david, i don’t think you could afford a used ram truck nevermind an srt10. i don’t think you even know how to drive stick, except maybe your boyfriends. why don’t you take some more ritalin, and draw some pictures of the car you would like to own someday, or better yet, draw your pappy,s truck smoking a chally off the redlight. you miserable nothing!

When all of the 08 Challengers with their ’silly stick’ automatics hit the street driven by balding, gray, prune faced overweight men,the car will lose it’s appeal. The younger crowd will distance themselves from it because of the stigma created by a generation with enough money to finance their retirement, and by seeing the cars at the drugstore while the owner is inside purchasing Rogaine and Viagra.(The Camaro is still very dear to many of these youthful drivers, since it’s absence of less than 10 years.)
For allot less money, go out and buy a used silver SRT 10 Ram 1500 with a youthful and genuine 6-speed transmission. Take off the rear spoiler and put a high top Leer cap on the back, so the truck looks like Pappy’s (the 08 Challenger driver’s daily driver). Then you smoke every 08 Dodge Challenger on the street. You will see them all parked back at the retirement village in the FRONT YARD, and hear WAH!WAH!WAH! coming from the rocking chair on the porch.

LEONARDO, WHAT COUNTRY ARE YOU FROM? I HAVE EXPORTED MANY CARS AND CAN POSSIBLY HELP YOU.

In reply to the last comment by FRONTYARDRESTOGUY. AMEN brother, AMEN. I waited since Dodge released the initial prototype of this car and did not wait for the dealer to call me back. I am not rich, but I did have enough saved to put 10k down. I was at the dealership door after they were already closed. The dealer was pleasant and they invited me in and I ordered it on the spot (which I must admit, they made a very enjoyable experience). It was a bit more over what MSRP is, but I expected that. Also, they weren’t hold me hostage and MAKING me buy the thing. I ordered mine black with all the options.

I agree this will be the last of the new era muscle cars and your very right the camaro may never make it to produciton.
In 30 years I can relive the road warrior looking for gas for my cars.LOL.
Isnt the fuel running out in about 30years or so?Thats gotta piss off the big collectors ..
Might as well live it up your only here for a short time..
This car is gonna be what it says it is.

Once again dodge has done it again,made a beautyful work of art that hauls a– as a true mopar should But,Once again over rated due to all the doctors,lawers,judges,CEO’s and collectors plunking down 40 to 60-k,the same way they did Harley Davidsons,i can remember not long ago a down to earth hard working man or woman (i had to include the ladys) could go out an buy a balls to the wall muscle car for a moderate price.This is one reason the price is so high,then theres insurence only a fool would buy one an hide it in a warehouse an not drive it!!! i can see 35~k but not 40 for an srt8,thanks corprate america for nothing!!! i love mopars with all my heart an soul,but unless something doesn’t change i’ll have to wait on the new 66 concept chevelle thats coming out (yes it’s sweet!!!)any way i’m not plunking down 10,000 on a car i haven’t seen or driven in person and i for da– sure not paying the ballence in cash when it hits the dealership,(thats what the dealer ship here in my home town told me)total price is 47,000 thanks but no thanks,i’m old school an i can build my own car for that or maybe less(an it would be the true classic not a concept)i’ve done before an i guess i’ll do it again ‘grumpy ole bear”

460 hp chally due out in late 2009 and also in convertible.
The car is a bit different from the concept but thats to be expected,esspecially the dash changed.

Will there be a hemi challenger that is NOT an SRT? Do we have any hope of actually purchasing one from a dealer in the next year without paying over LIST? Ford allowed this to happen with the new Mustang when it came out. It made me angry to see the first new mustangs on ebay with the auctions starting at several thousands above the sticker. I tried to talk to a dealer too, they didn’t want to sell for list either. I’ve been a Ford guy for 25 years and have owned about 11 brand new Fords in that time. Now, a few years later I am still angry at Ford for allowing the dealers to price gouge. Now it’s years later after the new Mustang release and I’m still angry, and I STILL won’t buy one. I have been thinking about the new Challenger since I saw the show car (just like all of you), but now I am angry again. I understand that the SRT is a special edition and I understand the base price. So be it. But why no information about an R/T hemi pricing? Will it be a “gougemobile” too? That new Cadillac CTS is looking better all the time………….. Dodge is shooting themselves in the foot by allowing the dealers to do this to us. People like me are considering coming to Dodge after many years of loyalty to other brands. My first car when I was 16 was a Plymouth Duster and back then a Challenger or Cuda was just a dream car for a poor kid like me. I guess it still is, because now I’m old and wise enough to never even pay list price unless it’s a brand new model that is just hitting the lots. But to pay over list? NO WAY Hello Cadillac CTSV. I love RWD.

