on its lid but is at least held up by space-saving struts. 16.2 cubic feet is plenty of space for four people's stuff, and the back seats fold down in a jiffy.
Chrysler's three flagships are as diverse within themselves as they are from each other. While the Magnum and 300C have a lineup of four engines with all-wheel-drive optional on the middle two, the Charger ditches the bottom engine and keeps it real with rear-wheel-drive. Their prices collectively range from 22 to 43 grand; the Charger's range is narrower, and better yet, lower.
The V6 Charger SE marks the least expensive car on this platform at $22,445 - a double bonus considering how Magnums & 300s with the 3.5-liter V6 start above 26 and 28. Don't write off the V6. It's the most high-tech engine here, an aluminum piece with dual overhead camshafts, 8 more valves (despite 2 fewer cylinders), a higher redline, accepts mid-grade gas, and with the help of some other parts, relieves the Charger of a 360-pound burden (vs. the SRT-8). Its 250 horsepower is already more than Ford, GM, or Hyundai can muster in their big sedans, and Dodge claims a V6 Charger can tow 2,000 pounds while discouraging towing at all on the SRT-8. The step-up V6 model is the $3,850-higher SXT, adding a power seat, leather steering wheel and shift knob, Boston Acoustics stereo, folding rear seats, fog lights, chrome grille, and aluminum wheels.
To get the 5.7-liter Hemi (340 HP, 390 torque) takes the Charger R/T at $30,295. This is the only engine that can turn off half its cylinders when cruising, though no one has found it to save much gas. Charger R/Ts get performance brakes, 18x7.5-inch aluminum wheels, dual exhausts, leather seats, tire-pressure monitor, a 160 MPH speedometer (vs. 140), and a 19-gallon tank (vs. 18). A $1,695 Road/Track Performance Group adds 10 horsepower and upgrades to "9-Land" performance steering, performance suspension with load-leveling rear shocks, and P235/55VR18 tires. It also adds suede inserts to the seats, dual-zone automatic A/C, dual power seats, power adjustable pedals, and turns the edges of the R/T's double-spoke wheels to black. A $2,675 Daytona R/T package has all the same stuff but wears the color scheme of a rotten banana.
After the gas-guzzler tax, the king of the hill Charger SRT-8 wants $38,095, undercutting the 300C SRT-8 by a good $4,600. Compared to the R/T, it takes the brakes, steering, and suspension a step further and adds a 180 MPH speedometer, forged 20x9-inch aluminum wheels, Goodyear F1 Supercar tires, body-color spoiler, and hood scoop. Our Charger, fully decked out with the stereo, sunroof, curtain air bags, navigation, and a $225 fee to paint the car red, almost banged its head on 44 grand.
Hefty sum for a Dodge? Well, let's piece together what the Charger SRT-8 essentially is: a Mercedes E-class stretched to full-size. That sort of makes it an S-class. It also has 8 cylinders, about 250 more horsepower than it needs, and can keep up with the latest sports cars. That sort of makes it a Mercedes S55 AMG, which sort of costs $116,625.
Ok, that's simplistic and doesn't account for the chasm in pride and pedigree between the two cars, nor how the Mercedes is leaps and bounds ahead in class and luxury. But what else can be compared? The desire to catapult five humans down the road in a real big hurry may be a strange one, but no other automaker has addressed it for anywhere near the price.
Dodge delivers on the unkept promises of Ford's milquetoast Marauder and Chevy's inept Impala.
|