Yeah, Good luck ordering a Challenger at MSPR. In San Diego, the dealers are asking $61K. I’ve got two words for them “bite me”. Everyone should just hold off on their purchase until Sept ‘08 and Dodge will be begging us to buy with rebates and/or incentives. But I guess that won’t happen either. It’s out of control.

Deja vu all over again. (see what SanFranNan has instore for us below.)

I guess another brief period of muscle car nirvana (e.g., late 60s, early 70s) followed by Democrats forcing us to drive the new 2020 Yugo again in perpetuity. We won’t be able to separate ourselves from the environmentalist wackos. We will be forced to share their misery of the Yugo-car lifestyle. The frozen tundra of Alaska is more important to Nancy Pelosi than Americans.

Chrysler will come up with an engineering solution to save us from Yugo-car hell.
Probably a multi-mode Hemi Hybrid Challenger.

I own a 71 Challenger convertible so I am particularly interested in news about the convertible new Challenger.

On Dec 1, 2007 at 12:17AM, FRONTYARDRESTOGUY posted:
here is the death nell of the muscle car. last time it was emissions and insurance. this time will be fuel economy and the ozone layer. don\’t be surprised if the camaro is never produced. this challenger may very well be the last muscle car.

Lawmakers Set Deal on Fuel Economy Rules

By JOHN M. BRODER and MICHELINE MAYNARD
Published: December 1, 2007
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 — Congressional negotiators reached a deal late Friday on energy legislation that would force American automakers to improve the fuel efficiency of their cars and light trucks by 40 percent by 2020.

The proposal, which would require automakers to achieve 35 miles per gallon on average, is similar to a measure that was passed in the summer by the Senate but was bitterly opposed by the auto companies, who argued they did not have the technology or the financial resources to reach that goal.

The auto companies gave up their long-held opposition to fuel- economy increases not long before the Senate version was passed, but proposed a much weaker alternative. In recent weeks, the chief executives of General Motors, the Ford Motor Company and Chrysler visited Capitol Hill in an effort to fend off a stronger measure, but the compromise announced Friday showed those efforts had little effect.

The compromise emerged after days of difficult negotiations between House and Senate members and their staffs. The final deal was hammered out by the two main antagonists, the speaker of the House,Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, and Representative John D. Dingell, the Michigan Democrat who is the auto industry’s most effective advocate on Capitol Hill.

The compromise should ensure passage in the House, although the Senate may insist on changes. It does not appear to include provisions, like $16 billion in new taxes on the oil industry, that drew a veto threat from President Bush.

The latest version of the measure, if it becomes law, will force wrenching changes on the American car companies, from design studios to new-car showrooms to executive suites. Automakers now have to achieve 27.5 miles per gallon on cars, a figure that has not changed since 1984, and 22.2 miles per gallon for light trucks, including minivans, sport utility vehicles and pickups. Under the compromise, the companies will retain the distinction between the classes of vehicles, but must still meet a combined 35 m.p.g. fleetwide standard.

Ms. Pelosi called the compromise on mileage “an historic advancement in our efforts in the Congress to address our energy security and laying strong groundwork for climate legislation next year.” She said that she was confident it would win the backing of environmentalists, auto makers and labor and would clear Congress by the end of this year.

Mr. Dingell, in a statement, called the new mileage standard “aggressive and attainable.”

“After weeks of productive discussion and negotiation, we have achieved consensus on several provisions that provide critical environmental safeguards without jeopardizing American jobs,” he said. Critical to his agreement, he said, were incentives to the American auto industry for producing small cars in the United States and cars that run on a combination of gasoline and ethanol.

The Big Three automakers have warned that complying with the new fuel economy rules will cost them tens of billions of dollars and rob consumers of choices. But even if they meet the law’s mandate, the fuel efficiency of the American car fleet will still lag far behind that of other major industrialized countries.

European auto companies, for example, must average 40 miles per gallon and China requires a 35 m.p.g. standard. Automobiles sold in those countries are generally smaller and less powerful than the most popular models in the United States, however.

Lawmakers and aides were still ironing out the other major parts of the pending energy legislation Friday night, including details of a provision calling for a huge increase in production of fuels made from corn and other renewable sources.

The package will also include a requirement that most electric utilities produce 15 percent of their power from renewable sources, like wind and solar, by 2020.

A multibillion-dollar package of tax measures to pay for the other provisions was still under discussion Friday night but was not expected to be in the legislation to be brought to the House next week.

The energy bill faces opposition from segments of the auto, oil and utility industries, among the best organized and well financed lobbies in Washington. But House and Senate leaders expressed confidence on Friday that they could win passage before the end of the year.

The energy package, intended to reduce the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels and slow the production of the gases that contribute to global warming, would bring major changes to America’s highways, farms, factories, refineries and power plants. It contains not only the fuel-economy rules, which will alter the American auto fleet, but will divert vast tracts of farmland to produce ethanol and other renewable fuels and bring a bonanza for solar and wind power.

Under terms of the auto mileage deal, the cars and trucks sold in the United States must meet a fleetwide average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. The Senate passed a bill with this standard in June, but the House version of the legislation, passed in August, did not include any new mileage mandate because of opposition led by Mr. Dingell.

Speaker Pelosi supported the new mileage standard and vowed that she would restore it in the final bill. She appears to have prevailed but Mr. Dingell won some important concessions.

The package nearly fell apart this week when Mr. Dingell insisted on leaving sole authority to regulate automobile mileage standards with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an arm of the Transportation Department. That would have weakened the power of the Environmental Protection Agency and the states, led by California, to regulate auto emissions of carbon dioxide, which are in large measure a function of the amount of fuel burned.

Federal court rulings this year have decided this so-called pre-emption issue in favor of the E.P.A. and the states, decisions that Mr. Dingell hoped to undo by Congressional action. The traffic safety administration has had authority over fuel-efficiency standards since 1975 but has not imposed any significant increase since 1985. The E.P.A. is currently writing rules to comply with a Supreme Court ruling this year that gave it the authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions and is weighing an application by California and 14 other states to set their own emissions standard.

The authority of the E.P.A. to regulate tailpipe emissions and the right of California and other states to set their own, higher standards were considered deal-breakers by Ms. Pelosi and her fellow California Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Republican governor of California, weighed in late in the week to tell negotiators that he would oppose the bill if the Mr. Dingell’s preemption language stayed in.

Mrs. Pelosi and Democratic leaders in the Senate rejected Mr. Dingell’s preemption effort, but softened the blow by agreeing to allow the car companies to retain a credit for vehicles capable of running on a blend of gasoline and ethanol. That credit was set to expire in 2008 but now will begin to decline in 2014 and be eliminated entirely by 2020.

The compromise also contains incentives for American auto companies to continue producing small cars in the United States, a measure that the autoworkers union has estimated would save 17,000 autoworker jobs.

John M. Broder reported from Washington and Micheline Maynard from New York

Who in there right mind would pay 30k over sticker??? That’s insane!!! Fans…lets let Dodge know this is unaceptable and that these dealers that are doing this sould be fined…If they are reading this blog they should be asking whom the dealer is!!!

I’ve also been told by my local dodge dealer that a 4.7 (318) would be going into the car…just speculation, I wish Dodge would get the rest of the info out…I want to know what my options are. Dodge…get your lawyers in gear…Were Waiting!!!

I know that everyone is complaining about the price of the SRT8, but what do you expect for the “top of the line” model. The base price is not unrealistic. The SRTs all come pretty fully loaded.

The crazy markups are insane. Anyone dealer marking up over 5K over MSRP should be reported to Dodge.

As far as the limited number, I am kind of glad because I don’t want the market flooded with the Challenger right away. I hate seeing a Mustang around every corner I look. I want to own a car that is unique, looks nice, and has the power to stand up to most street legal cars out there.

I would like an ‘08. I put my order in at my local dealer. I am second in line. I hope they are offered at least 2.
Has anyone who has put an order in have their order confirmed by the factory yet (i.e. have your name and address on the sticker)?

ARE YOU LISTENING DODGE????? HERE, LISTEN TO SHAWN AGAIN
if the challenger price dn’t come down i will be buying a mustang gt for 25,000 with rebate of abt 3,000 nxt yr……..
if the challenger price dn’t come down i will be buying a mustang gt for 25,000 with rebate of abt 3,000 nxt yr……..
if the challenger price dn’t come down i will be buying a mustang gt for 25,000 with rebate of abt 3,000 nxt yr……..
if the challenger price dn’t come down i will be buying a mustang gt for 25,000 with rebate of abt 3,000 nxt yr……..
if the challenger price dn’t come down i will be buying a mustang gt for 25,000 with rebate of abt 3,000 nxt yr……..
if the challenger price dn’t come down i will be buying a mustang gt for 25,000 with rebate of abt 3,000 nxt yr……..
if the challenger price dn’t come down i will be buying a mustang gt for 25,000 with rebate of abt 3,000 nxt yr……..

Ya I wish mine would of had man. trans. But my wife is happy its not I am still thrilled just to get one of the first 4500 this is a major purchase and to have my wife backing me up on this buy of a life time is great she wished for it to be a automatic because she wants to drive this cool car also ya I’ll let my wife drive it was Dodge stupid not to have manual transmissions offered on these cars now I don’t think so I would have bought it with the old 727 3 speed they did such a great job designing it I always can buy a manual transmission Challenger in a few years but my first limited 2008 will most likely always be worth more to me because I got one of the FIRST AND THATS WHATS COOL

ohh yeah these first five thousand are practically advertisment. Or adver-tease-ment. ha ha… your sous chef…peace..

Listen up all of you porspective Challanger buye’s. You may not know this but, The first offering of the new Challange SRT8’s will be offered only in an automatic transmition. There will be NO standard 6 speeds offered on this go around. This is from my Dodge dealer. I have been wating for this car for (2) years and to say the least I am a bit disapointed that the made this choice. All of the true Challange buyer’s in my mind would want this car in a (6) six speed manual. I have let Dodge know of my dissapointment and it may affect my choice of thic car down the road. Let them know at Dodge if you feel the same way I do right now. The Doorman.

Now 40k for a srt challenger isnt that bad Your geting a hell of alot of car for 40k.
I just kicked out 48k for a new rv msrp’ed at 72Ktime to wait a year or the wife will kill me…

I will also wait for 09 more colors and I want just a 5.7 hemi maybe convertible.
White!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Black striped hood……………..

i ordered mine today folks.it was below msrp.all you need to do is find a dealer that cares

guys. every dealer gets 1 car. some dealers get more than 1 based on selling their first one.that is to say, 5000 cars less one for every of 4500+ dealers, leaves less than 500 cars. these 500 i would imagine are already sold, or will be by tomorrow. your best bet is to call the salesmanager at as many different dealers as you can and find out if they have taken an order for one yet. if not, get a price, lock it with a credit card over the phone, go to the dealer and place your order. time is running out.

What a disappointment~! I arrived early at my local dealership, waited for the Sales Staff to arrive, waited for them to find any information on the 2008 Challenger so that I could order one, waited for them to get paperwork ready, I had my checkbook out and was ready to start signing the paperwork and was told “the price is MSRP plus $30K”. That’s criminal~! All that does is hurt the true enthusiast who cannot afford to pay $80K when all is said and done. Chrysler should step up and call the dealerships out because in the long run, the Chrysler Corporation is the one that will get hurt.

O.K. now for the really hard questions.
What do you fellas think the mark-up will be from the 5.7 to the 6.1??
And more importantly what do you think the mark-up will be from the 6.1 to the 6.4???
Anyone heard what the convertible option will be worth??
50$ for performance tires that’s sweet!!
Ohhh yeah and silver is the number one seller on all vehicles that have been later models. I WANT BLACK WITH SOME STRIPES OR OTHER NICE LINES. Thanks again fellas i guess there are still more decisions to make everyday, but that’s fun more options the better especially engine options. Peace…..

What is it that you dont understand? Silver is color too. Not everyone who wants to buy this car was born in the 60s. They will sell prenty of sliver believe me. And these are only the starting colors anyway. They will add more later on.

here are the options for the challenger!!!!!!!!!

orange, black or silver

mygig multimedia infotainment with nav.$890
power sunroof $950
performance tires $50.

thats it. orders are now being accepted by the factory. my order went in at 9:15 this morning. (within 5 minutes of ordering opening up. maybe i will get a really low number car. that would be awesome!!!!!

OK i feel a little smarter now ha i guess.
So when you say 6.4 do you mean the 6.1 in the convertible? cause i read the 6.4 was only a crate racing engine and not emisions legal.
The whole convertible thing kills me cause i was looking at C5 vettes and i really want a drop-top so the problem for me is not waiting one year it’s waiting two years. From what im getting here 5,000 in 08′ and all models in 09′ but prolly a drop-top in 2010. Sound right? If all engines are availible i’ll wait two years for this puppy to fold back but if they limit the engine options like they do Z06 corvettes i’d take it in 09′. I want the 6.1 badly, ha very badly. So im dead set on that but the idea of a drop-top is def. worth the wait no doubt. My hemi truck is still nice im just so used to it i guess im spoiled now. I want more lol. But if i have to wait another 18 months for my dream car i don’t care especially if the top comes down. I’ll pay 40 something for that. Im so crunching finance numbers now for next year it’s not even funny. But the vette thing is out for sure im gonna def. drop another 10k into this sucker im just gonna go 6 year loan and bite the bullet. Man i can hardly wait though. I want answers im in the position to get a new car very soon so waiting allows me more time to “INVEST” in my future, so to speak ha. Call me crazy but im sold i just wish dodge would put all my fears to rest and i can just start to sell my hemi sooner than later. thanks sully….

word is, on other internet sites, convertible will be available with all motors, everything from the 3.5 6cyl to the 6.4 new srt8 motor when it comes out. dodge claims 0 to 60 in 4. something seconds (per the model at the display) and quarter mile times of 13 seconds. nothing mentioned about actual weight, however it does look heavy in person. something was also said by the dealer doing the show about some technology pack that other srt cars have that runs about $3500. as the only option, but to me this is just bulls**t, hyperbole and conjecture as he claimed it was the only option on other srt models, which based on the charger and the 300 is untrue. i would bet that it will have similar options to the charger, you probably wont be able to pick them or they would have already released the info and when it arrives you can take it or leave it. check leftlanenews.com and allpar.com for more info/rumors

THIS IS SO LAME!!!!!
Soo dodge you can’t tell us anything? But that your gonna actually sell 5,000?
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THE SRT IS GONNA BE LOADED?
ARE THERE GONNA BE OPTIONS THAT MAKE THE CAR COST MORE? OR ARE THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE BRING DOWN THE STICKER PRICE??
I can definatly wait for a convertible but i’ve been saying that for two months now. SOOO!!!
DOES ANYONE KNOW ABOUT A CONVERTIBLE???
WILL THEY HAVE IT IN THE SRT??? OR IS IT GONNA BE LIKE THE ZO6 ‘VETTE
WHAT ARE THE 0-60 TIMES?
WHAT DOES IT WEIGH?
DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING BESIDES THE FACT THAT THERE GONNA SELL 5,000 IN ‘08
Cause this (expletive) is ridiculous no matter what im waiting till 09′ on this one maybe they’ll know something about the car then. Don’t get me wrong i love the dang thing but you guys are crazy for something you know nothing about or luckily have a retierment fund im 23 but i’ll spend 500 plus a month on this thing just tell me about it please!!!

just came back from the boston autoshow. the dodge models are armed with less info than this website (big surprise!) but the dealer representing dodge claims that they have taken 2 deposits at $10,000 over sticker. i paid $5000 over at my dealer that was charging me invoice + $1500 for the first srt8 charger. if a dealer will give you $5000 or less over sticker price for the challenger, jump on it and make some money for yourself by selling through e-bay. the dealer at the show also claims that the cars will be coming in without the option to select colors options etc. just like a shelby mustang. in fairness, i think everyone is going to get what they want. dodge dealers that have been struggling for so long will get a boost albeit on 1 or 2 cars. the people that really want one now can get one (although at a premium, and without selecting options or colors). and by summer, everyone who wants one can get one at a fair price, as well as with the options they want. convertibles look like next spring if the rumors are to believed. it makes sense though, as the car was not designed as a convertible and it seems that with other car companies that its always a year 2 thing. i’ll take what i can get, but it will be traded for an srt8 sublime convertible as soon as it is available.

I went to my local dealer and put down my $1000 deposit and can’t wait to hear that mine is reserved. As far as the options go, if they follow suit with the Charger then it will be pretty loaded with an option for the sound system and DVD/Satellite Radio/NAV. I can’t imagine a sunroof as an option. For me the options are a minor detail.

I agree with Kowalski that this is a great opportunity to get a classic. I love the production (spy) photos. This car is going to be better than the Camaro and Mustangs. Good job Dodge!!

$40,095 MSRP
6.1 liter Hemi V8 engine
Hemi Orange Pearl
Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl
Bright Silver Metallic
Limited Edition numbered dash plaque

It seems the lawyers were busy, 13 i’s dotted, and 7 t’s, not whole lot of information. If I have to educate my local Dodge dealer on Monday, forget it. Once the cars become common, I won’t be interested.

HEY MADDCAPP THANKS!!!!
I guess im to busy already driving my hemi in my Ram truck man that to my hard work i’ve been driving since ‘03 so that’s why i had no idea and the owners book dodge gives you has now quarterly info like that in it so there ya go bro. But to my liking your site says that the ‘09 Challenger might push upwards of in the mid 400 horse range so more than 425 i take? Right? Cause if that’s the case im for the SRT but if it’s only a 50 horse difference it the 5.7 and 6.1 i don’t know if i want the SRT that’s what confusing me but none the less i’ve felt the rush of the hemi for almost 5 years now and i want more thank you very much and you’ll definatly catch me in a black one not very long from now. But thanks again for the answers, but not for the sarcasim i felt hopefully i’ll catch you in your challenger someday and i promise mine won’t be stock aaooowww!!!!! were was the thunder??? Ha ha peace man much love and respect. Your sous chef sully……

MTRHD - Thanks for the link but those are the three grainy cell phone pics I referenced. I am looking for Chrysler/Dodge to give me some better quality images. Eg - Are those gutterstrips or just my imagination? I see the B-Pillar but would like a better look at it.

here is the death nell of the muscle car. last time it was emissions and insurance. this time will be fuel economy and the ozone layer. don\’t be surprised if the camaro is never produced. this challenger may very well be the last muscle car.

Lawmakers Set Deal on Fuel Economy Rules

By JOHN M. BRODER and MICHELINE MAYNARD
Published: December 1, 2007
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 — Congressional negotiators reached a deal late Friday on energy legislation that would force American automakers to improve the fuel efficiency of their cars and light trucks by 40 percent by 2020.

The proposal, which would require automakers to achieve 35 miles per gallon on average, is similar to a measure that was passed in the summer by the Senate but was bitterly opposed by the auto companies, who argued they did not have the technology or the financial resources to reach that goal.

The auto companies gave up their long-held opposition to fuel- economy increases not long before the Senate version was passed, but proposed a much weaker alternative. In recent weeks, the chief executives of General Motors, the Ford Motor Company and Chrysler visited Capitol Hill in an effort to fend off a stronger measure, but the compromise announced Friday showed those efforts had little effect.

The compromise emerged after days of difficult negotiations between House and Senate members and their staffs. The final deal was hammered out by the two main antagonists, the speaker of the House,Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, and Representative John D. Dingell, the Michigan Democrat who is the auto industry’s most effective advocate on Capitol Hill.

The compromise should ensure passage in the House, although the Senate may insist on changes. It does not appear to include provisions, like $16 billion in new taxes on the oil industry, that drew a veto threat from President Bush.

The latest version of the measure, if it becomes law, will force wrenching changes on the American car companies, from design studios to new-car showrooms to executive suites. Automakers now have to achieve 27.5 miles per gallon on cars, a figure that has not changed since 1984, and 22.2 miles per gallon for light trucks, including minivans, sport utility vehicles and pickups. Under the compromise, the companies will retain the distinction between the classes of vehicles, but must still meet a combined 35 m.p.g. fleetwide standard.

Ms. Pelosi called the compromise on mileage “an historic advancement in our efforts in the Congress to address our energy security and laying strong groundwork for climate legislation next year.” She said that she was confident it would win the backing of environmentalists, auto makers and labor and would clear Congress by the end of this year.

Mr. Dingell, in a statement, called the new mileage standard “aggressive and attainable.”

“After weeks of productive discussion and negotiation, we have achieved consensus on several provisions that provide critical environmental safeguards without jeopardizing American jobs,” he said. Critical to his agreement, he said, were incentives to the American auto industry for producing small cars in the United States and cars that run on a combination of gasoline and ethanol.

The Big Three automakers have warned that complying with the new fuel economy rules will cost them tens of billions of dollars and rob consumers of choices. But even if they meet the law’s mandate, the fuel efficiency of the American car fleet will still lag far behind that of other major industrialized countries.

European auto companies, for example, must average 40 miles per gallon and China requires a 35 m.p.g. standard. Automobiles sold in those countries are generally smaller and less powerful than the most popular models in the United States, however.

Lawmakers and aides were still ironing out the other major parts of the pending energy legislation Friday night, including details of a provision calling for a huge increase in production of fuels made from corn and other renewable sources.

The package will also include a requirement that most electric utilities produce 15 percent of their power from renewable sources, like wind and solar, by 2020.

A multibillion-dollar package of tax measures to pay for the other provisions was still under discussion Friday night but was not expected to be in the legislation to be brought to the House next week.

The energy bill faces opposition from segments of the auto, oil and utility industries, among the best organized and well financed lobbies in Washington. But House and Senate leaders expressed confidence on Friday that they could win passage before the end of the year.

The energy package, intended to reduce the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels and slow the production of the gases that contribute to global warming, would bring major changes to America’s highways, farms, factories, refineries and power plants. It contains not only the fuel-economy rules, which will alter the American auto fleet, but will divert vast tracts of farmland to produce ethanol and other renewable fuels and bring a bonanza for solar and wind power.

Under terms of the auto mileage deal, the cars and trucks sold in the United States must meet a fleetwide average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. The Senate passed a bill with this standard in June, but the House version of the legislation, passed in August, did not include any new mileage mandate because of opposition led by Mr. Dingell.

Speaker Pelosi supported the new mileage standard and vowed that she would restore it in the final bill. She appears to have prevailed but Mr. Dingell won some important concessions.

The package nearly fell apart this week when Mr. Dingell insisted on leaving sole authority to regulate automobile mileage standards with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an arm of the Transportation Department. That would have weakened the power of the Environmental Protection Agency and the states, led by California, to regulate auto emissions of carbon dioxide, which are in large measure a function of the amount of fuel burned.

Federal court rulings this year have decided this so-called pre-emption issue in favor of the E.P.A. and the states, decisions that Mr. Dingell hoped to undo by Congressional action. The traffic safety administration has had authority over fuel-efficiency standards since 1975 but has not imposed any significant increase since 1985. The E.P.A. is currently writing rules to comply with a Supreme Court ruling this year that gave it the authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions and is weighing an application by California and 14 other states to set their own emissions standard.

The authority of the E.P.A. to regulate tailpipe emissions and the right of California and other states to set their own, higher standards were considered deal-breakers by Ms. Pelosi and her fellow California Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Republican governor of California, weighed in late in the week to tell negotiators that he would oppose the bill if the Mr. Dingell’s preemption language stayed in.

Mrs. Pelosi and Democratic leaders in the Senate rejected Mr. Dingell’s preemption effort, but softened the blow by agreeing to allow the car companies to retain a credit for vehicles capable of running on a blend of gasoline and ethanol. That credit was set to expire in 2008 but now will begin to decline in 2014 and be eliminated entirely by 2020.

The compromise also contains incentives for American auto companies to continue producing small cars in the United States, a measure that the autoworkers union has estimated would save 17,000 autoworker jobs.

John M. Broder reported from Washington and Micheline Maynard from New York

Sure Kris Sullivan, you want to know about the new and improved 5.7L Hemi for the 2009 Chrysler lineup, there was a press release from Chrysler on 6/21/07 that said “For 2009, Chrysler Group will deliver a significantly upgraded version of its renowned 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, resulting in notable gains in fuel efficiency, refinement, power and torque.”
Do your Hemi research here…
http://www.allpar.com/mopar/new-mopar-hemi.html

Good job Dodge! great to see a real throw back to the 70\\\’s the Challenger looks great. Never was a mopar fan but this car may change my mind. That piece of junk Chevy is calling a reto camero looks awfull. Build a 1969 Z28 retro (that looks like the original) to compete with this Challenger and sales will be strong for both car manufactures. Hand it to Dodge for stepping up and doing what others are afraid to do. The pay-off will be worth the efforts. I see someone is complaining about the gas milage and price. Go buy an import! Muscle cars are not your mothers Buick, put the pedal to the floor and hold on and who cares what the gas milage is. Hats off to Dodge you will convert some old GM people with this new car.

moparman

the extra is gas guzzler tax

I’m not too interested in the limited edition SRT8 considering it appears to be $2k more than a regular SRT8 and only comes in auto. Does anyone know if there is anything special about it besides a numbered dash plaque? I can wait a few months for the 2009 SRT8 with a 6-speed, but will the Hemi orange color be offered on all models or just the limited edition?

Because there are a limited production of the first 5000, will Chrysler let us know which dealerships will be allocated a car or cars and how many?

I contacted all the dealerships in my area and NONE of them even knew about the pricing being released and had no knowledge about numbers of cars to made available in my state or to their dealership. Can RLD help us out here??

The sales aid was awesome!!!

Boomer wrote:
“Most of the places I have called.. and yes I actually called, are selling for msrp so please check before you gripe”

OF COURSE that’s what they would tell you on the phone. Been there, done that. Stop by any of those dealerships and I guarantee you it will be a different story. A dealership will NEVER quote an exact price on the phone unless from an ad where the price is stated. Anyone who thinks they will find one at MSRP, without being forced to buy dealer-add ons/warranty etc., is dreaming.

Jeez, about time!!
37-38 grand MSRP for an SRT….not bad.
However,if the rumor is correct, you want to build only 5 thousand limited 08 SRT Challengers, and yet, I read on the business page that Chrysler is planning on eliminating another 7-10 thousand jobs!
What gives…?
Also, on Consumer Reports 2008 new cars edition, there’s some info about the Challenger.Includes a v6 and the v8’s eng. Pricing btween 29k-39k.No convertible mentioned.
Oh, BTW,HEY Dodge, any word on a convertible?

what other colors will the challanger come in?? i want a dark blue or dark red. I’m going to wait a little bit before i buy one becse i want to see my option and prices dffnt models..

Mister Deeps….I don’t know about that, other than Gas, how many other things have the tax included in the price. Chrysler’s not trying to dissuade us from purchasing gas guzzlers, the U.S. Government is. When you guy something in the store, do they include the tax in the price?

“$37,995″ is MISLEADING…

$37,995 + $2,100 GG Tax = $40,095.

PLUS additional options, PLUS additional dealer markup, PLUS tax and license = $50k or more…

AHAHAHAH i bout died on that ad!

i want this car how much is depst??

How soon can you put down a deposit?

THANKS DODGE, WE HAVE WAITED A LONG TIME.
JUST DROPPED OFF MY DEPOSIT.FIRST IN LINE AT MY DEALER. THE BAD NEWS IS $5000 OVER STICKER, BUT WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?

RDL, the plan is still to release the first 5K Chally’s as Autos right?

I’ve read it everywhere and have gotten confused with whether this is gospel or speculation, rumor and heresay.

AWESOME!!!

Thanks RLD, and thanks DODGE for keeping the price very reasonable… hopefully the dealer will not take advantage of your customers. Count me in for a Hemi Orange version.

Thanks! We’re not hard to please! Not to be an ingrate, but when are further details expected?